a hike up Mt Etna, our local volcano

This past weekend was Elliott's last time to adventure around Sicily with his sister before she and Sarah leave on Friday.  To make the most of our time together, we went to a beautiful beach in a nature preserve on Saturday and then headed to the slopes of Mt Etna on Sunday.

Do you remember our super eventful, super long hike up Mt Etna last summer?  The volcano erupted right as we reached the highest observation point!  This was also after we'd been showered with huge chunks of volcanic ash right before we our hike.  But today Etna had only lovely vistas for us today... no hot lava or flying ash.  Sorry, Jess and Sarah!

We drove up to the southern station on Mt Etna and then parked just beyond all the restaurants and souvenir shops.  An unassuming trail veered off to the right from the tiny parking lot, and we followed it for about an hour up undulating trails of soft volcanic ash.  After about an hour we reached the edge of a massive lava flow, which is pictured above.  Doesn't it look like Mordor?



Jess and Lena went to explore a nearby atmospheric research station.  Then Sarah helped Jess get rid of a worrisome blemish on her shoulder.   

Jess and Sarah headed up the volcano a little farther to see a plaque Jess had read about in the guidebook.  Along the way they came across a flock of goats grazing on the hillside.  Sarah took a stunning photo of them.

We stayed behind to smell the flowers.

Although this hike was a little less eventful than our hike last August, I think we're more likely to choose this route again.  We'll take you if you come and visit!