Skateboarding
Skateboarding
Altitude sickness! Join a Skatepark Safari to the world's highest skatespot
Danny León, Marc Churchill, Samantha Narvaez and Daniel Vargas set off to learn about the skatepark on the rooftop of the world in La Paz, Bolivia.
Join us on an expedition to learn the story of the world's highest skatepark.
The Pura Pura skatepark in La Paz, Bolivia, is nothing short of a 1,200 square-metre DIY skate miracle. Formed in 2014 in a collaborative effort undertaken by the Make Life Skate Life non-profit organisation, alongside co-ordinator Robin Höning and local Bolivian skaters like Milton Arellano and Kenny Davalos, this unique space was constructed in a little under a month. This was possible thanks to an army of more than 100 volunteers from 15 countries, who ascended on the space to create skateboarding magic.
Samantha Narvaez and Pedro Rodriguez – Wallie Doubles
© Sam McGuire
Daniel Vargas – Back Smith
© Sam McGuire
Danny León – Front Feeble
© Sam McGuire
Samantha Narvaez – Bluntslide
© Sam McGuire
And ascend is the right word: at more than 3,500m above sea level, the oxygen in this Andean spot is thin and any activity is almost instantly exhausting. Our intrepid skate squadron was marshalled together by Marc Churchill, one of Britain's most respected skaters. Daniel Vargas, Samantha Narvaez and Danny León were drafted in to take the trains, planes and automobiles necessary to skate on the rooftops of the world.
Want more skate trips through Latin America?
Samantha Narvaez – Front Rock
© Sam McGuire
Daniel Vargas – Lipslide
© Sam McGuire
Pura Pura posse
© Sam McGuire
Danny Léon – Stalefish
© Sam McGuire
We were on our way to meet La Paz locals Danna Lozano, Pedro Rodriguez and Kenny Davalos to learn about what the creation of Pura Pura means to them. As Danna explains of her new domain: "Every grain of sand, every effort put into the making of this skatepark means the world to us."
That, friends, is the magic of skateboarding. As always, enjoy.
