Feriados in Santiago: Hiking Cerro Manquehue

See that half-mountain to the left of the Marriott? It's actually Cerro Manquehue which is more than just a mountain, it's first life was as a volcano. And I made it to the top on Chile's Independence Day.

With hiking so close to my house, I should go all the time. So why was yesterday my first time? Pablo's been robbed there, and he wasn't alone at night. He was with friends in the daytime out for a nature walk. So you can see why I haven't gone yet.

Hiking with a group of Chilean friends means I definitely stand out in my Lululemon purple leggings and hot pink tank with my small snowboarding backpack with a Nalgene and chocolate granola bar. What do Chileans wear hiking? Sweatpants and t-shirt, a fanny pack and an old Coke bottle filled with water.

But who cares what we wear. The best part of the hike was sticking together, helping each other out of rocky situations where I thought I'd slide down like a drop of water into a ravine. There were fun conversations, times where someone would trek on alone for a bit and necessary group water breaks.

Major difference in hiking here and Colorado? Quality of the hiking trail here is... there is no hiking trail. You are following where hundreds have walked before but there is no official trail. Rocks are loose, steep inclines don't have constructed stairs or rope to support your climb.
What about between Manquehue and Camelback Mountain in Phoenix?  Camelback is a mix of bouldering up a desert mountain, listening for rattlesnakes and standing in line at the DMV, waiting to be the next person to advance. Here at Manquehue, we saw maybe 15 people, the most dangerous thing is being off-balance on the descent and

If you are a casual hiker, this is not the hike for you. You'll grab tree roots to pull you from one boulder to the next patch of loose dirt; the terrain is so slippery with dirt that you'll travel down safer if you use the mountain as a slide rather than a ramp. I was on my booty for more than half the hike down. 3 points of contact? It was 2 cheeks, 2 feet and a hand on a rock.

You gotta do it. With a 280 degree view of Santiago, it's worth the hike. Plus, we had a clear blue sky and could see the ski centers and the national futbol stadium.