Cuesta de la Chilca
Argentina, south-america
14.5 km
1.175 m
extreme
Year-round
Guys, Ruta Provincial 48 in Catamarca Province, Argentina, is insane. They call it Cuesta de la Chilca, and it’s a totally improbable dirt road clinging to a cliff edge. Think twenty-seven hairpin turns stacked practically on top of each other as you claw your way up!
Seriously, this narrow path is not for the faint of heart. Got vertigo? Stay home. Afraid of landslides? Nope. Expect traffic, rain, and fog pretty much all the time. The mist can get so thick you can barely see, so drive carefully. And maybe skip the big lunch – all those twists and turns at high altitude might make you queasy. Oh, and did I mention there are zero guardrails protecting you from drops of hundreds of meters? Yeah, fun times!
Cuesta de la Chilca is only 14.5 km, but packs a serious punch. You start at 1,175m above sea level and end up at 1,875m, gaining 700 meters in elevation. That's an average grade of 4.82%, but with sections hitting 10%! The gravel surface is often loose, so watch your tires.
Because you’re climbing thousands of feet through remote areas, come prepared. This track can get super muddy and slippery after rain, and even 4x4s might not make it through. If there’s a storm, the road might be completely impassable. Basically, it’s epic... if you're up for it!
Where is it?
Cuesta de la Chilca is located in Argentina (south-america). Coordinates: -36.9236, -61.6946
Road Details
- Country
- Argentina
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 14.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 1.175 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- -36.9236, -61.6946
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