PASS OF TEARS
WORDS BY JC LØVENSKIOLD
A 400-kilometre horse race. The ultimate test of horsemanship and adventurous spirit, with a tiny sprinkle of competitive edge.
After 30 hours of travel from our Oslo offices, I jumped out of the rear of our camper van early one March morning. I squinted across the steppe as the morning light painted the rolling hills along the Rio Chico in the Santa Cruz province in Patagonia, Argentina. We rolled onto these faraway roads late last night on our way to La Perseverancia, a horse farm and hostel, and the official preparation camp for the Pass of Tears.
As my eyesight adjusted to the bright morning sun, I noticed our camper van at an unusual angle. A very flat tire revealed itself, and the Patagonian gravel roads put us to the test the very first morning. Tires swapped, we found ourselves back on the road to link up with participants, crew and local gauchos (Gaucho: a skilled Argentinian cowboy), all involved in the pioneer event of the Pass of Tears.
Callie & Toby welcomed us again, now 12,000 km away from their farm in Devon, UK, as they moved their “happy chaos” into the preparations for the Pass of Tears.
MATEO GIBELLI
The Patagonian gravel roads put us to the test the very first morning
The Patagonian gravel roads put us to the test the very first morning
Pass of Tears
“The bogs and forests are treacherous,” race founder Jakob von Plessen says. “The mountain passes are rocky and exposed to the weather. So many things can go wrong.” Yet despite these obstacles, the Pass of Tears unfolds across genuinely breathtaking scenery — riders traverse remote valleys, dense woodlands, and high Andean peaks over ten grueling days with minimal resupply, relying entirely on their horsemanship and self-sufficiency to survive Patagonia’s unforgiving backcountry.
Jakob von Plessen “Jakotango”
Jakob von Plessen is the founder of Jakotango Riding Safaris and creator of the Pass of Tears ultra-endurance race. Raised on a cattle farm in Patagonia during the 1980s, he developed his horsemanship from childhood, riding to school and learning from local gauchos. He later spent over two decades guiding riders on horseback safaris in Kenya before returning to Patagonia, where he combined his decades of equestrian expertise to launch this 400-kilometre equestrian challenge through the region’s remote backcountry.
JAKOTANGO
The Gaucho
The gaucho arose in the 18th and 19th centuries on the plains of Argentina, Uruguay, and Patagonian Chile — skilled horsemen of mixed Spanish and Indigenous descent who lived off wild cattle herding before becoming ranch hands as the frontier closed. Romanticized in works like José Hernández’s “Martín Fierro,” the gaucho evolved from a marginalized drifter into a national symbol of freedom, and his horsemanship, dress, and traditions still endure today in Patagonia’s ranching culture.
At La Perseverancia
We indulged in the gaucho lifestyle, deep-dived into the routes of the Pass of Tears, went riding and enjoyed the local cuisine to the fullest. Callie & Toby of Team Amundsen had their days full preparing for the upcoming 400 km on horseback in one of the most remote places on earth.
Though it was a race, we witnessed crew and competitors blending and helping each other to best prepare for what was ahead. Gauchos shared local knowledge, while Brits brought tips and tricks in horsemanship and survival techniques out in the field. All of it was done to prepare each other for what was ahead and ensure that as many of the horses and riders who left the starting line as possible would make it through.
CALLIE COLES
06.00 AM, March 15th, 2026
Jumping out of the camper van this morning was mystical. A few hours earlier, we went to sleep with the wildest starry sky we had ever witnessed. Six hours from the nearest man-made light source, we could see farther into the galaxy than in most places on earth.
The starry sky was now replaced by swarming headlamps around the farm. Last preparations of supply bags, GPS batteries, horse saddles and everything else in between were moved into place. The mood was tense and full of anticipation for what was ahead. No participant had travelled this rural track other than “Jakotango” and his crew. He stood smirking this morning, as he knew very well what was ahead.
In classic Argentinian fashion, the start was delayed. For how long, we didn’t know, and over the past days we had appreciated the “happy-go-lucky” lifestyle they live by. It fits very well with our mantra of “adventure is just bad planning.” Let the days play out and go when you’re ready.
The go finally came for the eager participants of the Pass of Tears as Jako fired off the start signal and released 30 souls into the unknown.
On the path ahead, they had to ensure they moved quickly enough to compete while slowly enough to take care of the horses. The veterinary checks and health protocols for the horses were rigid and non-negotiable. Breaching protocol meant severe time penalties and would heavily affect their ability to compete. They could only ride between 8 AM and 6 PM every day.
The days that followed, we witnessed competition turn into companionship. The route quickly revealed its brutality and forced the competitors to adjust their approach. Rather than holding back information, they shared. They guided each other, helped others when needed, and became a unit at the very front of the Pass of Tears.
Callie & Toby, Andres Rojas, Alfonsina, Santif and Mateo led the charge through valleys, gullies, rivers, mountain passes and bogs. A crew that had no previous relation now became companions and spent 10 days together on horseback.
One of the managers and local farm owners, Rama, renamed the Amundsen support crew according to what he believed were the essentials for a happy life: T became Tea, Christian became Coffee, and William became Whiskey. We followed along in our camper van, crossed rivers, got lost, attempted to get directions by pointing and using whatever Spanish we could recycle from our high school days. But we managed to get around. Linking up with Callie & Toby at vet checks and checkpoints with breathtaking views, rainy fields and mountain passes along the route. In the moments in between, we travelled endless gravel roads, hiked, and immersed ourselves in the Patagonian wilderness.
Callie & Toby woke up on the last day under the tarp to a misty and crispy morning. With only 40 km to go, they had already covered roughly 360 km over eight days on horseback, yet still found themselves in the lead with the same unit that came together a week earlier. With all horses and souls in good health, they set forth towards La Perseverancia for the very last stint.
In the morning hours, the unit of Callie & Toby, Andres Rojas, Alfonsina, Santif and Mateo stepped back onto the farm of La Perseverancia, and as they embraced the flagpole and finishing line, a celebratory roar rang across the steppe.
Tears were spilled yet again, justifying the name of this very competition: The Pass of Tears. A truly remarkable achievement to witness from the sidelines. Seeing how the gaucho culture can influence participants from across the world and enable them to compete in unknown territory says a lot about these Argentinian “cowboys” and the respect their horsemanship and mountain skills command.
Thank you to Callie & Toby for putting our garments through “tears.”
Thank you, Jakob and the Pass of Tears crew, for letting us shadow this event.
Thank you, Patagonia, for the memories. We will be back.
