Vulcano

The Low Down

Inner crater of Vulcano with trail

Vulcano is the mountain in Italy that gave its name to volcanoes world-wide. The hiker fortunate enough to spend time in the Aeolian Islands can take half a day on the easy trail ascending this dormant volcano, and see not only stunning views of the Aeolians, but also some amazing geological features rarely encountered on such a straightforward trip.

Getting There

Once you've arrived at the island of Vulcano, you've basically "got there" for the hike; the island is very small, and the trailhead is at most a 10-minute walk from the harbor where the hydrofoils from Sicily and the other Aeolian Islands land. Simply head down the road running southeast from the harbor area until you get to the trailhead.

Route Finding

The trailhead is well marked, with signs that contain all manner of dire warnings about the route ahead. Take them seriously if you're prone to respiratory troubles; depending on wind conditions, the gases emitted by the very large fumarole field may give you serious difficulties on reaching the crater rim. However, if you're healthy and don't mind a sulfurous odor, continue on the very good trail as it spirals up the side of the volcanic cone. The route is obvious and there are no difficulties in following it.

Your big decision point comes when you reach the outer of the two nested craters comprising this volcano, where there is a junction. If you're coping well with conditions and the trail to the inner rim doesn't look too socked in with fumes, continue counterclockwise (switching back, probably better than the clockwise approach) and spiral on up to the inner, recently (1890) active crater. On the other hand, if the fumes are irritating your throat and lungs, this is the place to turn around.

Assuming you do continue on to the inner crater, your route will be a loop trail around the rim, culminating first in the ascent of the high point on the rim and then in a traversal of the fumarole field. Stay on the trail in this area! Temperatures as high as 400 degrees Centigrade have been recorded at the mouths of some of the fumaroles, and while the usual temperature is considerably lower, hot gases can still do you quite a bit of damage. If conditions are good, you will be rewarded here with views of crystalline and even molten sulfur that make the landscape look like something out of Dante's Inferno -- not a bad analogy, actually. On the other hand, the steam clouds can be dense enough that it's hard to see ten feet down the trail in front of you, let alone anything more scenic in the crater, along the rim, etc. Before continuing, make sure you see your route, and proceed with caution if the clouds get thick. Eventually you reach an old, abandoned helicopter pad, and you're through the fumaroles at this point.

Just before you complete the circuit of the inner crater, a sketchy trail leads down into the crater, where previous visitors have arranged rocks on the crater floor as a kind of geological graffiti. Opinions differ as to whether it is "legal" to follow this trail, but obviously, many other hikers have done it. Be cautious if you do go down into the crater; there's only one way out. Whether you take this digression or not, continue on to the junction and cutoff to the outer crater, and return the way you came.

Trail Resources

Molten and crystalline sulfur in the fumarole field

This is a scenic trail for the views it gives you of the rest of the island of Vulcano and the other Aeolians, but it's particularly interesting for its fascinating geology. If you can stand the smell and don't have respiratory impairments, take some extra time around the fumarole field and look at some of the small stuff as well as the big picture. For example, you can see crystalline sulfur in forms that can't exist at room temperature, and you might even see a drop or two of molten sulfur, something you'll see at few other places in the world accessible by a comparatively safe trail. It should be obvious, but: look but don't touch. The whole reason that these exotic minerals can exist here is that they are extremely hot. Touching them can cause severe burns. Furthermore, if removed from the heat source, they'll rapidly deteriorate into uninteresting, amorphous sulfur powder that doesn't do much but smell bad.

Helpful Hints

• Because the trail is exposed to the sun for nearly its entire length, it gets unpleasantly hot around noon. Morning or late afternoon are more satisfactory times for this hike than midday. If you're going in the late afternoon and plan to be on the mountain at sundown, be sure to carry a flashlight, not so much to illuminate your route down but because the road between trailhead and town has no lighting, making it hard for you to see the road and for drivers to see you.
• This is a good hike on which to wear, or at least carry, a neckerchief. Slip it over your nose and mouth if the fumes get too powerful for you; the little bit of moisture that accumulates from your breath will capture some of the sulfurous gases and keep them out of your lungs.
• Don't let the fumes get on your camera lens if possible, and in particular, don't let them dry out there. You may find yourself left with a lens or even camera that you can't use any more owing to an etched lens surface and/or mineral deposits. Carry your lens cleaning supplies and use them.

Activities Allowed

Hiking.

For More Information

Wikitravel article on Vulcano Island

Related WikiOutdoors articles