CATEGORIES
CATEGORIESWeather Channel's named it the driest place in the world. Welcome to the Atacama Desert, where your rain gauge only needs to measure 4 inches – every 1,000 years. Few outside of Chileans and intrepid explorers know it exists, much less have journeyed to this unearthly place.
The strip of high-altitude plateau covers more than 40,000 square miles in the Andes of northern Chile. Flanked by the Pacific Ocean, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, indigenous peoples have treated the arid landscape with religious reverence for thousands of years. More recently, film crews have journeyed to Atacama due to its eerie resemblance to Mars. Now, the otherworldly locale attracts an adventurous slice of society willing to brave the blazing heat: mountain bikers.
There’s no better way to experience this desolate sliver of northern Chile than on a mountain bike. Pedaling voyagers roll across sun-cracked earth, plunge down the side of volcanoes on death-defying traverses, stop to investigate ancient Incan caves and cool down in rushing waterfalls. No matter your skill level, two-wheeling through this bizarre and magical locale will be a highlight of your travels, if not your entire life. So long as you hydrate.
Difficulty Level: 2/10 Riders that enjoy sights more than technical downhills will be on cloud nine for the Catarpe Valley section of this mellow ride. Along the riverbanks, sharp greenery plays stark contrast to the vastness of burnt orange and burgundy sands. Devil’s Canyon is not so smooth, as the name suggests, and tight turns offer riders a welcome workout in the meandering canyon. Keep your eyes peeled for glyphs, cave paintings and other signs of ancient cultures before you return to the Catarpe Valley and pedal home along the river.
Difficulty: 4/10 Desert air and distance make this relatively flat ride a medium level of difficulty, but cultural pit stops, expansive views and a salty soak make it nothing short of spectacular. Picking through the desert, bikers will stop at a variety of allyus, which are indigenous communes rife with history and color. Hop back on the bikes and pedal beyond the indigenous communities as heat waves shimmer along the horizon. When the desert sand blends seamlessly into turquoise glass, you’ve arrived at your destination: the Cejar Lagoon. Harsh beauty surrounds as the saline waters keep you afloat, so you don’t need to worry about sink versus swim after a morning of mountain biking.
Difficulty: 5/10 Valle de la Muerte, translated into “Death Valley,” is also referred to as Mars Valley. Mountain bikers have lauded the valley as the Moab of Utah. One thing’s for sure: this far-out landscape of many names is certainly out of this world. Terrain varies from sand dunes to rocky spires, and riders brave enough to dip off-trail onto shale, sand and stone are rewarded by steep descents and heavy cliff drops. Not for the faint of heart, Valle de la Muerte is a playground that’s as challenging as you choose it to be.
Difficulty: 8/10 The foothills of Licancabur are classic Atacama – steep, high-altitude trails with endless views of desert valleys below and the looming volcano of Licancabur on the horizon. The monolithic mountain straddles the border of Chile and Bolivia, making it fascinating for both its geographic significance and geologic marvel. As you climb past the foothills, you’ll see icy forests of penitentes – jagged clusters of melted snow unique to the Andes. The penitentes take their name from the pointy hats of repentant Catholic pilgrims. They do look like a troop of parading sinners, too – bent by the wind, weather and ever-present supernatural forces at play in these mountains. Though novices will pray for mercy, the twenty-mile journey (average 17% grade) from San Pedro through the Licancabur foothills is a prayer answered for climb-loving riders.
Difficulty: 9/10 Dominating the skyline at nearly 20,000 feet, you won’t be summiting the Sairecabur Volcano, at least not on your bike. Meaning “Rain Mountain” in the Andean dialect of Kunza, this behemoth is snow-capped for most of the year. Most riders choose to drive as far up as the abandoned mine, before jumping into the saddle and traversing the sketchy, shale trail along the edge of the majestic volcano. Views of bright green lakes and endless red desert accompany riders on the lengthy downhill, which is technical enough to merit walking at times. Now you’ll have the chance to say, “I biked a huge volcano in the driest part of the Chilean desert. What’d you last week?”
