Splitboarding in Kazakhstan: Dragon slabs and first descents

Kazakhstan; the worlds 9th biggest country is known for its strong economy due to oil, gas, and mineral industries. The capital, Astana, has been called "eye candy" by those keen on architecture, and the largest city Almaty is reminiscent of European cities with its many cafes, shopping centers, and bustling night life. The name "kazakh" comes from the ancient Turkic word qaz, which means "to wander"; and the Persian suffix "stan" translates to "land" or "place of". This means that Kazakhstan can literally be translated to "the land of the wanderers", and for Brody Leven and Robin Hill, this translation seems fitting. 



With the help of a local ski-mountaineer, Vitaly "Rage", they wander away from the busy streets of Almaty and into a land of 20,000 ft peaks. Join them in their journey to tackle first descents in the story written by Robin Hill.