Abra Rapaz
Abra Rapaz is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.937m (16,197ft) above the sea level, located in the highlands of Lima, in the high cordillera of central Peru. The road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails.
The road to the pass is gravel. It’s very steep and full of hairpin turns. The road is stunning, and pretty steep. There’s mine traffic, especially with trucks.
Due its unique location and the climb in elevation over thousands of feet, and passing through remote areas, it is important when driving in these conditions to be prepared. After rain, even a single rainfall, conditions of the road can be challenging. Avalanches, heavy snowfalls and landslides can occur anytime and can sometimes block some sections of the road, being extremely dangerous due to frequent patches of ice.
Pic&video: Carlos El Caminante