World’s tallest tent opens in Kazakhstan

by Sean McLachlan on


When you think of Kazakhstan you probably think of nomads living in tents, but today’s Kazakhstan is rapidly modernizing thanks to an oil boom, so it’s appropriate that the Central Asian nation is now home to the world’s tallest tent.

Technically, it’s the world’s largest “tensile structure”, meaning something held up by poles and cables. A tent, in other words. At 150 meters (492 feet), it’s the also the tallest building in the capital Astana. It encloses more than 100,000 square meters, including a park, cafes, restaurants, 700 parking spots, shopping areas, even an artificial beach.

Called the Khan Shatyr, it’s a unique architectural wonder. One of the challenges of building it was Astana’s rough weather. The Khan Shatyr’s website proclaims, “What do you feel like doing everyday at Astana? It is -30C outside.”

Not the best slogan, but certainly realistic. Astana has the distinction of being the second coldest capital in the world (after Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia), with freezing temperatures six months of the year and winter temperatures that have been measured as low as −40 °C (−40 °F). In the summer it can get up to 35 °C (95 °F). The tent’s skin is made from a special plastic that allows sunlight in while still acting as an insulator. Air vents keep ice from forming on the surfaces and keep the interior at a constant temperature.

Kazakhstan has large oil reserves and the government has been riding a wave of petrodollars that it has used to fund a massive building campaign in the capital. Astana is said to be the biggest construction project in the world, and taking a look at the huge structures in the gallery photos it certainly is a strong contender. The city is the brainchild of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has ruled Kazakhstan since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The Khan Shatyr was opened on President Nazarbayev’s 70th birthday.

The government has been trying to sell Kazakhstan’s capital as a tourist destination, and marvels like this will go a long way towards compensating visitors for the weather. With rugged scenery, Baikonur Cosmodrome (where Yuri Gagarin launched into orbit to become the first man in space), ancient mosques, medieval walled cities, and traditional folk who live in much smaller tents, Kazakhstan is a good choice for the adventure traveler.

Image courtesy Nigel Young/Foster + Partners.

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California campground closed due to the plague!

by Kraig Becker on

The Los Alamos Campground, located in the Angeles National Forest, has been closed after a ground squirrel found there tested positive for the plague. Let me say that again, it tested positive for the plague!

The park was officially shut down on Saturday and will remain closed for at least ten days. During that time, officials will dust the squirrel burrows in the area for fleas in an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease. The plague spreads when infected rodents are bitten by fleas, who then go on to bite humans, passing along a bacteria that can bring on a severe fever, the chills, and a blood infection. In rare occasions, it can also lead to the pneumonic plague and possibly even death.

One form of the plague is the bubonic variety that spread across Europe in the 14th century, killing in excess of 25 million people.

But health officials have been quick to point out that there have been four cases of plague in Los Angeles County since 1984, and none of those were fatal. But just to be sure, they recommend visitors to the Angeles National Forest avoid squirrels and chipmunks while visiting the park, and wear insect repellent, preferably with DEET, to keep the fleas away.

When we consider the dangers of heading out into the wilderness to go camping, we usually think of bears or possibly exposure to weather conditions. I don’t think I’ve even once worried about the plague. Crazy!

[Photo credit: Benefactor123 via WikiCommons]

Save the Serengeti from a new highway

by Kraig Becker on

One of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the Serengeti is under threat from a new source after the Tanzanian government approved construction of a highway that would pass through the iconic African plains. The new highway would be built directly through the Serengeti National Park, and could have devastating consequences to the delicate ecosystem there, but fortunately there is already a movement afoot to try to save the Serengeti before it is too late.

The Serengeti was named a World Heritage Site back in 1981 thanks to the amazingly diverse wildlife that exists there, not to mention the annual migration of millions of zebras, wildebeests, and other wild animals, across hundreds of miles of open plains. That migration is one of the most spectacular sights in all of nature, and visitors come from the world over to witness the event. The construction of this new highway could potentially disrupt the migration and alter the ecosystem of the Serengeti forever.

In response to this threat, a coalition of organizations with a shared concern over the future of the African plains has created the Save the Serengeti initiative. The website allows other organizations to join the fight against the new highway, and gives individuals the chance to sign the petition as well, letting Tanzanian officials know about our concern for the health of the natural environment there.

I visited the Serengeti a few years back, and found it to be a magical place. Watching the wildlife in the their natural habitat, was simply enthralling, and it remains one of the most beautiful and memorable places I have ever visited. The thought of a highway running through that pristine wilderness is something I can’t even imagine, and I hope that there is some way that they can find an alternative route. Needless to say, I already signed the petition, and urge you to do the same.

Adventurer trekking solo across Mongolia

by Kraig Becker on

British adventurer Ripley Davenport is in the middle of a spectacular solo journey. One that if he finishes, will put him the record books for the longest solo and unsupported trek in history. But before he’s done, he’ll face harsh weather conditions, inhospitable terrain, and one of the most demanding routes ever undertaken by man.

Ripley’s adventure is dubbed the Mongolia 2010 Expedition. His plan is to travel alone for 1700 miles across the vast, open wilderness of Mongolia, a country that boasts one of the lowest population densities on Earth. Along the way, he’ll travel on foot across the Eastern Mongolian Steppe, through the Gobi Desert, and over the Altai Mountains, while pulling all of his gear and supplies behind him in a specially designed cart that is the lifeline for his trek.

The expedition initially began back in April, but just three days in, the cart broke down on the harsh terrain. Undaunted however, Ripley returned home, made some important modifications to the design, and returned to the trail once again in late May. Since that time, he has completed the trek over the Mongolian Steppe, and is now nearing the end of the Gobi. According to his latest blog posts, Ripley has entered the foothills of the Altai Mountains, which will present an entirely new set of impediments to his progress.

At the moment, the former British Army officer is roughly halfway through his expedition, with plenty of challenges yet to overcome. But his spirits are high, he is focused and determined, and after more than 40 days on the trail, he is confident in his skills and equipment. The redesigned cart is working well, and is vital to Ripley achieving his goal of going solo and unsupported. Traveling by himself, he has the solo part well covered, but in order to achieve “unsupported” status he needs to finish the expedition without resupply or outside aid of any kind. His cart not only carries his gear, but also his food and water too, and without it, the journey wouldn’t be possible at all.

Check in on Ripley’s blog for regular updates from the field as he shares his adventure with the rest of us.

[Photo credit: Ripley Davenport]

Video captures the essence of climbing Mt. Shasta

by Kraig Becker on

Mt. Shasta is a 14,179 foot tall volcano located in California’s Cascade Mountains. The peak is a popular one with climbers, who generally attempt the mountain between April and October, although winter summits are not out of the question. The climb is a challenging one that requires more than 6300 feet of vertical gain, while crossing over snowfields and treacherous glacial moraines, which makes it the perfect peak for tuning up for other, bigger mountains, elsewhere in the world.

Recently, climber Ryan Commons, whose beautiful video of the John Muir Trail we shared a few months back, made the climb to the top of Mt. Shasta, and created another spectacular video to share with the rest of us. The video is twenty minutes in length, but is well worth watching from start to finish. It not only shows off the amazing scenery off the Cascades, but also captures the experience of the climb very well. For anyone contemplating making the climb up Mt. Shasta for themselves, there is plenty of great information to assist in that adventure too.

The video shows us all the elements of the climb, both bad and good. Ryan and his partner Mark make the ascent along the most popular route on Shasta, Avalanche Gulch, and it was a cold and challenging climb almost from the start. I won’t spoil the rest of the video for you however, as it is so well made, you’ll almost feel like you’re out there on the trail with the guys. Enjoy.

Summiting the Volcano, Mt. Shasta California from Ryan Commons on Vimeo.