A memorable road trip to Refugio Chiles
Ecuador, south-america
N/A
4,142 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, adventurers, listen up! Deep in the Carchi province of Ecuador, nestled high in the Cordillera Occidental de los Andes, you'll find the abandoned Refugio Chiles (Ángel Cerón) at a whopping 4,142m (13,589ft) altitude.
Getting there is an adventure in itself! Forget smooth asphalt; this is a bumpy, unpaved gravel road, carved and shaped by rain. Expect dust clouds in dry weather and mud baths when it's wet. A 4WD with high clearance is a MUST. Seriously, make sure your rig is in tip-top shape, because the altitude will definitely make it work for its supper. Oh, and keep an eye out for the tall antenna up there.
This remote road hugs the southern slopes of the Chiles volcano, right on the border of Colombia and Ecuador, so fuel up before you go. Weather can be a real factor here—expect fog, rain, cold, and mist. It's exposed and pretty steep, gaining 64 meters over its 628-meter length. That's an average gradient of 10.66%! Before you head out, check with locals about safety in this isolated region. The scenery, if you catch it between the clouds, is absolutely stunning.
Where is it?
A memorable road trip to Refugio Chiles is located in Ecuador (south-america). Coordinates: -1.7526, -78.6265
Road Details
- Country
- Ecuador
- Continent
- south-america
- Max Elevation
- 4,142 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -1.7526, -78.6265
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