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WHAT IS IT LIKE TO CLIMB MT. ENTNA IN SICILY?

pvc22 wrote:WHAT IS IT LIKE TO CLIMB MT. ENTNA IN SICILY?

Tiring - would be the most adequate answer. Lots of volcanic scree around. But I tried to go up from the east and it seems like the southern route is much easier - especially if the chair lifts are running or if you take one of the jeep taxis. You might be thwarted on your summit bid by too much activity though.

Gangolf Haub wrote:

pvc22 wrote:WHAT IS IT LIKE TO CLIMB MT. ENTNA IN SICILY?

Tiring - would be the most adequate answer. Lots of volcanic scree around. But I tried to go up from the east and it seems like the southern route is much easier - especially if the chair lifts are running or if you take one of the jeep taxis. You might be thwarted on your summit bid by too much activity though.

Imagine doing it when you are... DRUNK!

I did it from Nicolosi (south side) in 1980, so this may no longer be representative. In particular, it is - as far as I have been informed - no longer allowed without a guide, which makes it much safer but less thrilling to my view.

Still present is the road from Nicolosi to Zafferana Etnea, passing by the hut/mountain hotel Rifugio Sapienza at about 1950m (well visible on Google maps, choose lat 37.70°, lon 15.00° - notice the 2 small craters from 1910 about 150m to the east). From there we walked up to the summit plateau at about 2900m (passing by little restaurant (open) at about 2500m), where we bivied close to a location called Torre del filosofo (near the end of the white track leading north in many serpentines from Rif. S. in the Google map). In the evening we climbed up to the main crater which on the inside was covered with a huge flat plate with a central hole, which ejected a constant jet of steam. The plate sounded funnily like a gong when we hopped around on it. During the night a bit ash rain on our tent. A gorgeous sunrise with a view immediately down Valle del bove 2900m to Giarre (this is probably the side Gangolf came up).

But as I said, this is - at least officially - no longer possible. Possible should be guided ascents from various sides. Then it is simply a lengthy walk with a steepness of at most some 40° or so - mostly much less. I'm sceptical about chair lifts running (were damaged when we were there and I don't know if they have ever been repaired), jeep taxis may go. Currently Etna is very calm.

Much pleasure
Reinhard

dear friends,
could you inform about recent possibilities to climb on Etna? where starts the best route? any refuge near the summit? what would the best option to reach the summit in one day trip? thanks for any advices