
A mining road to Cerro del Carmen in the Andes
Argentina, south-america
N/A
5,145 m
extreme
Year-round
Alright, adventure junkies, listen up! Cerro del Carmen is calling your name! This beast of a peak sits way up high at a whopping 5,145 meters (that's 16,879 feet!), straddling the border between Argentina and Chile. We're talking seriously high altitude, folks, making it one of the highest roads you can find in either country.
You'll find this stunner nestled in the heart of the Andes, marking the line between Chile's Coquimbo region and Argentina's San Juan province. The road? Oh, it's an experience, alright. Think rugged, unpaved terrain – this is a mining road, after all. Get ready for a wild ride packed with narrow stretches, seriously steep climbs, and more hairpin turns than you can count.
Word to the wise: because of the extreme altitude, you can only tackle this road during the summer months (December to April). Snow shuts it down the rest of the year. And even then, be prepared for some serious wind and bone-chilling temperatures. But trust me, the views are absolutely worth braving the elements!
Where is it?
A mining road to Cerro del Carmen in the Andes is located in Argentina (south-america). Coordinates: -36.8823, -66.4376
Road Details
- Country
- Argentina
- Continent
- south-america
- Max Elevation
- 5,145 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- -36.8823, -66.4376
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