Ruta Nacional 40

RN40 is with 5301 km the longest route in Argentina and one of the longest in the world alongside such routes as US Route 66, Canada's Trans-Canada Highway, and Australia's Stuart Highway. At its traditional southern end near the city of Río Gallegos, it starts at sea level. It then crosses 20 national parks, 18 major rivers, and 27 passes in the Andes. Route 40's highest point is with 4972 m (16404 ft) the pass "Abra del Acay" in Salta Province. This image (elevation about 4100 m) shows our first contact with this road, first driving west from San Antonio de los Cobres and then north to a famous viaduct of the "tren de las nubes".

We intended to drive south from this viaduct across the 4972 m high pass, which is actually the highest drivable road point outside of Asia. But the weather was against us, the pass was closed and we had to drive back all the way down to Salta, using again Ruta 51. We should have asked for more information probably. Later on the journey we recognized, "closed" can also mean, they don't want bloody tourists on the road ;-)

scanned slide, Minolta X700