Ny-Ålesund: Path to the airship mast

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Here we are close to the Chinese research station Yellow River Station. This is where the short walk starts to the airship mast, where Amundsen (airship Norge, 1926) and Nobile (1926 and then 1928 with Italia) started their famous north pole flights.

People from Ny-Ålesund have installed a little facility that enables people to load and unload their rifles safely. Obviously they don’t trust the numerous visitors to handle their weapons safely enough otherwise. Anyway, you need a weapon or an armed guide to walk to the airship mast. Polar bears are regularly seen in Kongsfjorden, and they do occasionally come close to Ny-Ålesund. Bears have actually been seen walking on the road within the settlement! This is obviously rare and extremely unlikely to happen during daytime, but still, it is always good to keep your eyes open and respect the rules. Stay within the populated part of the settlement unless you have a weapon or an armed guide.

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The path to the airhip mast can be quite wet and muddy especially in the early summer. Nevertheless, please walk on the path and not next to it. Every year, the path is getting a bit wider and the tundra is disappearing. Is it worth to destroy the tundra to keep the boots clean? As a visitor to the Arctic, you have got solid footwear, don’t you?

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