Don’t glance down at your phone on Paso Uspallata
Uspallata Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.810m (12,500ft) above the sea level, located in Valparaíso Region of Chile, near the Argentinian border.
Located within the Andes mountain range, the road to the summit, also known as Bermejo Pass or Cumbre Pass, is unpaved. It’s called E-773. Do not travel this pass in severe weather conditions. Avalanches, heavy snowfalls and landslides can occur anytime, being extremely dangerous due to frequent patches of ice. It’s only accessible in summer months, when there is no snow. Winter temperatures can reach -30°C. The pass is located near the scenic Paso Internacional de los Libertadores and the Christ the Redeemer of the Andes. The road is now principally used as a tourist route to visit the statue.
The road is really steep, with gradients over the 15% and 65 hairpin turns and tests the skill, and courage, of any driver. It’s definitely not for anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of landslides. The road was bypassed by an asphalted tunnel in 1980. The path can be closed anytime because of heavy snows blocking both ends and the threat of rockfall. Your wheels will be astounded at the wonderful views of the mountains spread out before you! They are terrible for drivers who are prone to vertigo. In many places the road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails.