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Ski and snowboarding

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Dolomites

24 replies

Blisteringlycold · 07/10/2024 14:49

Where would be good to stay to take advantage of the dolomites skiing? I'm looking at all the towns and I'm confused! Thanks

OP posts:
BuzzieLittleBee · 07/10/2024 15:24

What kind of thing are you looking for? I could wax lyrical about the Dolomites, but would be handy to know a bit more about what you want.

I found it confusing before we went, but once we'd been once, it all made a lot more sense!

Jammedchakra · 09/10/2024 15:51

We are all about the skiing @BuzzieLittleBee so good access to lots of runs. If certain kick off points are better than others for the big circuit.

In a nice town ideally, but we are very dull, first lift, last lift!

Ideally a nice chalet, but that seems harder in Italy so nice half board small hotel would be ideal if you have suggestions.

massistar · 09/10/2024 16:33

You'll be lucky to find a chalet in Italy. The only ones I've ever seen are through tour operators. We've always stayed in small hotels. We tend to stay in Alba di Canazei as it's cheaper than some of the other resorts. It's not got much there but we're first lift, last lift too so just need a bar for a quick beer then shower, dinner, digestif over a game of cards and bed.
If budget not an issue then I'd stay in Arabba or Corvara.

BuzzieLittleBee · 09/10/2024 16:46

Are you sitting comfortably...?!

The Dolomites broadly comprise 4 ski regions which sit directly on the Sella Ronda, and some other satellite resorts which are more 'standalone' (although you can get to the SR from some, and others are interconnected).
If you like clocking up the big miles, I would definitely go for one of the SR ski areas. These are (Selva) Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Val di Fassa and Arabba. Each of these is a resort/area in its own right, and has its own piste map, but they sit at the 4 'corners' of the SR, so you can easily ski between them.

Alta Badia has Corvara and Colfosco which I've heard referred to as a Blue Paradise, and apparently have lots of nice hotels and foodie places. I haven't stayed there, but have skied some of the runs as an offshoot to the SR.

The main resort in Val Gardena is Selva, and this is one of the biggest towns on the SR. It's a great base with nice hotels (and we stayed in an Inghams catered chalet there, which was ski in ski out, and was lovely!). You're right on the SR itself if you stay in Selva, so access to other places is easy. There are other places within the Val Gardena area - Orteisi is a lovely little town/village just a couple of lifts away from Selva/the SR.
The skiing in and around Selva itself is great - easy access to Plan de Gralba, and the well-known 'La Longia' (a fabulous 10km run that is my favourite run ever), and a world cup run to boot. Lots of reds, and a couple of more challenging blacks.

Arabba is at the opposite corner of the SR to Selva. It is a much smaller town, but because of that it is very easy to get onto the slopes first thing - lift queues are much smaller (not that they're big in Selva). It's billed as having more challenging runs than the other areas, with a few long blacks, but they're well within the capabilities of an intermediate. I loved them!
We stayed at the Sport Hotel, which was perfectly located, and very nice. Not that small, but had a nice family-run feeling, and was very traditional.

Val di Fassa is the other SR 'base', but I haven't skied there really - it's next on my hit list.

The beauty of these 4 resorts is that you can just get onto the SR from any of them, and ski round it. No need for a piste map, as it's really well signposted - orange in one direction, green in the other. You just follow the signs of the right colour and you'll end up where you started.
I would recommend doing a complete loop of it early in your week, to get your bearings, and once you've done that, you can look at the piste map and decide which deviations you'd like to take (the SR itself just skirts round the resorts, so you can 'turn off' and explore a resort in more detail, and then get back on again - a bit like going round the M25)
It's worth going round both ways - it has a very different feel.

You have 2 options for your lift pass - either just the individual resort, or the whole region. YOu'll want the latter - it's about 10 euros more a day, but it gives you access to everything around the SR and beyond.

There are other 'tours' which are well worth doing:
a WW2 loop (includes some bus transfers as well as skiing)
A ski over to the Marmolada glacier - Arabba is the start point for this, from Selva on the other side, it's quite a stretch to get over there and back!
The 'Hidden Valley' is an iconic run - you get pulled along by horses at the end. Alta Badia is the closest start point for this, but it's easy from Arabba too (and doable from Selva, but you'd have to keep a close eye on the clock)
La Longia - easy from Selva, you'd probably have to clock watch from Arabba
Cinque Torre - don't know about this one - it's on the list!

One key thing to bear in mind - all the resorts are proper towns (not purpose built), so lots of accommodation is not that close to the lift. I pay close attention to that because IMO there's nothing worse than starting a day by trudging to a lift.
Another thing to have in mind is that there are apparently major roadworks taking place on the road from Innsbruck to some places in the area. Some of the tour operators are using Verona (or Venice) this year instead, but if you're organising the trip yourself it's worth finding out the implications. I know lots of people fly to Verona/Venice and hire a car anyway. We have only used TOs for the Dolomites, primarily for the convenience of transfers.

I don't know anything about the resorts which aren't on the SR (Kronplatz etc). But if you want big miles, I'd go for one of the 4 above.

In case you can't tell, I LOVE the Dolomites. It is ridiculously beautiful, the skiing is amazing, the on-mountain food is great, and you could go back again and again and discover something new.

Hopefully that helps!

Jammedchakra · 09/10/2024 19:43

@BuzzieLittleBee thank you so much, that’s fabulous. Sounds like my kinda place! I shall start the search for location and hotel, it’s for 2026 but we are a large group and I need to get ahead of the season.

It’s been on my list for so long, I must go.

BuzzieLittleBee · 09/10/2024 19:50

You must. But be warned... once you've been, you might not want to go anywhere else.
Why don't you go for a test visit in 2025? 🤣

massistar · 09/10/2024 20:16

@BuzzieLittleBee is right. I've skiied in France, Austria, Andorra and the Milky Way in Italy but there's no place like the Dolomites for me. Worth it for the food and coffee up the mountain alone. Alba di Canazei sits between 2 big lifts. One side takes you up to Ciampac and down to Pozza di Fassa. The other side takes you in direction of Arabba where you have so many options including over to Marmolada on the glacier. One of my favourite runs in the world!

BuzzieLittleBee · 09/10/2024 20:35

Sounds like I should put Canezei on the list for my next Dolomites trip!

I enjoyed the Marmolada run, but did take a big tumble at the bottom. I enjoyed the runs to get over there and back too. But La Longia (and the journey back to Selva) is my favourite. Closely followed by the black.run from the top of the Danteciepes lift. That one is my "again, again!" run.

massistar · 10/10/2024 07:28

I've never been to the Val Gardena side. One for the future!

MontyDonsBlueScarf · 10/10/2024 08:00

The area is lovely but be warned, a lot of the Sella Ronda connections are relatively low. As global warming takes hold it's affecting how late in the season you can expect to be able to do the full circuit. I went in early March last year and it wasn't possible. There was still good snow at altitude but you had to choose an area for the day and stick to it.

If you're considering hotels, be aware that some now offer free ski guiding which is worth its weight in gold when conditions are less than perfect.

Jammedchakra · 10/10/2024 15:25

Yes this is Def a Half Term trip location in my view. Possibly why we’ve not been before as favour Easter with small kids.

TheFirie · 11/10/2024 18:44

Agree 100% with the others.
Once you have skied in the Dolomites, nothing will come ever close, not even Canada. It is incredible. We tend to stay in Selva (also called Wolkenstein in German as it is in a German speaking part of Italy) .

Selva is higher than Ortisei. You will have more snow in the village itself.

Jammedchakra · 12/10/2024 09:04

TheFirie · 11/10/2024 18:44

Agree 100% with the others.
Once you have skied in the Dolomites, nothing will come ever close, not even Canada. It is incredible. We tend to stay in Selva (also called Wolkenstein in German as it is in a German speaking part of Italy) .

Selva is higher than Ortisei. You will have more snow in the village itself.

Now better than Canada is a big review, Whistler is my favourite ski resort in the world* 😁😁

*disclaimer, I’ve never skied Japan and desperate to go!

MontyDonsBlueScarf · 12/10/2024 10:25

I think Whistler is the perfect resort for a group of skiers who all want different things. It's designed so that people of different abilities can ski the same areas and use the same lifts while choosing appropriate pistes. The instruction is excellent, particularly for children. What it's missing is that special 'this is a real place', 'let's go on a journey to a different resort' feeling that you can get in Europe. Depends what you want really.

Apolitia · 12/10/2024 10:28

Colletts is a smallish company that does catered chalets in the dolomites.

My very favourite ski location ever.

Apolitia · 12/10/2024 10:30

Oh! Looks like collets only does hotels now. Shame.

Jammedchakra · 12/10/2024 13:50

MontyDonsBlueScarf · 12/10/2024 10:25

I think Whistler is the perfect resort for a group of skiers who all want different things. It's designed so that people of different abilities can ski the same areas and use the same lifts while choosing appropriate pistes. The instruction is excellent, particularly for children. What it's missing is that special 'this is a real place', 'let's go on a journey to a different resort' feeling that you can get in Europe. Depends what you want really.

Funnily enough my favourite thing about whistler is you don’t need to ski on pistes, but it’s not back country.

NutellaEllaElla · 12/10/2024 14:24

the Dolomites is hard to beat that’s for sure. I loved Whistler too, but the on mountain food is dire over there.

ladymalfoy45 · 12/10/2024 14:35

Ski in Winter the Via Ferrata in the summer. Love it.

Skisearcher · 19/01/2025 14:12

Hi everyone

Sorry for the later post on this forum, we are looking at the dolomites for new year and I just wanted to see if I could get some advice from someone please. (Never been the dolomites only Morzine/avoriaz)

We are a family of 4, 2 children 9 and 6 years.

Currently looking at Ortisei or Santa crist in val gardens (think I have spelt it right!) we can’t decide which will be better for New Year’s Eve, hoping to at least catch some fireworks or some celebration for the children.

we also have found that it’s really difficult finding available chalets on booking.com it’s more hotel options is that common for the dolomites?

Thanks for reading

massistar · 19/01/2025 16:24

Hi @Skisearcher . I've not been to those particular places but there are very few chalet options in Italy like you find in France. Tends to be more small, family run hotels.

BuzzieLittleBee · 19/01/2025 23:19

We stayed in a chalet in Selva (in the Val Gardena area). We booked it through Inghams. It was a big one though- maybe 26 people.
Friends stayed in a catered chalet in Selva this Christmas- just outside town. I can get the details if you want?

But in the main, the Dolomites is SC or hotels.
Orteisei is a nice village. From a skiing perspective, I'd stay in Selva, for easier access to more runs, but it depends if that's important to you.

Skisearcher · 20/01/2025 16:58

That would be amazing if you could recommend a chalet contact please!!

Skisearcher · 28/02/2025 20:36

Hi All

so really stuck between selva val Gardena and Ortisei for our new year trip.

where would have more things happening? Some live music? Possibly a nice ski show for New Year’s Eve like some resorts do?

I note that selva is the most accessible for access to all areas.

is or true that ski buses are free and run regular between the resorts in val Gardena?

Thanks in advance ☺️

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