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The Rainier Eagle Yurt

“What’s a yurt?” asked the apprehensive building inspector when I asked him how the Wisconsin Uniform Building Code might apply to my most recent, not very “uniform”, project.  Rather than delve into a long-winded history of Genghis Khan and the Mongolian origins of the modern yurt, along with anecdotal and scientific comments regarding the strength of yurt construction, I merely responded, “Google Rainier y-u-r-t-s”. 

This adventure started years ago when someone told me about his yurt plans, and I responded with the same question, “What’s a yurt”?  Since then, I have learned a great deal, and when the time came to build a cabin on our pristine little piece of paradise in northern Wisconsin, I was able to persuade my wife to consider a yurt, or two, and to live in one full time.  She only required a few conveniences, such as heat, running water, and electricity.  I also wanted heat, but wasn’t sure we really needed running water when a hand pump and an outhouse would do just fine.  Not wanting to live alone, I conceded. 

I believe the best modern manufactured yurt on the market is the Eagle, made by Rainier Industries, Ltd.  The compression ring is a gorgeous piece of art, a perfect ring of laminated Douglas fir, sanded smooth and oiled to a soft satin sheen.  Yet, heave one of these rings up to the peak for positioning, and one realizes the strength of design and construction that Rainier built into this important structural and aesthetic component.  The tension cable is “aircraft steel with yachting grade fittings”.  Sounds a bit pretentious, but the description is accurate.  I’ve spent a lot of time sailing, and know that steel cables and fittings on sailing craft take tremendous strain.  In my opinion, the Rainier tension cable is better than any offered by the competition.  I also like the standard 7 foot 4 inch sidewalls, the quality, beauty and heft of the doors, and the option for thermal pane glass “D-Windows”, also beautifully designed. 

One of my favorite attributes of the Eagle is the level of natural interior light.  Many log cabins tend to be dark and a bit dingy because of the light absorbing log walls, and relatively small windows.  The modern yurt’s natural canvas wall and ceiling lining and Douglas fir lattice and beams provide a homey, inviting environment that warmly glows in light provided by the clear dome and ample windows.  We situated our yurt to take advantage of sunlight as the sun arcs across the southern sky in the winter, and shade provided by a big white oak in the summer.

Our yurts provide us aesthetically pleasing and comfortable shelter with a small footprint and a low cost (mortgage free) in a beautiful natural environment.  What better way to be rich!  And, yes, they met the uniform building code.

- Dave Mills, Barronett Wisconsin