Pizzo Carbonara is the highest peak of the
Madonie
The Madonie (; Sicilian: ''Madunìi'') are one of the principal mountain ranges on the island of Sicily, located in the Northern part of the island.
Its name comes from the feud of Madonìa which belonged to the noble family of La Farina from P ...
mountains in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
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. It is the second-highest peak in Sicily, only
Mount Etna being higher, although it is only two meters higher than the neighbouring
Pizzo Antenna.
Pizzo Carbonara is located about 10 km NW of
Petralia Sottana. It is a
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
massif, and rainwater falling on it eventually emerges at the foot of the castle rock of
Cefalù on the north coast of Sicily. Its summit is more of a plateau than a peak, so that it is not easy to determine the highest point.
In good weather, Pizzo Carbonara is readily climbed from the Piano Battaglia (1605 m), which can be reached by road, the round trip taking about 2 hrs 30 minutes for an average fit person. It does not involve any rock-climbing or scrambling. However, as of 2006, there is no clearly marked path up the mountain, accurate maps are not readily available, and the plateau is prone to mist. Accordingly, it is advisable to carry a compass or GPS when climbing the mountain. Guidebooks do not recommend climbing it in winter.
References
* Amann, P. (2001). ''Landscapes of Sicily''. London: Sunflower Books. .
External links
Summit Post article about the mountain, with pictures
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carbonara
Mountains of Sicily
Province of Palermo