Mamuil Malal Pass: a border road in the Andes
Paso Mamuil Malal is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.253m (4,111ft) above the sea level, located in the Andes, on the border between Chile and Argentina.
Located within the low Andes range, the pass, also known as Paso Tromen, is 84.9 km long, and links Curarrehue (in Cautín Province of Araucanía Region of Chile) and Malleo (in the province of Neuquén, in Argentina). Before traveling, it is advisable to check that both countries are using the same time zone at the corresponding tourist offices, as Chile usually changes it during certain seasons. Occasionally, the pass is closed as a precautionary measure due to the accumulation of snow in the winter. During the winter months, snow chains are compulsory.
On the Chilean side, the road to the summit is called Ruta CH-199 which begins at the Panamerican Highway near Freire. It was totally paved in 2017. On the Argentinian side, the road is called Ruta 60. The last 12km to the pass are unpaved. However, there are plans to asphalt the road around 2021-2022.