C[omp]ute

From: andrew cooke <andrew@...>

Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2017 10:39:08 -0300

[Conditions and people change, so please don't take this information as
gospel - particularly if it is old when you read it.  I may add
updates further down the page.]


Land Access

I moved to Chile some 15 years ago and have had to make my own call on
what is, and is not, allowed when it comes to land access.  Often I
check Strava's heatmap (you can see this by going to Dashboard / My
Routes / New Route and then enabling the heat map from the tools menu)
as a guide - if a lot of people are doing it then I assume it's OK.

In the countryside you can often get a feel for whether or not you
will be welcome: a worn trail, with gates (or "concertinas" of barbed
wire and sticks) that can be easily opened are good news; large fences
and warning signs are bad news.  If you know who owns the land that
can also help - land owned by U Chile, for example, usually has easy
access.

Note that some access may vary with date.  El Arrayán, for example,
appears to be locked outside "business hours" in summer, but open 24
hours in the winter.  And the beautiful singletrack descent north of
Quebrada de Plata was blocked just a few months ago.


Shops

The traditional area for bike shops is San Diego, south of Alameda, in
the area just before Matta.  This is still best for tools, but for
fancier components (or entire bikes) you may want to visit Padre
Hurtado, between Kennedy and Vitacura.  The Oxford chain is reliable,
has good stock, and is somewhere between these two poles.  Finally,
evobikes, on Florida to the south, is also worth a visit, particularly
for XC.

[Edit 2018-03-02] According to u/latuamater on Reddit, MontenBaik do
rentals - http://montenbaik.com/


Discovery

Strava heat map (described above) is great. 

Open Street Map can show cycle lanes
http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=12/-33.4379/-70.6550&layers=C 

As can http://www.bicimapa.cl/

And don't forget Google maps - both the satellite view and street view
(the latter is particularly useful for checking if a track / road can
be accessed - it certainly can if Google's car got there, otherwise
look to see what stopped it).


Weather / Conditions / Equipment

In summer Santiago can be hot and dry.  You should understand heat
exhaustion, heatstroke, and salt depletion.  Remember that
acclimatisation takes around 2 weeks.  I carry food, a 2l hydration
pack (in a backpack) and a bottle of water on the frame.  If I finish
the water in the pack then the rule is that I immediately head home,
drinking from the frame bottle on the way.

On longer rides I carry sunscreen and insect repellant (deet-based
works for mosquitoes; for horse flies you need something that smells
citrusy).

Incidentally, https://www.amazon.com/dp/076277858X is an excellent
book that includes advice on exercising in the heat.

A phone is useful, but some routes are outside coverage.  I have
consider carrying an emergency beacon - after asking local hikers,
InReach seems like it could be the best option.  The more organised
parks (Durazno, Quebrada de Macul, San Cristóbal) have signs with
emergency numbers listed.  Otherwise, carabineros are on 133 and
ambulance on 131.

Trails are generally hardpack with rock and gravel.  Durazno is
particularly sandy in places.  Because I spend much time riding on the
roads (to access the different areas described below) I favour fast
rolling XC / road tyres like Thunder Burt or RaceKing.  These are OK
for many of the routes, but sometimes have a (worrying) lack of grip -
I am looking at getting something more aggressive for the more
demanding trails.  Obviously people riding downhill (and driving to
trails) use much grippier tyres.

Thorns and/or cactus spikes can be a problem if you leave well-used
paths.  I use latex tubes which, if I leave the thorn in the tyre, can
generally get me home without needing a patch.  I also carry a pump,
spare tube, patch kit and multitool (under the saddle).  It sometimes
feels like no-one else carries anything - I have been waved down for
my pump several times...

In winter heat is much less of a problem and I can do longer rides
without the hydration pack.  Then it's useful to have either large
pockets or a running buddy or similar to carry phone, keys, etc.

If trails get wet (it does rain sometimes!) they can become very
sticky mud and are generally not worth riding - tyres get absolutely
clogged and you rip up the surface.  For a long loop on gravel,
cyclepaths, and some road see
https://www.strava.com/activities/799729043



Main Riding Areas

Below is a summary of all the riding areas I know around Santiago.  I
start with Durazno to the NE and work clockwise around the city.


Durazno Bike Park

http://www.outlife.cl/parque/rkf-el-durazno/

This is located in La Dehesa, to the NE.  It has maintained,
signposted trails - you climb up the route to the left and then pick
your return through the park back to the start.  Because of this, the
trails are generally "one way", so you may feel safe enough to hammer
fast descents with a suitable bike.  It is the closest I know to the
kind of bike parks I see in videos from the USA.

Note that access seems to have changed from what is described on the
site and Strava's (current) heat map - enter at
https://www.google.cl/maps/place/BikePark+El+Durazno/@-33.3262914,-70.5149677

I have not used this park much, but had to walk a few small parts of
the climb (largely in sandier areas where I had traction issues with
Thunder Burt tyres), which is fairly steep (I mean, it's on the side
of a mountain).  And I had to walk some small sections of the "medium"
trails that I have used.  So I guess it could be a little intimidating
for very new riders, or a little boring if you're a good, strong,
experienced rider - guess that's why the trails are rated "medium".

I don't know of any drops / jumps on the trails themselves, but there
are earth ramps near the entrance - my guess is that at weekends
people are dirt jumping there.

[Edit after trying the "easy" Manzano and Papaya trails:
Personally, I would not call the upper part of Manzano easy!]


El Arrayán

http://www.santuariodelanaturaleza.cl/

A park at the end of Camino el Cajón in Lo Barnechea.  In summer (when
they charge to enter, and the entrance is locked outside hours) I
expect the river area will be packed with people having barbecues and
swimming, but that the trail will still be fairly empty.  In winter
(at least during the week) access seems to be uncontrolled and free,
and I rarely see anyone.

The main route here is a dirt road that curls up into the mountains to
the east.  You can connect across from Durazno - see for example
https://www.strava.com/activities/852755459

This is an easier ride than Durazno - just a dirt road that goes on
and on - but it's still fairly steep so you need to be in decent
shape.  Also, it's a little tricky to find the route up from where the
cars park - basically, you want to go up the road that is closed with
a black and white striped pole.


Camino a Farallones

Continuing in a clockwise arc around the city, the road out to the
Farallones ski resort is a popular ride for roadies that might also be
of interest to masochistic MTB riders.  On any Sunday morning join a
train and feel the pain...


[Edit 2017-07-01] Hacienda Las Varas

The entrance from Camino a Farellones is marked with a wooden sign
over the track.  400m or so up the track there are houses and a hut
with a map where you register and pay $1.500.  The routes are graded
from easy to double black diamond.  I have only ridden the easy one
(descending, after crossing over from San Carlos - see below) and had
to walk the first section, although the rest was, indeed, easy.


Parque San Carlos de Apoquindo

The main entry is through the Club Deportivo U Católica at the end of
Camino Las Flores - follow the signs and you arrive at a manned gate
with a charge of 2.000 pesos and opening times from 9-5, closed Monday
(IIRC).  A little to the south, a gap in the fence at the end of Av La
Plaza gives access to the same area, until the fence around the park
is fixed.  Further north, you could enter at
https://www.google.cl/maps/place/Av+La+Plaza+500,+Las+Condes and even
further north there's another gap in the fence where Quinchamalí meets
Las Añuñucas (I mention these not to avoid paying but because they're
also possible exits for routes).

The route up from the main entrance to the "Monolito" is an easy ride.
The route to the left of that, which crosses over to Las Varas, is
significantly steeper.  There are also various loops that include the
exits mentioned earlier.  [End of 2017-07-01 edit]


Parque Aguas de Ramón

YouTube has some videos of this area, but as far as I can see it is
explicitly closed to bikes (I once cycled to the entrance and was
turned away).


Parque Mahuida

I have not ridden here for some time.  From what I remember, there is
a small entry fee (500 pesos?) and at least one fairly easy trail
(although with a tiring initial climb).


Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez / Quebrada de Macúl / Panul

This is a broad sweep of land to the east / SE of the city that has
inter-connected trails.  See for examples
https://www.strava.com/activities/819804061 and
https://www.strava.com/activities/835016370

Access may be restricted at various points (for example, at the main
entrance to the park Quebrada de Macúl, where you are expected to
leave contact details), but because the trails join at various places
you can always find a way in (I say this not to encourage avoiding the
main entrances, but because in summer, to avoid the heat, you may want
to enter very early).  One northern access point is on Diagonal Las
Torres midway between the entrance to the park Quebrada de Macúl and
the corner with Los Presidentes - see the Strava heat map to connect
that up.  Further south there are more permanently-open entrances (see
below).

Another northern entrance is at the very top of Av Quilín.  Past a
pole that controls the entrance you'll find a small gap to one side
of a gate.  If I remember correctly, it's under power lines (which is
significant - see below).  If you ask the guard at the pole nicely, he
may point it out...

Heading south, you can cross the creek (quebrada) at various points.
One is traversing the man-made flood control(?) at the level of the
Quiín entrance.  Others ford across from the Quebrada de Macúl trail a
little higher up.

I don't know who owns the area of land directly to the south of the
Quebrada, but it can be accessed from the top of Nueva María Angelica
(which is conveniently close to the end of Las Perdices cycle path).

The main route south across this area runs under, or close to,
electricity pylons - it seems to be the trail used in their
construction.  And this provides a path through a residential area
between Longitudinal Norte and Sur which connects the area described
above with the Panul park further south.  Note that there are some
alternative routes close to the pylons (see Strava heat map) that are
a little less steep in places.

Panul park is a recognised bike park, but is not as organised as
Durazno.  There are no signs and no direction control.  Access (always
open) is from the top of Las Tinajas.  On a Sunday morning that road
is partially closed to traffic.  Various paths connect the entrance to
the trail under the pylons, which runs across the top of the park
(although some paths do go further north).

At the SE corner of Panul the pylon trail leaves the park (a locked
gate, but with a stile to the right that the bike can pass through).
I don't understand what this land is, but it contains - quite hidden
away! - some marked downhill trails, graded in the USA style, with at
least one man-made road crossing (jump) (I think these may be remnants
from some competition?)

[Edit 2017-04-27] This area, or slightly to the west, is likely Cerro
26, although I have never entered from the west (Google says it's
closed weekdays?).

Continuing south it is possible to connect up with Peral (see one of
the Strava links above).

In general, the trails in this area have a little more variety than I
have seen in Durazno - in particular, there are some easier trails.
So although everything is less formal (Durazno is in a much more
wealthy area of town) the riding may be less intimidating to a
newcomer.


Cajón del Maipo

[Edit 2018-03-02] The road route east (El Toyo), on the south of the
river, is another popular road route.  Many people ride to the bridge
between San Carlos and San Antonio and then return.  You can get food
and drinks near the bridge at weekends and in summer.

You can also continue further east.  I particularly like the ride up
to Las Melosas which ends in a gravel track that could take you to
Argentina.  See https://www.strava.com/activities/1303641373 (although
the final gravel track to the south of the river is the one with a
chance of reaching the border).

[Edit: 2017-04-27] There is a very nice (off-road) route just to the
south, as shown at https://www.strava.com/activities/915925693, which
should be ridden in that direction, since the descent is steep, narrow
and well-worn, so coming up there would be difficult and dangerous
(with others descending).  Unfortunately access at both ends is
blocked by gates - I was lucky to find the east gate open and then had
to wait in the west until a car wanted to exit from one of the
fanced-in houses.


Puente Alto

Towards the south of Santiago you have to travel further to get to the
mountainous areas.  I haven't explored here, but there are a couple of
routes near the Maipo river that are worth mentioning.  First, there's
a little known track that usefully connects the cycle path on Accesso
Sur to Padre Hurtado.  Second, there's a fairly long gravel road along
the side of the river, if that's your thing.  See
https://www.strava.com/activities/848307652 for both.


Gap Here

As I live in NE Santiago my knowledge of the SW of the city is
somewhat limited.  Sorry.


Lo Prado

To the west of Santiago, one of the main roads to the coast (Ruta 68)
goes through a tunnel (Lo Prado).  The original road, which goes over
the mountains (hills?), still exists, and connects to trails both
north and south.

To the south you can descend into Quebrada de Plata.  This is a public
park that is so remote only MTBs tend to use it.  There is a route
(visible on Strava) from here to U Chile property at Rinconada de
Maipú.  See https://www.strava.com/activities/837263278 The riding is
pretty easy, although steep in places.

There is also a beautiful singletrack slightly to the north of
Quebrada de la Plata - https://www.strava.com/activities/822214982Q -
but unfortunately this is now blocked by a large fence at the bottom
of the descent, so should not be used.

To the north of the pass is a separate trail that loops round and then
descends down towards the nuclear plant(!), but I have not had time to
explore this yet.


Laguna Karen

To the north of Ruta 68 is an area of land called Laguna Karen that
belongs to U Chile.  It is flat, has several unmarked, little-used
paths, and can be accessed from Ruta 68 (you may need to pay a fee) or
from the north.  https://www.strava.com/activities/840822100 shows a
route through this area (and a possible alternative connection).
Beware of thorns.

[Edit 2017-04-24, 05-27] It was possible to cross over from El
Noviciado to Mina Lo Aguirre as shown in
https://www.strava.com/activities/925622477 but that route is now
blocked by a gate.  Also, I twice now had problems with mine employess
very unhappy about my presence on the exit road towards ruta 68.


Gap Here

As can be seen from the Strava route above, trails to the NW are
complicated by the airport (and the lack of hills).


Juan Pablo II

Similar to Camino a Farellones, another popular (but much shorter)
road ride goes north from La Dehesa.  See
https://www.strava.com/activities/683977861 (on a Sunday morning
cycles dominate the motorway to the NW - I can't imagine that is a fun
ride during the week).


Chicureo

[Edit 2018-03-01] Over the pass above (JP II) and down the other side,
you arrive at Chicureo which is mainly recent condominiums.  There are
some rides north of here.  I've done one -
https://www.strava.com/activities/1428526380 - and it was an easy
loop, very pleasant.  The only issue was cows / bulls in various
places.


Huechuraba

[Edit 2018-03-01] To the south of JP II, following the side of an
irrigation channel, there's a nice easy trail that loops around above
Huechuraba - https://www.strava.com/activities/1265570346

Just FYI, La Pincoya, a población visible from this ride, is described
in this excellent book -
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Debt-Times-Violence-Neoliberal/dp/0520272102


Parque Metropolitano (San Cristóbal)

More central than the other options above, this is good for practice
and training.

The NE hills are covered in (largely unsigned and uncontrolled) short
trails with a variety of surfaces and difficulty (including a little
bare rock) so it's an excellent place for an inexperienced rider to
experiment and gain confidence.  The main problem is that it is very
popular, so packed with bikes at the weekend, and suffering from
erosion (braking washboards on the descents) - best to visit early
in the morning on weekdays.

There's a little known descent on the NW side that can be seen here -
https://www.strava.com/activities/1410148750 (segment bajada bosque).

Various roads through the park are (largely) car-free, with gentle and
steep slopes, so are popular with roadies and MTBs doing interval
training etc.