Festival freeze

Across Pakistan's northern mountains, winters are arriving late and behaving unpredictably. Cold spells are shorter. In the wider Hindu Kush and Himalayan region, scientists report fewer extreme cold events and shorter snow seasons. Locals call it a "snow drought".

The change is visible in Hunza. Data compiled by WeatherWalay, a climate analytics platform, shows average winter precipitation has fallen about 30 percent since the late 2010s, recording four consecutive years of below-normal temperatures. Recent winters have been 2 to 3 C milder, so there is less snow to sustain the ice.

Unlike European resorts with artificial snow, Hunza's tournament depends entirely on natural ice.