The Place where the Dog is Buried

Pizzo Carbonara is the second highest summit of Sicily. The hike to its summit is easy, with a visible path and markings throughout. The hike starts at Piano Battaglia, which is a Ski Resort and signposted from Cefalu. The road to Piana Battaglia is good.

The summit of Pizzo Carbonara is just the highest point (by 2 meters, or so I read in the blogosphere) of the several other peaks of Pizzo Carbonara. The views can be deceiving - many of the hills around look higher. Still it is a very worthwhile hike with relatively modest efforts.

We hiked a loop - which can be made in either direction, though we recommend the way we did it. Our return trail leads near the place where the dog Argo has been buried. Argo had all the good qualities of men, but none of the bad. The side trip to the little monument just takes a few minutes - and is recommended more for philosophical than alpine interest.

We hiked in mid-June, and it was surprisingly cold - 11 degree at the summit and not much more at the trail-head. A few days later, with the Scirocco blowing from Africa, it became overbearingly hot and many bush-fires started, turning much of the hillsides near Cefalu into black ash.