From isolation to ascent: Women redefine Erbil's climbing scene

Shafaq News/ Beneath the quiet shadow of Mount Safeen in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, a gentle but unshakable revolution is taking hold—not through loud demonstrations or sweeping politics, but through the steady determination of women who fasten their ropes, press their fingers into cold limestone, and ascend into spaces once deemed unreachable.

Rock climbing in Erbil is still finding its footing, far behind al-Sulaymaniyah, where a more established mountaineering tradition has taken root. Yet here, in this newer terrain, a small circle of women is forging something rare—not just a sport, but a movement. They are not only climbing rocks; they are climbing past boundaries.

Among them is Mina Ayad, a professionally trained climber who has quietly emerged as one of the first female figures in Erbil’s budding climbing scene.

“I joined my first mountaineering and rescue training with the Kurdistan Mountaineering Federation in 2022,” Mina recalled in an interview with Shafaq News. “Out of all the participants, there were only three women—and I was one of them. I broke the rescue time record.”

Since that initial breakthrough, Mina has immersed herself in advanced training—from technical climbing to ice scaling and emergency rescue. But her path has not been without silence and solitude. “I stepped away from climbing for a while because I was the only female in the group. I felt isolated.”

Still, that pause didn’t last. With quiet strength, Mina returned, and this time, she was not alone. She now trains regularly with the Erbil Mountaineering Federation’s climbing team. By her side are women like Hedaya Azad, 25, whose journey into the world of climbing began in 2024 after a transformative visit to the Music Valley.

“I met Mina on Mount Safeen,” Hedaya remembered. “She taught me how to climb. I felt this incredible surge of adrenaline. I asked her right away: When are we going again? Since then, I’ve been climbing four times a week.”

Together, they train with purpose—learning to lead, mastering anchoring techniques, belaying methods, and complex rescue skills. But their dreams reach beyond personal achievement.

Both Mina and Hedaya are working toward certification as climbing instructors, hoping not only to scale greater heights themselves but to build a safe and inclusive future for those who follow.

A Mountain of Potential

Erbil currently has two official climbing sites: Rabin Boya, established in 2010, and the Music Valley routes near Mount Safeen, created in 2019.

Siamand Jaafar, a veteran climber and head of education at the Erbil Center of the Kurdistan Mountaineering Federation, is intimately familiar with both sites. He considers them safe, but recognizes their limitations. They still fall short of international standards—a reality that persists despite years of careful progress.

Climbing began to formally take root in Erbil in 2022, marked by the Federation’s first structured training course. Since then, efforts have grown steadily: rescue teams have been built, and formal courses in both rock and ice climbing have been introduced.

But progress still faces steep inclines. “Challenges persist—especially when it comes to securing the funding needed to grow this field,” Siamand reflects to Shafaq News.

For many women, however, the hurdles are not only financial. Social expectations, often subtle but deeply ingrained, continue to shape the landscape. Mina, who knows this weight intimately, carries it with quiet dignity. “Some families hesitate to let their daughters climb. They think it’s too dangerous or inappropriate,” she explained. “But once you experience it—the adrenaline, the self-confidence, the technique—you realize how empowering it is, how it lifts your spirit.”

That same spirit runs deep within the Federation itself. Siamand is determined to nurture greater female participation. Though traditional attitudes still cast long shadows over women’s involvement in outdoor and mountain sports, change is underway. “We’re working hard to shift that mindset,” he expressed. “We need more female climbers and we always encourage them to join—because women are half of our society.”

On the ground, that change is becoming visible. Mina and her teammates now train at the climbing wall in Erbil’s Peshmerga Park, as well as in the Music Valley behind Mount Safeen.

“It’s terrifying when you look up while climbing,” Hedaya shared, reflecting on the early days of her journey. But over time, with trust, in her own body, in her gear, in her training, those fears transformed. “You discover things about your strength that you never imagined. It makes you feel limitless—like you’re flying.”

Yet this dream comes at a price. Climbing is not a cheap pursuit. Helmets, harnesses, ropes, anchors—each item essential, and each one costly. Developing climbing routes requires not only vision and expertise but sustained investment in infrastructure and safety equipment. These are not luxuries—they are lifelines.

Despite the financial strain, the Federation holds training sessions three times a week. The vision ahead is expansive: new routes, broader educational programs, and aspirations to host international climbing events in the near future.

“Kurdistan’s mountains have immense potential,” Siamand affirmed. Mount Safeen alone, he believes, “could host dozens of world-class climbing routes.” But realizing that potential, he noted, demands something more—“equipment, funding, and public awareness.”