The Dolomites

Has anyone skied those mountains?  I rode the green with a racer dad today from Italy, and he said if you go to Europe to ski, that's the place to go.  

No, but thank you for the intel!!!

I drove around in the Sella Ronda about a year ago, did not ski, but I will be back. Easily the most beautiful mountain area I have ever seen. Remember, its not really Italy, more Austrian heavily colored by Italy.

That’s couloir city in them hills.

Benny Profane wrote

I drove around in the Sella Ronda about a year ago, did not ski, but I will be back. Easily the most beautiful mountain area I have ever seen. Remember, its not really Italy, more Austrian heavily colored by Italy.

It's one of a few autonomous (spelling?) provinces in Italy...he's right, feels more like Austria...was part of Austria/Germany at one point in history.

I've got a lot of family about an hour from the Sella, they are 15 mins from Madonna di Campiglio.  I've heard its really nice but haven't been there skiing yet (just in summer up to this point unfortunately.)  Also been to Sella (Val Gardena) in summer.  This is one of my next Euro ski destinations whenever I can pull it off.  We've been trying to get there to ski for years and years since we have family there..just hasn't worked out...yet.  There's sorta two dolomites.  The regular dolomites (east and southeast of Bolzano) and the Brenta Dolomites (west of Bolzano).  West of Bolzano is more of the "regular" Italy vs the Austrian feeling Italy.

We did a week in Cortina and then several days in Arraba.  Cortina is a fantastic ski town with some good skiing and great eating.  Hire a guide and do the Bus de Tofana.  A 9000 Vert run that requires some mountaineer to get thru the hole onto the backside of the Mt.  Cortina is very Italian.

Then in Corvara and Arraba is more Germanic.  I think the skiing is better in this huge region.  More alp like.  I dont think the sellaronda is worth doing as I prefer to not rush thru the day on a set timeline or face a long bus ride back to where you started.  You can still ski all the components in a week just taking more time to explore.

The negatives are Italians do not believe in civilized lift line behavior.  It’s totally ever man for themselves in those lift lines especially on a weekend.  Italians constantly chain smoke even while skiing.  It’s also mostly above treeline so if you get weather the days agenda becomes eating not skiing.  If that happens go to one of the lower tree lined areas ski a bit and have a 2+ hour lunch which is what most Italians do on thier ski days regardless of the weather.

Everyone should ski in the Dolomites for a week at least once on thier life bucket list.

Z wrote

The negatives are Italians do not believe in civilized lift line behavior.

Europeans. This is not specific to Italians.

They also fart during tightly packed tram rides.

raisingarizona wrote

They also fart during tightly packed tram rides.

I do too

Grandparents are from near Madonna di Campiglio too. Grandfather said we weren't Italians. Skiing there is on my bucket list for sure. Passport and legs are ready. If not this year than next. Flights are ~$500 round trip to Milan and ski passes are very reasonable along with ski rentals. They have good snow there this year. Pinzolo is also connected to Madonna di Campiglio, is a bit closer to where the folks came from and appears to be a quiter place if ya like that.