Paso de Uspallata

The Paso de Uspallata, also called Bermejo Pass or Cumbre Pass, is an Andean pass which provides a route between Mendoza and Los Andes. This photo shows the chilean side, which was closed at that time.

The pass has been used since Colonial times as the most direct link between the Pacific seaport of Valparaiso and the Atlantic port of Buenos Aires, avoiding the 11-day, 5630 km journey by sea, via Cape Horn, between the two ports. In 1817 it was used by the Army of the Andes to cross the Andes, in the campaign to free Chile from the Spanish Empire.

Reaching a maximum elevation of about 3810 m the pass runs between the peaks of the 6962 m Aconcagua to the north and the 6570 m Tupungato to the south. In the left background you see the mountain Cerro Juncal (6110 m) and the rocky Cerro Alto Los Leones in the center (5380 m) .

Argentina 2000, scanned slide, Minolta X700