Introduction

The villages of San Gabriel and Baños Morales are the two final possibilities to find food and board on the way east along Cajón del Maipo. Between the two are approximately 18km of road lined by relatively unknown mountains, among the more famous are the beautiful San Gabriel, Retumbadero Alto and Los Chacayes (though, at times, even the mapmakers, IGM and Conaf, weren't sure of their names). These peaks, among which is Cerro El Salto, are often just forgotten details, part of the roadside scenery for those on the way to more popular ascents such as El Morado, El Diente del Diablo, the volcano San José and Marmolejo.

As well as offering great possibilities for exploration and climbing of new routes these peaks already have their own stories of intents and ascents, albeit stories that are little known and scant discussed. On the way to El Salto's summit there is a lone cement cairn and on its summit was found a short iron pole, seemingly a vestige from an old scaffold. When en route to Baños Morales from San Gabriel, Cerro El Salto is found on the south side of the river El Volcán to the right (southern side) of the road that passes next to the well known waterfall of the same name, clearly marked by a sign. On most weekends several cars can be found parked in this area as people mill around taking photos of the waterfall. 

From below, the peak looks like a mess of steep and loose rock. Nevertheless, there are several possibilities to climb it. The most straightforward route is probably via the easier slopes on the west side from the road to Las Melosas. Other interesting, but more complicated, routes exist on its east side.

The little attention afforded to El Salto has left the maps a little confused as to its highest point. There seem to be two summits; the highest point marked as (3568m IGM) and the summit as named on the map (3520m IGM), found 2km along a ridge to the north of the former. In any case, from the high summit, as well as from several points along the ascent, the mountaineer is awarded with spectacular and unique views of all the summits of the area from the Diablo group, El Morado and San Francisco, right over to Marmolejo and the giant volcano San José.