A steep unpaved road to Cerro La Hoya
Argentina, south-america
14 km
1,650 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, adventure seekers, listen up! Tucked away in the Patagonian wilds of Argentina's Chubut Province is Cerro La Hoya, a seriously stunning peak clocking in at 1,650 meters (5,413 feet).
You'll find it snuggled in the foothills of the Andes, and getting there is half the fun. The "Camino a la Hoya" is all unpaved road, but don't worry, it's generally in great shape! Apparently, it was once a 4x4 and mountain bike-only kind of track. This road, built in the 50s, leads to the La Hoya ski resort.
Starting from Esquel, a cool little town nearby, it's a 14-kilometer (8.69 miles) climb to the top. Get ready for a serious workout for your car – you'll gain 1,041 meters in elevation, with an average gradient of 7.43% and some pitches hitting a maximum of 16%! Heads up - a service road north of the resort can take you even higher, up to 1,890 meters (6,200 feet).
Where is it?
A steep unpaved road to Cerro La Hoya is located in Argentina (south-america). Coordinates: -38.2743, -61.2057
Road Details
- Country
- Argentina
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 14 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,650 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- -38.2743, -61.2057
Related Roads in south-america
extremeCorihuarmi Mine
🇵🇪 Peru
Okay, adventure junkies, buckle up for a wild ride up to Mina Corihuarmi! We're talking about a gold mine perched way up in the Andes Mountains of central Peru, in the Junín region. Get ready to gasp for air at a whopping 4,883 meters (that's over 16,000 feet!). This isn't your Sunday drive. It's a gravel mine trail that climbs like crazy, throwing you into some seriously remote landscapes. The views are incredible, but the lack of oxygen is real. We're talking altitude sickness kicking in way before you even get close to the top. This climb is brutal! Be prepared for steep sections and a surface that's seen better days. And the weather? Think harsh sun, whipping winds, and freezing temperatures all rolled into one. Pack layers, folks! Bring water, snacks, extra fuel, a GPS, and some good old-fashioned maps. Trust me, you'll need them. This trek to Mina Corihuarmi is a true test of your adventurous spirit!
hardHow to get by car to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo?
🇪🇨 Ecuador
Okay, adventure seekers, listen up! I've got a road for you: Cerro Atacazo in Ecuador's Pichincha province. This stratovolcano clocks in at a whopping 4,155m (13,631ft), making this one of the highest drives in the country. Find it southwest of Quito, smack-dab in the north-central part of Ecuador. Trust me, the views of the city from up here are worth the climb, especially with all those cool antennas at the summit. Now, let's be real: this isn't your average Sunday drive. The road is entirely unpaved – think bumpy gravel, eroded by epic rainstorms. It's dusty when dry, a muddy mess when wet. This is a tough, remote mountain road, and the altitude will test you. So, bring your trusty 4WD, high-clearance vehicle. Make sure your ride is in tip-top shape because you *will* notice the power lag up here. The climb to those antennas is *steep*. We're talking 9.5km (5.9 miles) from Guamani, gaining 943m in elevation. That's an average gradient of almost 10%! Get ready for an unforgettable experience.
easyPan-American Highway through Peru
🇵🇪 Peru
# The Pan-American Highway Through Peru: A Coastal Adventure Picture this: nearly 2,640 kilometers of pure coastal magic stretching from Ecuador all the way down to Chile. Peru's stretch of the legendary Pan-American Highway hugs the Pacific coastline, and it's an absolute journey. What makes this drive unforgettable? You're basically cruising through one of Earth's most extreme desert landscapes—the Atacama-Sechura coastal strip. We're talking *seriously* arid here. Some weather stations along this route have literally never recorded a single drop of rain. Wild, right? The scenery alone is jaw-dropping: endless sand dunes, dramatic cliffs plunging toward the ocean, and sculpted arid valleys that look straight out of another planet. But here's where it gets really cool—this highway doubles as your ticket to some of Peru's most mind-blowing attractions. Heading through Nazca? You can hop on a quick scenic flight from a roadside airstrip and catch glimpses of those famous Nazca Lines etched into the desert floor. The Paracas National Reserve is practically right there, tempting you with its striking red-sand beaches and incredible marine life. And if you need a break from all that desert heat, there's Huacachina—picture a lush palm-filled oasis with a pristine lagoon, surrounded by massive sand dunes. It's basically paradise in the middle of nowhere, just a short detour off the highway near Ica. The highway also connects Lima (seriously, the food capital of South America) down to Arequipa, a stunning colonial gem nestled beneath the iconic El Misti volcano. Every kilometer of this drive tells a story.
moderateLaguna de Pacucha
🇵🇪 Peru
Okay, picture this: You're in Peru, in the Apurímac Region, heading toward the stunning Laguna de Pacucha in the Andahuaylas Province. This high-altitude lake sits pretty at 3,100 meters (that's over 10,000 feet!), and getting there is half the adventure. The road? Think gravel loop—Contorno Laguna, to be exact. It hugs the lake for about 13.8 kilometers, giving you killer views the whole time. You’ll want to take it slow because it can get a little dicey in spots. But trust me, the scenery is worth every bump in the road. Seriously, keep your camera handy!