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.

I’m leaving for Cortina next Friday with a good sized group (38 I think) mainly based out of Queensbury. Never skied in Europe and really looking forward to it. Last week they got 98 inches of snow over 2-3 days. Online videos of the views look awesome.

The town of Cortina reminded me of Vail, in size and poshness. I don't think it's connected to any of the sella Ronda chairs, but I'll bet there's a transit service, public or private, that can get you over to Arraba, or not even that far, to ski. When I drove from Cortina to Arraba, I passed a chair running on the highest pass in late November. Not far at all.

It's beautiful. Enjoy.

Harvey wrote

Z wrote

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

Europeans. This is not specific to Italians.

I’ve skied a lot in Europe.  

As far as lift lines go Italians are the worse closely followed by the French.  German Swiss and Austrians tend to be much more orderly in a Tutonic sort of way.  The Brits get trampled by all the rest and us Americans are like wtf is happening until our inner NYer kicks in and we wedge our way in.

I found German, Austrian and Essex County skiers to be the worst. But not by a whole lot compared to other Europeans.

Benny Profane wrote

The town of Cortina reminded me of Vail, in size and poshness. I don't think it's connected to any of the sella Ronda chairs, but I'll bet there's a transit service, public or private, that can get you over to Arraba, or not even that far, to ski. When I drove from Cortina to Arraba, I passed a chair running on the highest pass in late November. Not far at all.

It's beautiful. Enjoy.

To go from Cortina to the sella Ronda section you need to go over a pass.  Best  way to do it is to take a bus to the ski area on the Aaso Falaragro and from the top ski towards Covara.  You’ll hit a section of xc ski trails at the bottom where for a couple Euros a farmer on a horse will pull you are your friends the 3k to Covara.  You can’t make it all the way around the Sella Ronda in a day starting from there but it’s a fun way to go.  

Arraba is the best expert skiing in the region and well worth a day though it’s multiple passes from Cortina so that might be too far to day trip.

The Dolomites are huge but as interconnected as some areas in France or Austria
https://www.dolomitisuperski.com/skimaps/Dolomiti-Superski/Dolomiti_Superski_fuer_Homepage_DE_web.pdf

Harvey wrote

I found German, Austrian and Essex County skiers to be the worst. But not by a whole lot compared to other Europeans.

ha
What seems to make the Italians the worst is they simultaneously chain smoke, talk rapidly on thier cell phones and walk on your skis.  It seems to be a gift the own.

My son told me even the teen age ski racers chain smoke in the tram lines.