Has it taken out any lifts this time (as it had done shortly before I visited in the summer many years ago)?
No, there's not much infrastructure in the part of the volcano which saw the most violent eruptive activity this morning, and I don't think that there were any tourist groups in the area which saw a pyroclastic flow, at least I hope that's the case as they would almost certainly have been killed. Today has been an explosive event, by Etnean standards, with Strombolian fire fountaining overnight and very unusually a pyroclastic flow around 9.30am. On the rare occasion the Etna has previously produced small pyroclastic flows it's usually been because the eruptive column of material ejected upwards collapses back and flows down the side of the crater, but today's flow seemed to be caused, at least in part, by partial collapse of the SE Crater which formed a pyroclastic event which flowed towards the north east in to the Valle del Leone. Sobering for me as a long time ago I spent a lot of time in that part of the volcano, and a pyroclastic flow is a lethal event if you are caught up in it (eg Pompeii, Mt Pelee). Activity has now diminished, although a volcanic ash alert remains in place for aircraft, but the nearby airport at Catania is operating normally.
This shows a sample of activity overnight, and the pyroclastic flow (at 3m40s)
For a better perspective, you can see how quickly a pyroclastic flow travels along the ground. It's a lethal mix of superheated gas (can be as hot as 1,000 degrees) and pulverised magmatic ash which flows like a liquid, and can be more than 60mph even some distance from the crater.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The birds don't seem too bothered, on that video!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Much better to ski on dormant volcanoes such as my home hill, Mt. Bachelor.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
My boss was doing a vertical running race up Etna on Saturday. Looks like they timed that just right!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
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Much better to ski on dormant volcanoes such as my home hill, Mt. Bachelor
I skied on Mt Ruapehu once. When they THOUGHT it was dormant.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Video of a group of tourists on the side of Mt Etna hastily running away downhill when the ash cloud erupted. I saw a comment that it was an unauthorised group in an area that was closed to tourists. That may or may not be the case, but they were fortunate the pyroclastic flow didn't reach the area they were in.... https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EgTpGtzqa/
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