Atacama Bonds, The North Face

Atacama Bonds centers on Explorer Team member James Poole, and his individual attempt to cross the Atacama Desert the driest, nonpolar expanse on the planet and win the inaugural The Speed Project Atacama (TSP ATA) running race. Its origins lie in an unsanctioned 500km race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. (IN)Famous for its No Rules, No Spectators ethos, the original (and existing) event pits runners to travel from LA to Vegas by any route possible as long as they start at Santa Monica Pier and end at the Welcome To Vegas sign. In an effort to cross the line first, James undertakes an unorthodox and untried path across the openpit copper mines of the Atacama Desert. Shunning the more obvious (but longer) roadbased route used by other competitors, his more direct approach exposes him to the Deserts brutal, barren, terrain and unrelenting sun.