Julien Pica Herry, Pakistan and the Zom Connection
Originally from Chamonix, Julien “Pica” Herry developed his style and technique among the slopes of Mont Blanc, where centuries of mountaineering culture have left only the hardest lines to be discovered. A lover of powdery snow, his specialty remains the steep slope. Alpine Guide, but above all freerider and splitboarder like few, with more than 40 first descents, from the Himalayas to the Alps. Of him I remember a triptych on the Grand Combin de Grafenière scored with Davide Capozzi. A simple guy who found his calling in living and sharing the mountains around the world.
Julian has been exploring northern Pakistan for more than a decade, fascinated by the complexity of the terrain and delighted by the warm hospitality of the local people. And he returns to this Himalayan region whenever he can. This bond took an unexpected turn in 2019 when he survived an avalanche in the Hunza Valley, the location of Shangri-La, the land where youth is eternal. With the love shown to him after the incident, the local community gained his deep respect, fueling his desire to give something back to them.
The following winter, Pica found a way to ensure his personal recognition: arranging to send 60 snowboard kits. Equipment that, thanks in part to the support of companies such as Jones and local sports clubs, immediately attracted the interest of dozens of riders, of all ages and from different mountain communities. Spurred on by the success of this first donation, Pica reinvigorated the project, founding an organization called Zom Connection that is dedicated to the development of winter sports in Pakistan. He recruited friends from around the world and began collecting donations to deliver new equipment to these highly inspired populations.
In January 2021, Pica and eight other Zom Connection volunteers traveled to Pakistan to deliver new materials in person, make contacts and document the situation. First stop on this trip the Malam Jabba ski resort, to attend the second snowboard festival organized by the resort itself. Established in the late 1980s at the urging of the Austrian government but falling out of favor under the Taliban occupation, the ski resort has been experiencing a second youth since 2014, thanks to visitors from big cities driven here by the need for new horizons of recreation. On the one hand, more than 50 snowboarders from Afghanistan, Chitral district, Gilgit Baltistan territories and the city of Lahore, eager to learn something new from Western culture. On the other, a diverse group of willing people with a desire to raise awareness and share the love of winter sports. Before leaving France, Malam Jabba was just a chairlift. After five days here, a great resource for locals to improve their skills.
But it is time to reach the main destination of this mission: the Madaklasht Valley. An eight-hour journey to the town of Drosh to meet with Hasham, president of the Hindu Kush Snow Sports Club. One who devotes his life to the development of winter sports in this western offshoot of the Karakoram. Madaklasht is a unique place in Pakistan: about 3500 people live in the valley, 1000 of whom are officially registered skiers or snowboarders. Skiing, introduced in the 1920s by the British Army, became part of the community, which has maintained it as a local tradition. In recent times, thanks to smartphones and technology, the doors to the international scene have been opened to local riders. Offering them a chance to get their hands on more modern equipment so that they could explore the hidden corners of this magnificent playground was exactly the reason for this trip. By November 2020, Pica and partners had packed and shipped a couple of tons of equipment here. Skis, snowboards, splitboards, ice skates that will remain the property of Zom Connection, controlled by the local council and Hindu Kush Winter Sports Club with the goal of giving everyone equal access. Together also 30 complete kits with avalanche safety equipment, accompanied by practical lessons reserved for the village’s most experienced riders to reinforce skills and knowledge among these boundless backcountry.
The following days are for the Hindu Kush snow sports festival, an event that brings incredible energy to the entire valley. Days filled with action, laughter and learning, a true celebration for the local community. The last leg of the trip is devoted to the village of Karimabad in the Chitral area. Perched at almost 3,000 meters, it is a truly authentic place. The gentle slopes above the town are perfect for learning to ski, but surprisingly, no local can do it. All that remains is to take note, even in this, of the enormous potential for development.
Showing up here, with a couple of tons of equipment, at the beginning of a festival dedicated to snowboarding, was a mind-boggling experience for everyone involved. And while the work of the Zom Connection has been to raise awareness and share the love of winter sports with these remote Himalayan communities, the equipment and advice donated during the trip has undoubtedly transformed a few people’s lives.
