Italy's Top Ten Ski Runs

From the Dolomites to Sestriere, Skiing Italy's Best Resorts

Dec 26, 2009
James Sajo

The Tre-3 run at Madonna di Campiglio - Jim Sajo

Life in Italy is not just about great food, fast cars, and gorgeous citizens. The skiing is world-class, too.

Sunny days, terrific dining on the slopes, and head-spinning apres-ski customs (don’t believe that? try a Bombardino – but make sure it is apres-ski!) all make skiing on the peninsula a trip worth taking. This article is a compendium of Italy’s most challenging skiing, divided into three separate geographic areas. Each description starts with the name of the run, followed by the name of the resort, then a short review of the specifics of the slope.

Dolomite Range Offers World Class SlopesThe Dolomite mountains is home to these stunning runs

(Gran Risa at La Villa) The shortest but most technical run in this article. At just over one mile long with a vertical drop of 1,470 feet, it is far from harmless. What makes Gran Risa special is the steep 53% grade, without relief, until the bottom. The run features continuous sharp, sweeping turns through trees.
(La Bellunese at Marmolada) A 7.5 mile-long monster, La Bellunese starts with a precipitous plunge that seems to last forever. After passing a small lake, the trail levels out for the final 2 miles into the village of Malga Ciapela. This is an intermediate run because it is wide from top to bottom. But the top is very steep, and at 10,965 feet, the weather can redefine foul. The vertical drop on this baby is nearly 6,000 feet!
(Olimpia Delle Tofana at Cortina d’Ampezzo) The vertical drop is 2,375 feet and the length is just short of two miles. The northwest facing slope dives, takes deep turns, and negotiates the "Big S" – a roaming double turn on the steepest section of the run. This is where athletes competed during the 1956 Winter Olympics.
(Panorama at Civetta) A long run with breathtaking views of Alleghe Lake. The vertical descent covers 3,270 feet over a distance of more than 3 miles. The trail is wide at the top, and meanders down the side of the mountain. A short steep stretch marks the tree line, where the path narrows to about 20 feet and begins a series of medium turns until the finish.
(Saslong at Val Gardena) A terrific, 2.3-mile run that can be included on the famous Sella Ronda ski circuit. A postcard-like route through trees, Saslong starts at 7,380 feet and offers a 2,750-foot drop in elevation. The piste is wide from start to finish, and due to its eastern-facing orientation, is best tried in the morning. The bottom is in the town of Selva, a great place for lunch.
(Sylvester at Kronplatz/Plan de Corones) At an altitude of 7,464 feet, this 3.1 mile-long beast starts with an abrupt drop and the slope angled to the left. As it continues down, the piste narrows to about 15 feet, and scoots along the side of the mountain for a short stretch. Then the fun begins, starting with a sweeping, steep turn to the right. From here, Sylvester comes alive, thrashing down the hill with one dizzying turn after another. The final 300 yards flatten out again as you reach the base. The vertical descent is more than 4,700 ear-popping feet.
(Trametsch at Plose) A long (almost 4.5 miles with a drop of 3,775 feet), narrow run that turns relentlessly from top to bottom. All the turns are tight and steep, testing strength and endurance like few other slopes. Accurate adjectives include undulating, merciless, and exhilarating.

Olympic Skiing at Sestriere

(Fraiteve at San Sicario) America’s best female skier – Lindsey Vonn – had her Olympic dreams shattered in 2006 when she crashed during practice here. Negotiating the 2,543-foot drop over a 2-mile distance is electrifying. It starts above the tree line, offering a magnificent view to the northwest. The course is unforgivingly steep with a constant barrage of huge curves.
(Kandahar Borgata at Sestriere) American bad boy skier Bode Miller stunk it up here during the 2006 Olympics. He is one of the best skiers in the world, but failed to finish three of five events. Slightly more than two miles long with a vertical drop of 3,000 feet, Kandahar features long, steep, wide turns and near sheer straight stretches. The end portion of the run, called the "Diagonal" inclines sharply to the right. How cool will it be to ski on the same slope as Olympians? As with Bode Miller, it depends on whether you finish.

Madonna di Campiglio is Italy’s Top Ski Resort

(Tre-3at Madonna di Campiglio) Perhaps the most beautiful ski run in Italy, the Tre-3 starts well above the tree line on a narrow trail that slides along the rim of a tree-filled bowl. To the east is the town of Madonna di Campiglio and the mountains on the other side. Reaching the tree line, the path widens and drops sharply before entering a series of long turns to the bottom. The vertical descent is 1,853 feet over a 2.5-mile track. The finish is at the Cinque Laghi (Five Lakes) gondola right in the center of town, where an exhausted skier can find that head spinning Bombardino.

Why wait? Snap ‘em on and point ‘em down. The reward is finishing these monsters in one piece.