Pas de la Mainera
Pas de la Mainera is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.134m (7,001ft) above the sea level, located in Catalonia, in northern Spain. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
The road to the summit, located within the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, is gravel, rocky, tippy and bumpy at times. It’s impassable in winters. In winter it’s necessary to carry precautions to an extreme. Great trail for experienced wheelers. Avoid driving in this area if unpaved mountain roads aren't your strong point. The road to the summit is pretty steep, with an average gradient of 7.5 %.
4x4 required. Stay away if you're scared of heights. Expect a trail pretty steep. Wet conditions may make for tough driving along the muddy road. It’s definitely not for anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of landslides. In many places the road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails. Expect a dangerous trail with severe drops. There are some narrow sections -scarcely wide enough for two cars- where if two vehicles have to pass each other, one might have to reverse for some kilometers of winding narrow road to get to a place wide enough to pass. It shouldn’t be attempted by those who don't know how to reverse.
Pic: Ernesto Vizcaino Abad