The Night the Network Died

10 Years of Karkloof: The Storm.

In the ultra-running world, you plan for heat, blisters, and fatigue. You don't usually plan for an Antarctic blast that turns the KZN Midlands into a sub-zero wilderness in a matter of hours. September 2024 was a year that tested everyone involved in the Karkloof Trail Run.

The Falling Trees

The 100-milers set off at 8:00 PM on Friday. As they moved into the forests, an intense cut-off low moved in with them. By midnight, the rain had turned to heavy snow.

Race Director Terence, along with Megan and Michael, went out to scout the next 10 miles of the course between Bushwillow Camp and the Mbona Conservation Center. They found a landscape that was rapidly becoming impassable.

"While we were driving, trees were collapsing on either side of our vehicles from the weight of the snow," Terence recalls. "We realized that if we couldn't get through to the next aid station, we couldn't support our runners. If we couldn't get there, their supporters couldn't get there either."

The team had to drive their vehicles over fallen trees just to make it back to Bushwillow Camp.

The Digital Blackout

Then, the situation became critical. A final SMS arrived from Vodacom: their towers were damaged. The mobile network was going down.

In an era of live tracking, losing the signal means losing your "eyes." The GPS trackers—the primary way the organizers keep track of every runner on the course—started to fail as the towers went offline.

The Call

The decision was made to end the race immediately and begin an evacuation. Without cell signal and with roads blocked by timber and ice, it came down to coordination and knowing the trails.

Despite the blackout, every one of the 73 runners was located and pulled off the course safely.

The 2024 snowstorm is now a permanent part of Karkloof history. It proved that while the "Fastest & Friendliest" label usually refers to the trails and the hospitality, it also applies to how we look after people when things go wrong.

The valley is beautiful, but it can be raw. We make sure everyone gets home.

Are you in?