Trip Report
Report from January 25-31
A word of warning: I am going to be running out of superlatives—but what else can you expect when writing about Dolomiti Superski—it’s literally in the name. When asked to spend a week in the Italian Dolomites, there was no way I would say anything but, “Sì. Ja. Yes, please!”
While Les 3 Vallées in France claims the title of the world’s largest ski area, Dolomiti Superski is actually larger. However, technically not all of Dolomiti Superski is fully interconnected, which is why the title commonly goes to France. That does not take away from the sheer scale of this ski area. With roughly 1,200 kilometers of slopes served by nearly 500 lifts, Dolomiti Superski is about twice the size of its French rival. While the French connect three valleys, the Italians have linked a staggering twelve.
That complexity is probably why Dolomiti Superski is often viewed not as a single ski area, but as a vast lift consortium. Lift infrastructure is owned by local cooperatives and farmers, and ski passes for individual resort areas—like Cortina or Val di Fassa—can be purchased separately. (In fact, you can still buy points cards like back in the 80s although nowadays no one uses a holepunch anymore to mark the points, that is all done digitally.) Not all ski areas connect directly to one another, but via the Sella Ronda—the heart of Dolomiti Superski—you can access a huge portion of the network—certainly enough to keep you entertained for a week without skiing the same run twice.
Trying to explain the ski area (or find your way around it) can be complicated. The best comparison I can come up with is the London Underground, with the Sella Ronda acting as the Circle Line. Let’s just say I was glad we had guides—because if you haven’t been here before, you’d probably be consulting your map a lot. If you are looking for guides, I can recommend Dolomite Mountain Guiding.
The Sella Ronda itself is a 23-kilometer ski circuit around the Sella massif. You can ski it clockwise or counterclockwise, which means you can travel between Gröden/Val Gardena and Val di Fassa without completing the full loop. The views of the Sella massif are spectacular and change so dramatically from each side that it can feel like an entirely different mountain range. In fact, skiing the Sella Ronda takes you through multiple Italian regions—from South Tyrol/Alto Adige to Trentino to Veneto—each bringing its own culture, language, and cuisine, further enriching the experience.
While the Sella Ronda is a highlight for many, there is so much incredible terrain beyond it that I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. Trip highlights certainly included skiing the famous Saslong run in Gröden/Val Gardena—home to the men’s World Cup downhill—but the crazy part is that it’s not even the steepest run in the area. That title belongs to Piculin at Kronplatz, which features a maximum gradient of 72% and annually hosts the women’s World Cup. We also had the honor of skiing Alta Badia’s legendary Gran Risa.
A week in Dolomiti Superski felt like moving from highlight to highlight. And it’s not just the terrain that impresses—the lift infrastructure is mind-boggling. Nearly 500 lifts, including modern gondolas and six- and eight-seater chairs, make getting around efficient and surprisingly luxurious. There always seem to be multiple ways to get from A to B, and none of them feel cumbersome.
Speaking of abundance, try choosing among the nearly 400 on-mountain restaurants and you’ll quickly be overwhelmed—in the best possible way. These huts are family-owned and proudly serve local cuisine, ranging from Ladin specialties like speck knödel and barley soup, to Austrian classics such as veal schnitzel and kaiserschmarrn, to Italian staples like cacio e pepe or lasagna. The quality is outstanding, the hospitality warm, and the prices refreshingly reasonable.
Wine lovers should make a stop at Ütia Bioch, where owner Markus Valentini hosts tastings in a climate-controlled underground cellar holding more than 1,700 wine labels—complete with bird sounds “so the wines feel at home.”
Off the slopes, the feast continues with multiple Michelin-starred restaurants and others chasing the coveted distinction, such as the restaurant in the Hotel Gran Baita. By the end of the week, I practically had to be rolled down the mountain. The food was incredible everywhere we went—this is Italy, after all.
But the reason you’re all here: the snow conditions. They were excellent. We were lucky to arrive on a snowfall day (less fun for the drive—fair warning: if you’re driving to the Dolomites, don’t attempt it in a rear-wheel-drive car with summer tires; I passed more than a few ill-equipped tourists sliding helplessly up the road). A midweek top-up added to the coverage, and with 97% of the ski area equipped with snowmaking, coverage was never an issue. Grooming was outstanding. Early risers should get out first thing for pristine corduroy before the crowds arrive.
If you want true first tracks, every Tuesday in January and February you can watch the sun rise from Dantercepies in Gröden/Val Gardena before dropping in for untouched runs—a definite bucket-list experience.
I have to admit, after a week in Dolomiti Superski, it feels like I’ve only scratched the surface. We spent three nights in Gröden/Val Gardena and three in Corvara in Alta Badia, and I’d be hard-pressed to choose a favorite. There are countless other villages, valleys, and mountain groups still waiting to be explored.
IKON Pass holders can ski seven days in Dolomiti Superski with full integration—no ticket office required. If you’re itching for more snow this season, head to the Dolomites. I promise—you won’t be disappointed.
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