Strongly modified by agricultural activity, the intensely terraced, small cone of Monte Caterratte lies immediately behind the western margin of the village of Monterosso. This prehistoric cone whose crater is breached on the southeast side, is dwarfed by the much larger and younger Monte Gorna, seen in the background. Photo taken in early May 1997

Mamma Etna's countless children
Monte Caterratte
SE flank, 15.087390° E, 37.649086° N
summit elevation: 642 m

Among the numerous pyroclastic cones that lie on the lower southeastern flank of Etna, Monte Caterratte (a corrupted version of "cateratte", which means "cataracts") is one of the oldest and least conspicuous. Its horseshoe-shaped cone, open to the southeast, lies immediately to the west of the village of Monterosso, and its morphology is strongly altered by human activity, mostly the creation of terraces for wine growth (much of these vineyards are abandoned). The nearest cones, Monte Gorna and Monterosso, lie only 0.9 and 0.8 km to the west and east, respectively, and both are considerably younger. Monte Caterratte lies on a steep slope and therefore its eastern flank is 90 m high, while on its western side, it rises only about 25 m above the surrounding terrain. The eruption that produced this cone occurred at an undetermined time in the prehistoric period, probably many thousand years ago.
I have never climbed Monte Caterratte but passed on two occasions at close range, in the spring of 1997, when all photographs shown on this page were taken.

Left: view to the east from the summit of Monte Gorna, showing the low cone of Monte Caterratte in the middle foreground, and the younger cone of Monterosso behind it. Photo taken in early March 1997 Center and right: Monte Caterratte seen against the backdrop of Monte Gorna. View in center image is from northeast, in right image it is from southeast. Photos taken in early May 1997

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Copyright © Boris Behncke, "Italy's Volcanoes: The Cradle of Volcanology"