Where is Cerro Atacazo?
Ecuador, south-america
9.5 km
4,155 m
hard
Year-round
Cerro Atacazo is a stratovolcano at an elevation of 4.155m (13,631ft) above sea level located in
highest roads in the country
Where is Cerro Atacazo?
The peak is located southwest of
, in the north-central part of the country.
What’s at the summit of Cerro Atacazo?
, the summit is crowned with many antennas. The views of Quito are
Is the road to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo unpaved?
The road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s a bumpy gravel road that has been eroded by rainstorms and is dusty in dry weather and muddy in wet. This is a demanding, tough road in remote mountains with uncertain weather, where altitude can cause real problems. You’ll need a
4WD, high-clearance vehicle
. Your vehicle needs to be in good shape and be prepared for a lag in power.
How long is the road to the antennas at the Summit of Cerro Atacazo?
The road to the antennas is very steep. It’s 9.5km (5.9 miles) long starting from
. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 943m and the average gradient is
Travel Guide to La Virgen Pass
Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our
to discover the most spectacular roads of the world
Drive Us to Your Road!
With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click
to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.
Road Details
- Country
- Ecuador
- Continent
- south-america
- Length
- 9.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 4,155 m
- Difficulty
- hard
Related Roads in south-america
extremeHow To Travel The Steep SC-370 Road To Serra do Corvo Branco
🇧🇷 Brazil
Okay, adventurers, buckle up for Altos Corvo Branco in Santa Catarina, Brazil! This isn't just a road; it's an experience. Picture this: you're carving through the Serra do Corvo Branco (White Crow's Mountain), a stunning range in southern Brazil. SC-370, or Estrada da Serra do Corvo Branco, is mostly paved and stretches 67km (41 miles) from Braço do Norte to Urubici, linking the south of Santa Catarina to the Planalto Catarinense. Trust me, this is NOT a Sunday drive! Those final 1.6km are intense, with 30% inclines and five hairpin turns that'll test your skills. Expect countless turns, narrow stretches, and steep drops as you climb to 1,245m (4,084ft). The views? Unforgettable, with panoramic vistas around every corner. Just remember: low gears are your friend! Tight curves and viewpoints await at every bend, but watch out – rain or fog make this route seriously dicey. Leave the buses and big rigs at home for this one!
hardWhere is the Colchane-Pisiga Pass?
🇧🇴 Bolivia
Okay, picture this: you're straddling the Chilean-Bolivian border, ready for an adventure! That's where you'll find the Colchane-Pisiga Pass. Forget smooth sailing, though; this unpaved road winds its way through some serious altitude. On the Chilean side, it's known as the road to San Lorenzo de Tarapacá, and once you cross over into Bolivia, it becomes the road to Pisiga. We're talking a pretty decent stretch of unpaved road here. Expect stunning scenery, but also be prepared for some real driving challenges. If you're thinking of heading to Taapaca Volcano, or even braving the 4x4 track to Lastarria Volcano, this could be part of your route! So, buckle up and get ready for an unforgettable ride in the high Andes!
hardPirquitas Mine
🇦🇷 Argentina
Alright, thrill-seekers, buckle up for Mina Pirquitas in Jujuy Province, Argentina! This isn't your average Sunday drive. We're talking about one of the highest towns on Earth you can reach by car, perched way up at a lung-busting 14,240 feet! The road? Gravel, baby. And it's a beast. Seriously, the air gets thin up here, so expect your engine (and your lungs) to work overtime. The climb is steep, and the gravel can be loose, especially near the edges. This isn't a route to take lightly. Come prepared; you're heading into a remote mining area where the scenery is starkly beautiful, and the challenge is real.
extremeCordón de Inacaliri: Driving the 5,395m mining track on the Chile-Bolivia border
🇨🇱 Chile
Buckle up for Cordón de Inacaliri, a mind-blowing volcano straddling the Chile-Bolivia border! We're talking serious altitude here – topping out at a dizzying 5,395m (17,700ft)! This isn't your average Sunday drive. Originally hacked out for mining, it slices through one of Earth's harshest landscapes. You'll be flirting with both the Bolivian province of Nor Lípez and Chile's Antofagasta Region. The adventure kicks off near Inacaliri, but forget precise GPS – the relentless Andean winds and ever-shifting scree mean the path is constantly morphing. This is raw, untamed territory where the road can get seriously "tippy" and bumpy, demanding a driver laser-focused on navigating every obstacle. Forget smooth asphalt, this is a gnarly mix of gravel and unforgiving rock. Built for tough mining equipment, not comfort, the surface is in constant flux, thanks to relentless erosion. A 4x4 isn't just recommended, it's your lifeline. This climb demands nerves of steel, as the track clings to the volcano's slopes with zero guardrails. Always scout ahead – at this altitude, one wrong move – getting high-centered or losing traction on a tricky patch – can have major consequences. The real kicker? The crippling lack of oxygen. At the summit, you're breathing roughly 40% less than at sea level, testing both your body and your engine's combustion. Altitude sickness hits most people hard above 2,500m, but up here at 5,395m, the risk of severe *soroche* (altitude sickness) is extreme. Even simple movements become a slog, and your heart rate will skyrocket. People with respiratory or heart issues and babies should absolutely skip this one. Driving demands razor-sharp focus, even when your brain feels like it's wading through molasses. And a word on the weather: winter isn't messing around in the Central Andes. Your window of opportunity is slim – maybe mid-summer, if you're lucky. Even then, expect rapid shifts in weather, with snow possible at any time. High winds are a constant companion, and winter temperatures can plunge way below -20°C. Ice and snow can suddenly turn the rocky surface into a treacherous skating rink. Pack extra fuel, oxygen, and all the cold-weather survival gear you can fit. Trust me, you'll need it.