My new mountain: Cerro el Carbon

Santiago is surrounded by mountains, but occasionally they seem just a little too far out of reach. I love running on trails and in the mountains so the thought that they're too far is not very cool. However, as my mileage has been increasing over weekly periods and over individual runs Cerro Manquehue has become much more accessible.

At only 20 mins running from my apartment it is easy to run out of the city and into a refreshing, rejuvenating environment. The trail starts with a steep sharp climb and then follows a ridge all the way to the top. I'm not able to run to the summit yet, but it's getting closer with every try.

Chilla half way up the mountain.

I've seen some wildlife on the hill especially when I'm out at dawn or dusk. On this morning I saw a fox-like animal and although I was sure it wasn't a dog I wasn't sure that it was a fox. It turned out to be chilla, which is the second largest canine in South America (still pretty small!). I've also seen a lot of hares and bird life which always lifts the mood of my run and distances me from rush of the city.

Looking up to Cerro Carbon from Vista El Litre.

The route has a few view points along the way and these make for great photos and check points to test my progress and speed. The final reward is a fantastic view of Santiago and Los Andes. It is a truly beautiful city nestled in the mountains.

At the top of Cerro Carbon.

Santiago and Los Andes.