Formed in 2017 with a few skis from Iran and a lot of moxie, the Choman Ski Club celebrates backcountry skiing by joining together international skiers with local Iraqi Kurds to regularly ski the Zagros mountains around Choman — the club’s home base. The aim of the ski club is to spread a new sport throughout the area, help attract outside investment for new lifts and routes and offer a new perspective on the region, other than one associated with long-term war. The club’s founding members are Kurds who have been trained by outside professionals in skiing and other mountain sports in the past few years. The club also holds a lending library of ski equipment and offers weekly training sessions.
To donate money, go to the Darashakran Run Club Just Giving Page or contact Adrian Brune at ambrune@gmail.com for a donation of lightly used running shoes, clothes and other gear.