Like so many expeditions, this one was spawned by chance. At the premiere of a snowboarding movie in Los Angeles, I had happened upon world-traveling snowboarder Craig Kelly. He told me about his intention to go back to Iran "for some unfinished business," and then he winked. I understood. I'd seen the photos from his initial exploration to the mountains of Iran five years ago. During that trip, severe avalanche danger had kept him on a short leash in the backcountry.
