A hairpinned road to the summit of Gade La
China, asia
709 km
4.2 m
extreme
Year-round
Hey adventurers, buckle up for Gade La, also known as Lashan Pass or Gadila! This beast of a mountain pass sits way up high in Banbar County, Tibet, clocking in at a dizzying 5,016m (16,456ft). Yeah, altitude sickness is a real thing here – most folks start feeling it way lower, around 2,500-2,800 meters!
The road stretches for a whopping 709 km, and most of it's above 4,200m! The 85.7 km (53.25 miles) section from Nimuxiang to Maxiuxiang is the real heart of the pass. Expect a mix of paved sections and plenty of gravel, plus countless hairpin turns that'll test your driving skills. Oh, and did I mention the steep drops? In many places, there are unprotected edges plunging hundreds of meters down.
Keep your eyes peeled for seriously stunning scenery: snowy mountains as far as the eye can see. BUT – and this is a big but – don't even THINK about attempting this road in bad weather. Avalanches, heavy snow, and landslides are real threats. Ice patches are common, making things even more dicey. The road can get flooded, damaged by rain, and closed without warning. Even with 4x4, you might find yourself stuck after a storm. You'll also encounter some muddy, rough, and unlit tunnels – just to add to the thrill! Speeding trucks and dripping water inside...yikes!
Where is it?
A hairpinned road to the summit of Gade La is located in China (asia). Coordinates: 33.4026, 104.7085
Road Details
- Country
- China
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 709 km
- Max Elevation
- 4.2 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- 33.4026, 104.7085
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