A wintery walk in the mountains

Santiago's location between the Coastal Range to the west and the Andes to the east is both source of frustration and joy to us. Frustration, because all the air pollution emitted by us 8 or so million inhabitants has nowhere to go and frequently billows as grey layer of smog amongst us. Joy, because of the impressive views and the opportunity to go exploring.

After climbing Cerro Manquehue a few weekends ago we were both keen to go out again for another little walk. This time (ie last Sunday) we had laid our eyes on the Sierra de Ramón, which is the first ridge immediately to the east of the City. On the way home from Patricia's office it is often lit in orange-golden colours by the setting sun, and with its highest point rising to some 3200m it is now snow-covered from about half-way up.

The City literally sprawls to the foothills of this range, so a 10 Euro taxi ride from home took the three of us to a convenient point to start our little walk. It was the first time that we took Mario out of town, and this added some extra exitement. For Mario, because of all the sniffing and marking that had to be done all over the place, and for us because we weren't quite sure whether we would keep up with him (or vice versa) and whether he might disappear into the woods for good at the next best opportunity.

We didn't let him roam free until having tired him out for a few hours by making him pull us up to Cerro Alto del Naranjo, one of the more manageable peaks this time of the year with its 1860 or so metres above sea level. And boy did he have fun, running and sniffing around in the snow, circling us but usuallly staying fairly close, once we let him off the lead!

On our decent back down into Santiago we somehome managed to get ourselves on the wrong side of the security parameter around the San Carlos de Apoquindo Stadium. I admit it may have something to do with that flimsy fence we jumped at one point to take a shortcut. We made it to the front gate, where we bumped into a bunch of important looking security guys not quite knowing what to make of us. Dogs, apparently, weren't allowed there. They let us off the hook without kicking up too much of a fuss, not sure whether that was because they thought one of them had made a mistake earlier and let us into the complex through that gate, or because one of the three of us was a Gringo, or both.

Anyway, here are some photos:

Who is taking who for a walk?

Cerro Manquehue in the background

Mario's first(?) snow experience

Enjoying the view over Santiago (don't mind the smog!)

Lunch, Cerro El Plomo (5400m asl) in the background

Cerro Provincia (ca. 2700m asl) in the background

Picnic spot with a view

Why do you always make me sit down (boring!)?

...because if you are good you'll get some besos

What is this cold stuff??

Heading back down again

The smog has eaten the city again