The mountains of Madeira covered with a white blanket. This was the image that could be seen on March 15, 2011, with more snow expected to fall. The images collected during those days showed an unusual scenario in the Region.
Considered the biggest snowfall in the last 30 years, in 2011 hundreds of people tried to reach Pico do Areeiro. However, to do so, it was necessary to have an off-road vehicle, given the amount of snow that had fallen. The night before, around 70 cars had been trapped in the snow, prompting a rescue operation that only ended in the early hours of the morning. It was the trigger for the authorities to close the main access roads to Pico do Arreiro.
Given the difficulty of access by car, there were those who chose to walk the route, despite the inherent difficulties.
I remember travelling to work in the morning, and the expressway was really slow traffic with everyone looking at the site of snow on the southern slopes.