
A wild mining road to Abra de La Deidad in the Andes
Chile, south-america
N/A
4,907 m
hard
Year-round
Alright, adventure junkies, listen up! If you're in Chile's Coquimbo Region and crave some serious altitude, you HAVE to check out Abra de La Deidad. This bad boy clocks in at a whopping 4,907 meters (that's 16,099 feet!), making it one of Chile's highest roads.
Nestled in the heart of the Andes, practically kissing the Argentinian border near Los Cuartitos, this isn't your average Sunday drive. We're talking a completely unpaved, rugged mining road. Expect a challenging journey, folks β think narrow stretches, seriously steep inclines, and hairpin turns galore.
But here's the catch: due to its extreme elevation, you can only tackle this beast during the summer months (December to April). The rest of the year, Mother Nature slams the door shut with heavy snow. And even in summer, be prepared for biting winds and bone-chilling cold. The views? Absolutely epic. The bragging rights? Totally worth it.
Where is it?
A wild mining road to Abra de La Deidad in the Andes is located in Chile (south-america). Coordinates: -37.3164, -72.0400
Road Details
- Country
- Chile
- Continent
- south-america
- Max Elevation
- 4,907 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -37.3164, -72.0400
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