Across Andes to Mendoza | TravelWorld Photography

Across the Andes to Mendoza

The road from Santiago de Chile across the Andes to Mendoza in Argentina is one of the few roads across this mountain range. It has spectacular views, as the road is climbing up the mountain, at one place with the legendary 29 curves. The road runs through a tunnel, that exits at Paso Internacional, the border with Argentina. The elevation here is at 3,200 m. The road here is at the foot of Aconcagua at 6959 m, the highest mountain in the Americas.

In parallel with the road, there is an old narrow-gage railroad. This rail route was first initiated in 1854, but it took more than 50 years before the whole line from Argentina to Chile was opened to traffic in 1910. It closed in 1987, due to the difficulties of keeping the line open in thes very difficult terrain at high altitude.

Near the top of the road, there are several ski resorts, as can be seen from the road.

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Map showing the route (yellow), going North to Los Andes, and East - acedning across the border

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People waiting to board the bus

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All long distance buses had conductors serving food

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Agricilture land East of Los Andes

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As we approach the foothills, the hills were covered with brush

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And more brush

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The Andes in plain sight

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A series of hills as we approach the mountains

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We approach some "serious" mountains

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Leaving the fertile plains, the land becomes dry and barrren

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The side valley of the road id pretty rough. The rock shows the folding of the earth 20-30 milion years ago

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Some left-over sheds after building the railroad

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We start on a long series of swithbacks up the mountain side

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Meeting trucks, with elongated, 3-axel trailers

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These trucks are really heavy duty, with 500 plus horsepower engines

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We gain more height

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Here are 19 swichbacks, out of a total of 29

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The road levels out a little, and runs over the pass upper left

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This is rough terrain, and at high altitude, to build a road!

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An avalanche has crossed the old railway line

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Strong steel poles to stop runaway trucks from barreling down the mountain side

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A small lake, and some buildings at the side of the road

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We pass under a ski lift

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The roof of a building can be seen

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A guard wall alonside the road against snow avalanches

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This moutain shows clearly the vertical lines from the upheaval when the Andes was formed

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No trace of human activity

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Aconcagua, at 6959 m, some 3200 m above the road

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We enter the border area

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The border and immigration/customs area is covered by a huge building

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Our bus on the Argentina side, at 3800 m elevation

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Here is another ski resort, complete with a hotel

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A shop selling stuff to visitors

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On this side of the pass, the moutains change character

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Here the rock is generally more horizntal than on the Chilean side

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The road decends down a more pleasant velley

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We are down to flood plains at the bottom of the valley

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Some vegataion appear

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Brush covers the hillsides

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Deeper down the valley broadens, and floods from melting snow become more appearant

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A dense stand of trees, next to a shrine

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Down to tha flat land, were people are rafting on the river, about 3000 m down from the mountain pass