Weather is not something we pretend to be able to forecast. Yet a study and understanding of the local weather is obviously something we need to have undertaken for an attempt of this nature.
Most attempts on Ojos del Salado, whether by foot or vehicle are undertaken in March or April. It's the end of the southern hemisphere summer, and local unusual weather phenomena tend to be less active at that time. Being the end of summer there is typically minimal snow coverage on the ground at that time. Being on the edge of the Atacama Desert, it is not a region that typically experiences significant precipitation. The Atacama desert itself is the driest place on earth.
Yet this year is different. A regional weather phenomenon called the Bolivian Winter or Altiplano Winter has left an unusually high amount of precipitation in the Andes region. Tourists have been stranded at Machu Pichu due to floods and mudslides. Chilean Atacama desert towns, like Antofagasta and Calama, normally some of the driest on earth, have seen significant flooding. San Pedro de Atacama has had to cancel its annual festival, and most areas above 3,000 metres are covered in snow ... in the middle of summer. The Dakar race had to cancel stage 6, the stage crossing the Andes, and the stage that goes past our 4,500m base camp, due to significant snowfall. Locals are telling us it is the worst Altiplano Winter in 15 years.
For us, it's far from ideal. A typical Chilean summer would have been preferable, but we have a summer that has been impacted heavily by this years exceptional Altiplano Winter. It means we need to adjust our plans. It means we need to take mountaineering gear. It means we are going to need studded tyres.
If all goes well, March will see the end of the Altiplano Winter and the remaining heat of summer will return to the Andes, burning away some or indeed much of the mountain snow. But in the meantime, we have to plan for the worst. One thing is for sure, this year's unusual weather will only make our task considerably harder.
Fortunately, we have Barton "Mountain Man" Churchill on the team, our very own in-house hard core mountaineer. Expect to see us develop and employ some innovative tactics that merge motorcycling and mountaineering!
Most attempts on Ojos del Salado, whether by foot or vehicle are undertaken in March or April. It's the end of the southern hemisphere summer, and local unusual weather phenomena tend to be less active at that time. Being the end of summer there is typically minimal snow coverage on the ground at that time. Being on the edge of the Atacama Desert, it is not a region that typically experiences significant precipitation. The Atacama desert itself is the driest place on earth.
Yet this year is different. A regional weather phenomenon called the Bolivian Winter or Altiplano Winter has left an unusually high amount of precipitation in the Andes region. Tourists have been stranded at Machu Pichu due to floods and mudslides. Chilean Atacama desert towns, like Antofagasta and Calama, normally some of the driest on earth, have seen significant flooding. San Pedro de Atacama has had to cancel its annual festival, and most areas above 3,000 metres are covered in snow ... in the middle of summer. The Dakar race had to cancel stage 6, the stage crossing the Andes, and the stage that goes past our 4,500m base camp, due to significant snowfall. Locals are telling us it is the worst Altiplano Winter in 15 years.
For us, it's far from ideal. A typical Chilean summer would have been preferable, but we have a summer that has been impacted heavily by this years exceptional Altiplano Winter. It means we need to adjust our plans. It means we need to take mountaineering gear. It means we are going to need studded tyres.
If all goes well, March will see the end of the Altiplano Winter and the remaining heat of summer will return to the Andes, burning away some or indeed much of the mountain snow. But in the meantime, we have to plan for the worst. One thing is for sure, this year's unusual weather will only make our task considerably harder.
Fortunately, we have Barton "Mountain Man" Churchill on the team, our very own in-house hard core mountaineer. Expect to see us develop and employ some innovative tactics that merge motorcycling and mountaineering!
Great stuff. Onwards and upwards right chaps!
ReplyDeleteBTW... the driest place on Planet Earth is not the Atacama as some believe... it is in fact that Antarctic Continent. By every definition, it qualifies as a desert believe it or not. Last rainfall was some 20M years ago!
Cheers Dr.N.