Climbing Mt. Etna: An Explosive Way to Celebrate Your Birthday
On June 2nd, 2025, Mount Etna erupted.
Ash plumes. Lava flows. Headlines. Scary footage of ignorant tourists running thinking their lives were in danger (they weren’t).
Just hours after that eruption, my flight descended into Sicily.
We did not become aware of what had transpired until after we landed. (Being the sometimes-unintentional idiot, as we flew almost level with Etna, watching heaps of smoke curl into the sky as small bursts of ash puffed from her summit, I had simply thought such theatrical conditions and tiny eruptions were normal for her. Sometimes ignorance is not bliss.)
When our driver showed me a picture of the dramatic eruption, my heart sank. Indeed, I am that shameless weirdo that would have loved to have seen and, even more so, been just below the summit, like many tourists were, as she erupted.
With knowledge of the eruption came the realization that if it had happened later, our flight would have been delayed, maybe even cancelled if the airspace was too risky to fly through for the rest of the day.
Instead, we arrived right on time to at least see the end of one of nature’s greatest displays of “peacocking”.
Two days later, I climbed her for my 35th birthday.
35 candles on a cake are clearly too safe for me.
Climbing Mt. Etna: Taormina and a Private Volcanological Guide
We based ourselves in the stunning hilltop town of Taormina, a major tourist hub where Etna dominates in the background like a moody empress.
From there, we arranged a private volcanological guide, Vincenzo Modica, to meet us and take us up the mountain. I cannot stress this enough: if you’re climbing Etna, you will be required to have a certified guide to escort you. It does not matter if you are an experienced mountaineer!
Etna is well-known for having conditions that can change rapidly. Summit access can become impossible at a moment’s notice, and safety zones can shift depending on recent volcanic activity. This is something tourists need to be mentally prepared for, as their summiting dreams could end suddenly. Plans on Etna are not fixed. They are fluid. The volcano decides.
Once we reached base camp, we rode up the mountain in enormous, otherworldly off-road trucks with wheels that looked capable of conquering Mars (and probably could). My mom joined us for that wild, bumpy ascent to the highest accessible point. Just below the summit, we were able to see lava flows only two days old. What a beautifully surreal moment it was!
From there, my Mom took the great wheeled behemoth back down to base camp while Vincenzo and I began our descent on foot from just below the summit.
Climbing Mt. Etna: A Wild Lunar Landscape
The terrain looked otherworldly. Dark rivers of ancient magma twisted and folded over itself, jagged fissures and holes just hoping to trip you were scattered here and there, and there were craters that had once released eruptions of their own many millennia ago.
It felt like walking across the moon. Every step crackled and crumbled. The surface shifted beneath my boots in tiny sliding avalanches. There were almost no visible signs of life, just volcanic rock stretching in every direction.
Except, I found a ladybug… on a volcano… two days after an eruption. Apparently, resilience wears red and adorns itself with cute black polkadots and itty-bitty wings.
Climbing Mt. Etna: How Not to Tumble Down a Volcano
Let me clarify something: I am not an experienced climber.
But I am an enthusiastic traveler who thought, “Yes, I should spend my birthday on an active stratovolcano.”
The descent required patience and technique. On steep slopes of loose volcanic gravel, Vincenzo taught me to dig my heels into the scoria first and lean slightly back. That way, if I slipped, I would fall against the mountain rather than down it. It was mildly terrifying but logical and extremely effective.
Climbing Mt. Etna: Clothing and Basic Necessities
At times, the cold wind whipped around us, sending fine volcanic dust into the air. Elevation on Etna is significant, temperatures can drop quickly, and weather can shift with almost no warning. I was grateful that I had done my research beforehand and was well prepared for potentially difficult conditions.
Just as I had, you should bring:
- A small backpack.
- Water.
- Sunglasses.
- A face mask or balaclava in case the dust becomes unbearable.
- A hat or visor.
- Sunscreen.
- A jacket, even if you’re hiking during summertime.
- Thick socks.
- Sturdy hiking boots with strong tread.
- And pants to protect your skin from being scraped up by the sharp volcanic rocks.
People, this is not a “flip-flops and vibes” excursion. Please do not be one of those tourists that feel obliged to wear their cutest clothing to capture that perfect instagramable pic of them striking a pose with a smoking volcano in the backdrop.
Climbing Mt. Etna: The Forest Shortcut
The final stretch cut through a forested slope — technically a shortcut, according to my guide.
It was also the only moment I questioned my life choices.
My guide was taller than I. His legs stretched elegantly over thick, tangled tree roots. Mine… did not and, sadly, will never. I couldn’t reach his footholds and had to improvise by politely requesting salvation. Several times he steadied me when I felt one misplaced step might send me sliding somewhere deeply inconvenient, aka faceplanting into a tree.
In hindsight, my guide ensured my safety. In the moment, I was 100% convinced of my impending doom.
We made it and all in one piece.
I emerged through our inconvenient short-cut covered in volcanic dust, with sharp pebbles inside my boots (despite excellent Merrell hiking shoes), a backpack full of Etna rocks that my guide assured me I could take, and legs that reminded me for days that turning 35 hurts.
Climbing Mt. Etna: Safety and Preparation
If you’re considering climbing Mount Etna:
- Always check current conditions before booking.
- Certified volcanological guides are a must, not an exception.
- Be flexible — summit closures are common.
- The weather and wind can shift quickly.
- Elevation could affect those who are sensitive.
- Volcanic terrain is unstable and abrasive.
- Protect your eyes and lungs from dust.
- Wear sturdy boots, long pants, and pack a jacket (even during summer).
- Do not attempt this climb if your mobility and strength are in question.
It may look dramatic in viral videos but monitored tourist zones are carefully assessed by professionals. Respect the mountain, and respect the guidance given. Etna is active. That’s not a marketing language. It’s a geological fact.
Climbing Mt. Etna: A Perfect Way to Celebrate My Birthday
I had the privilege of celebrating my 35th not only in a restaurant, but on a recently explosively erupted volcano. Covered in ash. Carrying lava rocks in my backpack. Legs terribly sore. And my heart full.
Some birthdays mark time – others remind you that the earth itself is alive beneath your feet. Mount Etna did both for me. And, honestly, I could not have asked for more… but more did happen as we wined and dined at Museo della Pasta. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
