When one thinks of Afghanistan, one usually does not think of skiing.

There are several reasons for this.

1. Afghanistan has been war-ravaged for decades.

2. Afghanistan,” “leisure sports,” and “fun, relaxing time” are not things ever associated with one another in many peoples’ minds.
3. There are no ski lifts in Afghanistan.

4. There are people in Afghanistan, right this very second,actively trying to kill/maim/torture anyone with a Western passport. To make it worse, those very same people really don’t like people who have the audacity to have been born with female genitalia.

5. The country doesn’t exactly scream, “Hey, people, come hang out and spend some of those lucrative tourist dollars!

1. The altitude up there can exceed 11,000 feet, making it very hard to breathe properly when there is not a lot of oxygen floating around. Not ideal when you have to scale a mountain on foot with skis strapped to your back in order to shuss down it.

2. There are no ski shops within 5,000 miles. Not super convenient if you forgot your long underwear.
3. There are no female ski instructors (there are a few men who have been trained), and women are not allowed to be alone with men in any situation.

I could go on, but you get the gist.

Trekking up the mountain range. (Photo: Paula Froelich)