Definition of ethnic skiing: skiing in a country far from home, where the cultural aspect contrasts with the activity.
| The film’s director, Alex Amiguet, uses his sharp eye and well-crafted voice-over to take a refreshingly offbeat look at ‘ethnic skiing.’ With humor, he examines this activity through the journey of four skiing friends on a perpetual quest for new horizons, all while donning their stylish glacier sunglasses to navigate the breathtaking landscapes. |
| The idea for this adventure, born of passion and curiosity, dates back several years. On their return from a trip to Iran – as part of the We Ride in Iran project – our ‘ethnic skiers’ caught a glimpse through the window of the magnificent volcanic mountains surrounding Lake Van in Turkey.
In the spring of 2023, as the need to get away from it all grows ever more pressing, the time seems ripe to go and put down your skis in this predominantly Kurdish region, close to the border between Iran and Iraq. With its many languages and dialects, friendly people, rich gastronomy and strong Turkish military presence, it has all the ingredients for a successful ethnic ski trip. All except one essential element: snow. |
Lake Van – Turkey
The lake lies at an altitude of 1,700 metres, with the highest peaks reaching 4,000 metres. Generally speaking, there’s plenty of snow to go round.
Unfortunately, the timing was not good for our group: winter 2023 was one of the driest winters the region has seen in recent decades. These snow conditions force the group to find remote access routes. They found themselves in villages perched at high altitude, where they had the chance to meet the local population – amust for ethnic skiers.
The long approaches on foot, spent wading through a mixture of snow and red earth, leave plenty of time to admire this otherworldly landscape. On the reverse side, rocky south faces as far as the eye can see, and on the north side, thin tongues of snow allow you to ski in these landscapes of rare beauty.
