Freeskier - Queen of the Dolomites – A Skier’s Journey Through the Italian Dolomites
Most European ski fantasies are associated with France, Austria and Switzerland. But don't let Italy's la dolce vita image fool you. Here in the Dolomites, tucked up in the northeast corner of the country, jagged peaks are lined with cable cars that enable snow-sliding adventures of all kinds. Whether you're in the mood to sip on spritzes and lounge on vast sun decks or get high up into the alpine and test your mettle amongst jagged peaks, the Italian Alps are ready to provide.
Dolomiti Superski, a network of 12 inter-connected ski resorts with close to 800 miles of slopes (read: trails), is one of the largest ski areas in the world. It also happens to be dotted with a vast network of refuges: traditional, family-run mountain huts that offer cozy rooms and home cooked meals for summer and winter travelers. They feel like five-star chalets when compared to the barebones huts typically found in the US and they enable a unique adventure for skiers. Known as a Ski Safari, it's a little like a hut trip on steroids. The trip involves a ski traverse from village to village using a mix of on and off-piste runs, ski lifts and short vehicle transfers to get from one refuge to the next. Many outfitters even transfer your bags, enabling you to ski with just as mall day pack.
Last winter, I hooked up with local outfitter Dolomite Mountains to experience a five-day alpine safari that focused on three regions: Cortina d'Ampezzo, Alta Badia and Arabba. Michele Barbiero, a UIAGM/IFMGA professional mountain guide, greeted me on my first morning in Cortina d'Ampezzo, a quintessential ski village that sits about three hours north of Venice and is gearing up to host its second Winter Olympic Games in 2026. In true Italian style, we jolted our day with some espresso as he waxed poetic about the UNESCO World Heritage scenery we'd take in the next few days. A devoted mountaineer, he's guided new routes in the Himalayas and Turkey and made the first Italian crossing of Alaska's Denali from north to south. I knew I was in good hands.
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