The Paso Internacional Los Libertadores, also called Cristo Redentor, is a mountain pass

Mountain pass

A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...

 in the Andes

Andes

The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...

 between Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 and Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

. It is the main transport route out of Chilean capital city Santiago

Santiago, Chile

Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...

 into Mendoza

Mendoza, Argentina

Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...

 city in Argentina and so carries quite heavy traffic.

From the Argentine side the route to the pass is a slow, gentle incline until entering a tunnel at around 3500 m (11,483 ft) through the mountains. On the Chilean side the slope has a far higher grade, and the road descends down a long series of switchbacks to make the descent.

Opened in 1980, the tunnel is 3080 m (10,105 ft) long, at an elevation of 3175 m (10,417 ft), and serves as an important land crossing between Chile and Argentina. The path can be closed during winter because of heavy snows blocking both ends and the threat of rockfall

Rockfall

Rockfall or rock-fall refers to quantities of rock falling freely from a cliff face. A rockfall is a fragment of rock detached by sliding, toppling, or falling, that falls along a vertical or sub-vertical cliff, proceeds down slope by bouncing and flying along ballistic trajectories or by rolling...

.

Its name comes from the 4 ton

Ton

The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...

 Christ the Redeemer of the Andes

Christ the Redeemer of the Andes

Christ the Redeemer of the Andes is a monument high in the Andes at 3,832 metres above mean sea level on the border between Argentina and Chile...

 (Cristo Redentor de los Andes) statue placed in 1904 near the entrance of the Argentine side at an elevation of 4000 m (13,123 ft).

Alternative proposed tunnels

In order to ease the dependence on this only tunnel in the area and to permit year-round crossing, two lower tunnels have been proposed. One of them is the Túnel Juan Pablo II ("John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

 Tunnel"), which would be constructed at an altitude of between 2250 m (7,382 ft) and 2720 m (8,924 ft), 20 km (12 mi) long, to join the towns of Horcones (Argentina) and Juncal

Juncal

Juncal is a town in Portugal....

 (Chile).

Another proposed tunnel, named Paso Las Leñas ("Las Leñas

Las Leñas

Las Leñas is one of the largest Andean ski resorts in Argentina, located in the western part of Mendoza Province, together with Cerro Catedral in San Carlos de Bariloche, located in Rio Negro province....

 Pass"), at an elevation of 2050 m (6,726 ft) and 13 km (8 mi) of length, would connect El Sosneado in Argentina (near San Rafael

San Rafael, Mendoza

San Rafael is a city in the southern region of the Mendoza Province, Argentina. With more than 170,000 inhabitants , it is the largest city and the seat of San Rafael Department....

) and Machali, Chile.

External links

• Official site of Cristo Redentor by Argentine National Gendarmerie
  Argentine National Gendarmerie
  The Argentine National Gendarmerie is the gendarmerie and corps of border guards of Argentina.The Argentine National Gendarmerie has a strength of 12,000....
  
  
• Tunnels in Argentina
• Cristo Redentor Statue
• Updated state of different tunnels and crossings in Argentina
• Paso Las Leñas at UTN Facultad de San Rafael, Mendoza
  Mendoza, Argentina
  Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
  
  .