Angelo, Fabio, Philip, John (Ghini), John (me), Sara, Silvia Paul, Valerie: these are the names of the nine intrepid hikers, led by the great Mauro Pini, braved the weather memorable weekend 15 to 16 May 2010 and has been launched to find the legendary Sybil in the mountains of the same name.
left from Bologna in the flood, we syrupy rain throughout the long journey - over 300 km - that led us in the neighborhood of Montemonaco (AP), to be exact Monte Sibilla Hut (1540 m). Here, under a dark sky park, but suddenly the rain, we climbed the steep grassy slope above the hut to the mountain Paw and then we sailed along smoothly and interminable ridge leading to Mount Sibilla (2176 m), overlooking on one side Piceno on the top and the other on the dizzying depths of the gorges dell'Infernaccio (see photo).
At this point we have addressed the final ascent which was to take us to the top of the Sibyl, disdainfully wrapped in a thick fog and mysterious. And the rain became snow. All right to the top, but here, after a judicious sampling of rocks on the trail that would lead us to the nearby fork, Mauro said, "stop" and wisely made us retrace our steps.
time go down and we were swamped by torrential rain that has whipped through the night to our hotel (the charming "Tavern on the Mountain" by Mouth of Montemonaco). We pluck
consulates with lamb, polenta, roasted meat and an ineffable liqueur brandy and anise flavored with gentian ... But above all it was felt the desire to stay together and "a group".
consulates with lamb, polenta, roasted meat and an ineffable liqueur brandy and anise flavored with gentian ... But above all it was felt the desire to stay together and "a group".
But once again came out of our ability to resist, to focus on the way and give us the charge to each other. We followed neatly the "straight" Mauro: assessing the size, consistency and exposure accumulations of snow left from winter and the blanket of snow that gradually became more often we chose the safest path, and - not without difficulty, but in a really good time - at a rate of 400 vertical meters per hour we covered nearly 1000 meters in altitude from Foce Lake Pilate.
under a winter snow, in a "glacial" and silent, regardless of the wind gusts we have made the rite of souvenir photo in the background of the Lake of Pilate: a crescent of blue-gray water and still semighiacciata partially covered with snow. So off to the valley, sheltered from the fury of wind and snow, but relentlessly targeted by pouring rain.
And then ... Finally a little 'relaxation on the green meadows upstream of Mouth, where we changed and we plan to return to Bologna.
And now, here's the icing on the cake to the back, with a long car ride - a grateful thanks to the drivers and John Vale - we went from Castelluccio di Norcia, where we waited for the delicious local pork products: lentils, beans with ham, ricotta salata, assorted cheeses, plum pie with mushrooms, salmon trout and sour wine, and of course at will, with the final seal of a giant bottle of limoncello.
Giovanni Mazzanti
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