Introduction

Ramón or San Ramón - respecting the use of the name - is a fundamental part of the scenic structure of the valley which shelters the city of Santiago; to realize its importance only requires the mental exercise of imagining the city without the peak. Although the importance of the Cordillera de los Andes is clear in the definition of what identifies our character as Santiaguinos and Chileans, we could substitute many peaks that actually surround this grand valley for others, without the landscape being majorly changed. But what happens if, the same as a chess player, I decide to change the position of Ramón? In this case, we would not be dealing with whatever move, but would rather be facing a piece on the chessboard which is as transcendental as is the queen or king. Producing a shift of this kind would be more revolutionary than making an exchange between the Plaza de Armas and whatever Mall. The importance of the exercise is that it´s valid for whatever inhabitant of Santiago: the encounter with the shape of Ramón in any moment of the day is pretty inevitable; although it's name is largely unknown, it's image is in the subconscious of all of the inhabitants of Santiago.

There are other mountains, of course, take Manquehue or San Cristóbal for example, which serve for the exercise proposed, but not many. The reason for this crucial significance of Ramón is simple: its proud and obvious presence along the most immediate eastern border of the city -like a wall - and a characteristic figure, both elements truly present from whatever perspective, from whatever point in the city. Other higher or more important peaks from other points of view don't serve for the exercise, because the Ramón Ramge hides them or because they are too far on the horizon.

Ramón is there, with its proper name (very uncommon among the peaks of the Andes), observing the hard work of the city while behind it is hidden an impressive piece of the mountain range that rises up to the east. It may be that its having a proper name (in honor of a horseman that cared for the Macul river valley in other times) or it's shape suggest so much, that it seems to have its own charisma, as if it were a stronge tempered man, a respectable and noble character.

Ramón has three classic routes: via the Macul river valley, from the southeast; via the Peñalolén river valley from the east (both, Macul and Peñalolén come together at the end), and via the river valley of Manzano from the east. Also, there is the traverse of the Sierra de Ramón (starting at Cerro Provincia to the north or at Cerro Punta de Damas to the south), of which Ramón is the highest point.