The Challenge
The Atacama Crossing is an ultra marathon across the Atacama Desert in Chile. Over a period of 6 race days, I will cover a distance of 150 miles through the desert on foot, carrying all my own food and water. The format is that of a stage race, with the distance to be run predetermined for each day: the longest day covers over 50 miles.
The Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth, with an average rainfall in the Chilean region of Antofagasta of just 1 mm per year. Some weather stations in the Atacama have never received rain, and it is thought that there was a period of time from 1570 to 1971 during which no rain fell in the entire desert. The region is surrounded on both sides by coastal mountains and the Andes, which so effectively block rain from reaching the desert as to render it effectively sterile. Mountains as high as 6,885m (22,590ft) are completely free of glaciers, though permafrost is continuous above 5,600m and is encountered sporadically as low as 4,400m. NASA used the Atacama’s unique environment to test the Viking 1 and 2 Mars landers.
The Atacama Crossing also presents a unique altitude challenge to coincide with the challenges of the desert: last year, the course was all between 2500m and 4200m above sea level – almost half the height of Mt Everest!
Who Am I
I am a 24 year old graduate medical student, studying at Swansea University. I am a member of the Territorial Army, and have been a member of Western Beacons Mountain Search and Rescue Team since the start of this year. I am also a keen runner, and last year I completed the Marathon des Sables, finished 153rd of the 731 competitors, and raising over £1500 for charity. Later I went on to come 6th in the Marathon of Britain, a 280 km race from Malvern to Nottingham. These are, I hope, the first of many long distances races across the world.
Why Am I Doing It?
As Mallory said of Everest, ‘Because it is there’. The Atacama represents the next level of challenge following completion of the Marathon des Sables last year; though the format is similar, the altitude is certainly not! Each of these challenges also gives me the opportunity to raise money for charity: this year, for the Western Beacons Mountain Search and Rescue Team.
Why Western Beacons Mountain Search & Rescue Team?
As a member of WBMSRT, I am aware of the valuable service they provide, and the financial resources required to sustain this provision. Merely to maintain the service provided at present requires a fundraising effort of £10,000 to £15,000, depending on the amount of equipment replacement and vehicle maintenance required by the callouts attended.
During 2006, the team attended a call out on average every 5 days, ranging from aiding in searches for missing people to casualty extraction in challenging and adverse conditions. All members of the team are volunteers, giving up their time and expertise to help those in difficulty on the hills. Please have a look around this website to learn more about the team!
Please make a donation