SI V23E

This is a long stage with significant elevation gain that returns to high altitude on the northern side of Mount Etna after traversing its entire western flank. From the hamlet of Ballo, the trail descends towards Zafferana Etnea before taking the path that, following the base of the Valle del Bove, reaches the bivouac "Pagghiaru," an ancient shelter for shepherds. From here, it crosses a lava flow, touches Mount Fontana, and enters a wooded area, passing by the Pietracannone Cave adjacent to the restored hut of the same name, which is currently not accessible. Then, the ascent continues along a track that preserves the ancient lava cobblestones, bordering one of the most beautiful "niviere", a large rectangular pit where snow was stored and pressed, which in the summer was transported by mules to the nearby towns, eventually reaching the "Case Paternò Castello," a refuge of the Department of Rural and Territorial Development. On a comfortable dirt road through the vast forest of Cubania, an extraordinary mixed forest predominantly of laricio pine with an abundance of broadleaf trees, birches, and beech at higher altitudes, you arrive at the "Citelli" refuge of the C.A.I. This is an ideal refuge for a stopover. From there, it is possible to take a detour to the Sartorius Mountains, a path of exceptional interest both geologically and botanically, encountering large volcanic bombs along the way. Continuing, you pass below the Monte Baracca refuge until you overlook the Piano Provenzana - Etna North tourist station, a starting point for several treks, from the crater buttonholes of the 2002 eruption to the magnificent beech forest of Timparossa.