Night Hike in Monti Sibillini National Park
In local legend, Italy’s Monti Sibillini National Park is a place of both mythical and historical importance. It is where the body of Pontius Pilate, the man who authorized Jesus’ execution, was allegedly disposed of after he was sentenced to death by the Roman Emperor, Tiberius. Some disregard the theory and argue that the body was actually dumped in a Swiss lake but, those who refute this alternative speculation, believe its resting place is in the Lago di Pilato–a small glacial lake nestled in Italy’s stunning national park.
Due perhaps to the alleged historical events surrounding the lake, it has been a catalyst for legends of sorcery, witchcraft and magic. Even the name of the park alludes to a sorceress–Sybil–whose kingdom is believed to lie in a cave, deep within the mountains. It is the park’s association with local legend and folklore, as well as its incredible natural scenery, that envelops the area with an air of mystery and intrigue.
The Lago di Pilato in Monti Sibillini National Park is only fed by rainwater and snowmelt. Thus, its size fluctuates significantly according to the season. In reality, the lake consists of two separate bodies of water that must have been divided over time. These small gems remain hidden from the view of most casual day hikers. The area is stunning and wild–a true wilderness paradise in a country that packs 60 million people into an area the size of California.<
Reaching the lake turned out to be a strenuous ordeal. Since the trail leading to the glacier winds up a treeless mountainside, we wanted to avoid hiking in the heat of the day. My cousin, Chiara, had hiked the mountain a few years back with a group of friends. In order to avoid the sizzling afternoon temperatures, they hiked the mountain at night. When she suggested we follow suit and explore the national park’s wilderness in total blackness, I was initially a bit skeptical.
Yet, night hiking wound up being a wonderful way to visit the park, for it afforded us a beautiful view of both the starry sky and the spectacular sunrise.
I left Fabriano with a rather large group of Chiara’s friends around midnight, and reached the trailhead at two in the morning. The night air was chilly, and the absence of city lights resulted in a night sky that rivaled that of Wadi Rum.
The stars were so bright and the constellations so vivid, that they kept tricking me into believing my point-and-shoot camera would be able to capture the mesmerizing milky way overhead.
As it turns out, my persistence significantly reduced the already low battery on my camera, but I was able to capture some of the panoramas from the hike nonetheless.
The trek to the top of the mountain was fatiguing primarily because the path consisted of loose scree that would push us half a step back with every full stride we took.
When we reached the summit–content and a bit weary–we huddled together in the cold to watch the vibrant colors slowly emerge from darkness.
The sunrise was truly beautiful and, had it not been for the biting cold, the experience would have been perfect. I resisted all powerful urges to run around to keep warm and, instead, watched the night sky change hues, as the sunlight afforded us a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.
After the sun rose and the freezing temperatures gave way to the warmth of a new day, we continued our trek down the mountain and into the glacial valley that houses the Lago di Pilato. The hike brought us down steep, grassy slopes and fields of scree, until we reached the shore of the two miniscule bodies of water.
In addition to its history and folklore, Lago di Pilato is famous for the small, prehistorical organisms called chirocephalus marchesonii that inhabit its waters. The organisms resemble miniscule orange shrimp and the Lago di Pilato is the only place on Earth where they exist.
Our midnight hike in the Monti Sibillini National Park was truly an unforgettable experience and it allowed me to indulge in nature in a way I never had before in Italy. There are few times in my life that I have seen such vibrant sunrises and such vivid stars.
The hike was a perfect conclusion to my stay in Italy and fueled my excitement for traveling to Namibia in December, where I will have the opportunity to explore some of the wildest and most extraordinary wilderness on Earth.
