DESIERTO DE ALTAR, MEXICO: Joining the folks from San Diego based Tierra del Sol (TDS) for a multi-day run off-road in the dunes of this Mexican desert offered the perfect occasion to work on driving skills. The dunes run is an annual event combining complex navigation with cross-country driving in challenging desert terrain for three days. The group makes their way from the border town of San Luis deep into the largest desert in North America, traversing dunes and sandy plateaus in the direction of an old plane crash site. Drivers are free to pick their own lines, making the trip interesting for all skill levels and vehicle builds. Tagging along as a guest of TDS was not only fun, it was also a great opportunity to gain insight from folks who drive this kind of terrain on a regular basis.
The Desierto de Altar is one of the largest deserts in North America…
San Diego-based Tierra del Sol does a run through the dunes of the Desierto de Altar annually…
The freedom of true “off-road” driving in the desert can be exhilirating…
We can pick our own lines through the desert brush, and there are many tracks to follow…
The first way-point is known as the “Little Cross”…
Headed down a big dune the soft sand seems to slide out from under the Jeep…
The soft sand is difficult in spots and spinning tires can quickly dig a vehicle in…
The terrain gets more difficult as the dunes get larger, and as we make our way deeper into the desert the only tracks are our own…
This Jeep got stuck after sliding sideways while driving off-camber on a tippy hill in soft sand…
Teamwork helped get the Jeep unstuck: a little digging, a couple of MaxTrax and some “balast” and the Jeep was freed…
While everyone is going the same way, there is no need to go single file…
The Jeeps spread out across the desert in a thin line with the most capable vehicles scouting ahead…
The desert is beautiful, but sharp dry half-buried branches and roots can be problematic…
The dry branch sticking out of the tire punctured the sidewall when the Jeep drove over a piece of half-buried bush…
One Jeep helps another with a little tow over a difficult spot on the dunes…
Arriving at the waypoint known as the “Big Cross” the Jeeps gather for a break near the fallen monument…
Time for some “Jeep stacking” during the break…
The Jeeps look tiny compared to the huge sand dune at the location know as the “Big Cross”…
Very soft sand on top of what looks more solid requires a good bit of momentum to get over…
Enough momentum and a steady throttle with no hesitation can get the Jeep over dunes that seem quite intimidating at first glance…
The Jeeps head off for the next series of dunes on the horizon…
A group of Jeeps pose in a line at the edge of the desert…
The sun transforms the desert landscape…
The campfire warms the desert night…
