Iran

Visitors come to Iran to sip tea in the blue-tiled city of Esfahan. However, Iran has as many mountains as minarets. Its highest peak is a towering 5700 metres and alpine areas receive up to seven metres of light dry snow every season. Magical Shem Shak, in the Alborz Mountains north of bustling, industrial Tehran, is Iran’s premiere ski destination. It is home to the Divaare (the legendary “wall of moguls”), Iran’s only night-skiing, and its wildest underground party scene. Visitors are warned to beware the local moonshine.

However, there are several security risks. If you indulge in Shem Shak’s party scene, be extremely discrete. Capital punishment can be expected for persons found guilty of possession, use, or trafficking of drugs, those who challenge the Islamic faith, and those who engage in sexual relations outside marriage. Canadians are warned not to visit the regions bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq (where the border is closed). Kidnappings have been reported in Southwest Iran.

Nepal

The highest peak in the world lies within the once forbidden and isolated kingdom of Nepal. Westerners call it Everest. The Nepalese call it Sagarmatha and the Sherpas call it Chomolungma. All told, the Himalayas of Nepal have eight summits over 8000 metres, and a 100 year supply of first descents. Himalayan Heli-Ski Guides (in Kathmandu) supplies guides and documents all first descents. The company expects to open the Everest region to heli-skiing this year.
The political situation in the Himalayan kingdom is uncertain. In August 2003 the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) officially ended the cease-fire agreement reached in January of that year. Armed clashes between the Maoists and the Royal Nepal Army have resumed throughout the countryside. Maoist insurgents have carried out sporadic attacks on government facilities, security forces, and tourist areas (many of which are now subject to curfews). Incidences of tourist extortion are also on the rise.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, skiers mix with fearsome-looking Pashtuns and Afghans in its crowded bazaars and along its fabled mountain passes. Nalter, in the Gilgit Karakorum range, is the oldest Pakistani ski “resort”. Among its charming qualities: it belongs to the Pakistani air force; it requires a helicopter to be reached safely; the only accommodation burnt down. Malam Jabba is Pakistan’s largest “resort”. It is located 300 km from Islamabad, near the border with Afghanistan (an extremely unstable and insecure area). According to reports it has been open only sporadically over the last 15 years due to financing problems. Beware: the main lift (there are only two) has a small top station with a 400 metre precipice only several steps away from the dismounting area. It is guarded by a single, dangling chain barrier.
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, all of this seems out of reach. Canadians are advised to avoid tourist travel to Pakistan. Tensions between Pakistan and India have eased recently, but the situation remains unpredictable and could deteriorate without notice. Bomb attacks, armed robberies, random shootings, and armed car-jackings occur throughout the country. Violent crime is especially high in the port city Karachi. In the mountains, unaccompanied tourists have been killed.

The Caucasus

The Caucasus Mountains, land bridge between the Black and Caspian seas, have witnessed the rise and fall of dozens of empires. Conquerors have come from all directions. Each brought a flood of people, leaving the mountains one the world’s most spectacular ethnic mosaics. The ruins of the last empire here, the Soviets, include ski resorts. The Tsakhkadzor resort in Armenia is a former Soviet Winter Olympic training ground. It now advertises itself as among the cheapest skiing in the world (a trip on the left = less than 1 USD). Conveniently, the lodge at the top serves tea and vodka to warm you up after what is a legendarily miserable trip up on the chair lift. Keep in mind that power and heating shortages are common, especially in winter. Georgia’s Bakuriana was reportedly the former Soviet Union’s premiere ski resort and a favourite of Moscow bureaucrats. Only one ski lift can be depended on to operate regularly but it costs less than 0.50 USD per trip.
The security situation in the Caucasus region is uncertain. In Armenia, a border dispute with neighbour Azerbaijan makes the Nagorno-Karabakh region unsafe. Armed clashes along the border and cease-fire line still occur. There are numerous land mines surrounding the conflict zones. Outside Yerevan (the capital) emergency services are non-existent. Things are even more uncertain in Georgia, where last November’s “velvet revolution” destabilized the political situation. Canadians should exercise extreme caution and avoid crowds and demonstrations. Crime and banditry against foreigners is a problem in urban areas. Canadians should not travel to the breakaway region of South Ossetia, the self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia, nor the Pankisi Gorge beyond Akhmeta.

Venezuela

Venezuela is a series of jungled river basins, deltas, steamy old colonial cities, and sandy Caribbean coastline. It is an unlikely ski destination. However, rumours of skiing, at Merida, high in the Andes Mountains, persist. They are difficult to resist. Skiing along the equator is a rare feat. Snow is reached by an hour-long cable car ascent from the city of Merida. This tram is often shut down due to political instability or mechanical problems. Be warned: the nearest run to the top station ends in a sheer cliff and certain death. Conditions are described as “a little snow on top of rocks”. Visitors also routinely use the adjective “unskiable”.
If you want to find out for yourself, you should be aware that Canadians are advised to exercise caution in Venezuela. The security situation remains volatile due to the ongoing tension between the government and its opponents. Canadians should not travel within 80 km of the Columbian and Brazilian borders. Columbian guerrillas, who frequently operate on both sides of the border, are suspected of several kidnappings. They openly target foreigners. Cross-border violence, kidnapping, smuggling, and drug trafficking occur frequently in remote areas of Venezuela. Also, violent crime is prevalent throughout the country, but particularly in the slums of central Caracas.

For more information, visit www.voyage.gc.ca