Blue Square/Getty ImagesMost people don’t think about snow in Sicily. But the Italian island’s rumbling peak offers one of the world’s most unforgettable ski experiences.
Standing at 3,000m above sea level, I peered down at a glistening expanse of virgin snow covering Europe’s highest and most active volcano. It had been snowing for several days and my guide, Elis Martis, told me he had never seen white snow extend this far. Etna flanks. He showed us our destination in the distance, where the blue sea met the clear blue sky, and then we were off, hurtling down the volcano at lightning speed, our skis gliding through the light, fresh powder.
Most people don’t picture snow-capped peaks when they think of Sicily. But in the highest elevations of the Italian island, temperatures plummet and snow falls in winter. Hot, dry winds called Scirocco drift north from the Sahara Desert, picking up moisture as they cross the Mediterranean Sea. These gusts converge with cooler, drier air descending from the north, creating a weather phenomenon that buries the mountains of Sicily in snow.
I first met Martis during a ski trip to the Italian Dolomites in 2020. An Italian mountain guide and ski expert, Martis told me stories of breathtaking ski slopes on the largest island of the Mediterranean, hard to believe. So, in February 2023, we flew to the Sicilian coastal city of Catania, then traveled 50 km to Etna Glo Bed and Breakfast at the foot of the volcano for an unforgettable adventure.
As we headed towards Etna, Martis explained why skiing on the volcano is unlike any other place in the world. He explained that due to the proximity to the sea, fresh snow is so wet here that it quickly forms a dense, load-bearing layer of powder snow that allows skis to slide easily. White powder alternates with black lava rocks, creating surprising contrasts, while clouds of smoke escape from Etna’s rumbling crater. “This, combined with stunning views of the sea in the distance and incredible Mediterranean cuisine, provides an experience beyond description,” he said.
Louis SoupleGiuseppe Cobo, a local ski enthusiast and owner of Etna Glo, rushed to greet us as we pulled up outside his B&B. After serving us a plate of blood oranges from his family orchard, Cobo explained to us that skiing has a long tradition on Etna. In the winter, Cobo said his grandparents would go to the base of the mountain to collect firewood on skis. There were no refrigerators back then, so his grandparents also collected small boxes of snow from the woods and stored them in cabins during the winter months. At the first signs of spring, they would return to the cabins to collect the ice that had formed and use it to preserve food. This centuries-old tradition was first introduced by the Romans, who ruled Sicily from the 3rd century BCE. In the 9th century, the island’s Arab rulers mixed Etna ice with sugar and citrus fruits to make sorbet, a recipe that lives on in Sicilian granita.
Yet skiing on Etna as a sport dates back to the 1930s, when a small group of local endurance athletes took up ski mountaineering. Unlike resort skiing, where you are typically transported to the top of a mountain by chairlift then ski down a marked trail, ski mountaineering involves either cross-country skiing or climbing to the top of the mountain by carrying your skis, then a race. head back down the mountain through wild terrain on an unmarked trail.
Skiers from mainland Italy and Europe began traveling to Etna after the first cable car was built in the 1950s, which carried skiers up the mountain to an altitude of 2,500 m. However, the ski boom on Etna began in earnest in the 1960s and 1970s, when Etna ski resorts Etna South And Etna North were built. Patricia Pavoni, lifts at Etna South, says skiers from all over the world now go to Etna to ski. “Every year we receive more guests from Asia and North America,” she said.
Today, Etna’s resorts remain small compared to popular European ski destinations. Etna Sud, on the southern slope of the volcano, has five ski lifts, while Etna Nord, on the northern slope, has only four. In comparison, Chamonix, one of Europe’s most popular ski resorts at the foot of Mont Blanc, has 69 ski lifts. “Our customers don’t come because we have the largest number of ski slopes in Europe, rather they are attracted by the prospect of skiing on our magnificent volcano and the Mediterranean atmosphere,” said Cobo.
Louis SoupleCobo learned to ski in the Etna resorts as a child but now prefers ski mountaineering. “For me, Etna is a ski mountaineer’s paradise. You can enjoy unique views far from the crowds, the sea on one side and the craters on the other,” he said. In recent years there has been a notable increase in participation and media coverage of ski mountaineering, leading to its inclusion as an Olympic sport for the first time over the next few years. 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy.
Like Cobo, I’ve mostly skied at resorts for the past decade, but in recent years I’ve started to enjoy ski mountaineering. I enjoy the satisfaction of climbing a mountain on my own and the thrill of descending on untouched snow. Ski mountaineering allows you to reach remote terrain, while still allowing you to enjoy extended moments of solitude and connection with the natural environment. I look for ski mountaineering destinations like Etna that also have interesting culture and history.
Few people know Etna’s rarely traveled unmarked trails as well as Martis, who has been guiding skiers on Etna for more than a decade. He recommends that we head towards the Valle del Bove, a huge amphitheater on the eastern side of Etna, surrounded by rock faces 1,000 m high, whose steep slopes of light, powdery snow are perfect for skiing. mountaineering. “After crossing the Valle del Bove, you can climb a slope to the summit of Etna. The views of the volcano’s crater are spectacular,” Martis said.
Local ski enthusiast Salvatore Rizzo joined Cobo, Martis and me for the adventure. We walked a short distance from the B&B to where the snowline began in Valle del Bove. We then assembled our ski touring equipment: thin, light skis and synthetic “skins” that attach to the sole of the ski and provide grip for skiing uphill. We also carried an avalanche transceiver, although Martis assured us we wouldn’t need it.
Louis SoupleAs we settled into a meditative rhythm cross-country skiing through Valle Del Bove, Rizzo explained the unique relationship between Etna and the people who live in its shadow. “We have an irrational love for Etna. Sometimes she is calm and sometimes she is angry. When she is angry, she can destroy everything we have, but we always go back,” he said.
Etna’s first recorded eruption dates back to 1,500 BCE, but since November 2022 it has been rumbling four times – more recently in August and November 2023 when it spewed hot lava into the air, temporarily closing the airspace above the island. In the peaceful town of Zafferana Etnea, where his B&B is located, Cobo showed us buildings damaged by lava flows in 2013.
“Etna is a treasure trove for volcanic scientists because its intense activity allows us to closely study the internal processes of the volcano,” explained Sarah Booth, a volcanologist staying at Etna Glo. “This information helps us create more effective tools to monitor volcano behavior.”
While Etna’s eruptions have often caused destruction, they have also brought good luck to the region. Today, the region surrounding Etna is one of the most prosperous and densely populated areas of Sicily, thanks in large part to the fertile volcanic soils that support robust citrus growing and wine production. Sicily is Italy’s largest wine region with 242,000 acres of vineyard (98,000 hectares). “The volcanic soil around Etna has a unique combination of minerals, perfect for vine growth. The soil here is special, you won’t find it anywhere else,” said Lucrezia Marino of the Oro Wine Estate near Zafferana Etnée.
Louis SoupleWe passed signs of Etna’s past explosions as we skied, as piles of black, rough, jagged volcanic rock lined the valley. After five hours crossing the Valle del Bove, we reached a steep slope that leads to the summit of Etna. We zigzagged using kick turns, a clumsy maneuver that involves skiing diagonally upward across the slope in one direction, then turning sharply to ski the other to soften the slope of the slope. slope.
Arriving at the summit of Etna, I took a moment to admire the 360 degree panorama. I scanned Catania, the Ionian Sea and as far as Calabria, on the Italian mainland. I then removed the skins from my skis, adjusted the bindings and quickly set off up the volcano in pursuit of Martis in the distance.
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