Paso Internacional Los Libertadores

mountain pass between Chile and Argentina

The Paso Internacional Los Libertadores, also called Cristo Redentor is a border crossing in the Andes Mountains between Argentina and Chile. It is the main route between Los Andes, Valparaíso Region, (Chile) and the province of Mendoza, (Argentina), in addition to allowing the passage of heavy vehicles between both countries.

Los Libertadores Pass
Switchbacks on the Chilean side of the pass
Elevation3,200 m (10,499 ft)
LocationArgentinaChile border
RangePrincipal Cordillera, Andes

On the Argentine side, the access road has a slight incline until it finally enters a tunnel at 3,500 meters above sea level. The Chilean side has a large number of curves to save the steep slope.

Alternative tunnels change

To avoid a possible collapse of the border crossing in the event of a prolonged disabling of the main tunnel, the construction of two new tunnels has been proposed. The first is the Juan Pablo II Tunnel, which would be built 20 km from the current one at a height of 2,250 meters above sea level and would have a length of 27.2 km. This tunnel would join the towns of Horcones in Argentina, and Juncal in Chile.

The other proposed tunnel, called Paso Las Leñas, would be built at 2,050 meters above sea level and would have a length of 13 km; uniting the commune of Machalí in Chile, with the town of El Sosneado, near San Rafael, in Argentina.

Gallery change

 
The Chilean tunnel entrance in winter

Other websites change