MAMMA ETNA PUTS ON A SHOW FOR ONE MOUNTAIN TRACKS TOUR

Ski touring on Mount Etna, an active volcano on a Mediterranean island, seems a contradiction. However, as guide Gianni Dorigo told us, a recent Mountain Tracks tour demonstrated that skiing on the flanks of Etna is not only possible, but likely to be the most memorable tour of your life.

Etna, known to locals as ‘a Muntagna’ (simply the mountain), is a 3,343m-high cone that turns its face to the sea. The climate at this latitude, but especially this altitude, favours frequent snowfall during winter and rapid compression of the snowpack, creating the perfect environment for ski touring. With diverse slopes, gullies and couloirs, Mount Etna and the surrounding national park offer endless skiing and touring possibilities.

Leading my Mountain Tracks group, we made our base at the Sapienza and Citelli refuges and climbed the flanks of the volcano every day; from the craters of Monte Pizzillo to the Silvestri craters, from Pizzo Denerito the north-east crater. And then, on day two, Mamma Etna came to life in front of us! We were able to admire the power of the volcano with an unexpected and spectacular eruption. Of course, as the volcano spewed ash and smoke in front of us, we watched from a safe distance, and, as the activity increased, we beat a safe retreat back to Piano Provenzana, well out of harm’s way. For once, it was not the mild climate, wonderful aromas of the traditional cuisine or the cheerfulness and hospitality of local Sicilians that made this trip standout, but the awesome power of nature. All this made our trip unique and our skiing adventure on one of the highest active volcanoes in the world unforgettable.

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