Chasing Winter: Ice Hockey on Thin Ice in Pakistan's Hunza Valley

In Pakistan's Hunza Valley, winter's unpredictability jeopardizes traditional ice rinks for local ice hockey tournaments. As a warming climate lessens the region's icy conditions, the community struggles to maintain the sport, affecting local tourism and economies heavily reliant on natural winter conditions.

In the picturesque Hunza Valley, Pakistan, warmer winters threaten the historic ice rink that has long served as a community hub for ice hockey. Aleena Gul, a local pioneer of the sport, reminisces about past winters when she could skate right outside her doorstep, a sight now disappearing.

This year, the ice refuses to cooperate as rising temperatures disrupt natural freezing patterns. This change is not just inconveniencing players but also deeply impacting local businesses reliant on winter tourism, with fewer visitors arriving in search of snow-covered peaks and frozen lakes.

Despite community efforts to maintain the rink, unpredictable weather patterns force tournaments northward, chasing colder conditions. This reflects a broader climate challenge faced by winter sports globally, compounding the economic pressures on regions without artificial alternatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)