Alpine Style - Dolomites

7/31/2019 Alpine Style - Dolomites

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ALPINE

STYLE

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ALPINE

STYLE

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DESTINATIONS/THE DOLOMITES

IT ALL STARTED WITH a casual query

about the possibility of an eight-day ski

safari in Italys Dolomites Mountains. The

reply was everything I wanted to hear and

more: Phil, those Feb dates should be

fine. I just need to confirm the on-

mountain accommodations. Well cover

12 ski areas, 148 ski lifts, 330km of runs

and56,000mofverticaloverthree

provinces. Well average 30-50km a day,

even with a leisurely lunch. Therell be five

short road links between some valleys,

otherwise its all on skis.

Word got around and soon our group of

three had grown to five Australians and

two Canadians allofwhom hadskied together previously.

So February rolled around and had us

landing in Venice and travelling up to the

Fassa Valley in the mighty Dolomites

mountains of Northern Italy, not far from

the borders of Austria and Slovenia.

We spent a few days warming up around

the Fassa region with our tour leader and

chief organiser, Mario Longhitano of

Dolomites Ski Tours. Some warm-up! We

were clocking up 30 to 70 kilometres a day

in noted resorts such as Val Gardena,

Corvara, Arabba and the Marmolada,

scorching down cold, wide pistes and

enjoying gourmet lunches and local red

wines. It had been pretty special close to

base, but we were now ready to venture far

from home.

For the next eight days and seven nights

we passed through much of what the

Dolomites has to offer. Resort names

typically dont matter until youre there,

but for those who like to keep tabs it went

like this.

Day 1: Campitello, Val Gardena, Alpi di

Siusi, Carezza

Day 2: Carezza, Lusia

Day 3: San Pellegrino (yes, big)

Day 4: Falcade, Alleghe, Pescul

Day 5: Civetta, Zoldo

Day 6: Cinque Torre, Lagazuoi

Day 7: Tofane-Cortina (yep, famous)

Day 8: Alta Badia, Corvara, Arabba,

Belvedere and back to Campitello

Each day we took it all in: toweringmonuments

of dolomite rock cradled insnowy bases, a web

of liftcablescriss-crossing the horizon, spacious and

sunnyvalleys, secluded mountain passes and dark

gorges hiding blue ice-falls.We enjoyed a 12-kilometre

glacier run, skiedalongramblingplateaus, through silent

forests, past idyllic villages with smokingchimneys ,

cobblestone streets, busy towns with tiny cars...

We saw and skied it all.

words & pictures: PHIL DOYLE

On safariHeres a tour with some fine

ingredients, including long runs,

long lunches and long memories.

The big picture Mario Longhitano in his

home ground. PICTURE: GLENN MATTHEWS

I ALL SARED WIH a casual query

about the possibility o an eight-day ski

saari in Italys Dolomites Mountains.

Te reply was everything I wanted to hear

and more: Phil, those Feb dates should

be OK. I just need to conrm the on-

mountain accommodations. Well cover 12

ski areas, 148 ski lits, 330km o runs and

56,000m o vertical over three provinces.

Well average 30-50km a day, even with a

leisurely lunch. Terell be ve short road

links between some valleys, otherwise its all

on skis.

More than impressed, I plucked the

Dolomites Ski ours brochure rom the

pile beside me. It stated Ski up to 450 ski

lits, 45 ski resorts and 12 valleyson one

ski pass. Tis meant our ambitious saari

would barely put a dent in the regions

possibilities!

Word got around and soon our group o

three had grown to ve Australians and two

Canadians all o whom had skied together

previously. So February rolled around and

had us landing in Venice and travelling u p

to the Fassa Valley in the mighty Dolomites

Mountains o Northern Italy, not ar rom the

borders o Austria and Slovenia.

Based in the village o Campitello, we spent

a ew days warming up around the Fassa

region with our tour leader Mario Longhitano

o Dolomites Ski ours. Some warm-up! We

were clocking up 3070km a day in noted

resorts such as Val Gardena, Corvara, Arabba

and Te Marmolada glacier, scorching down

cold, wide pistes and savouring gourmet

lunches and local red wines. It had been

pretty special close to base camp, but we were

now ready to venture ar rom home. For the

next eight days and seven nights we passed

through much o what the Dolomites has

to oer. Resort names typically dont matter

until youre there, but or those who like to

keep tabs it went like this:

Each day we took it all in: towering

monuments o dolomite rock cradled in snowy

bases, a web o lit cables criss-crossing the

horizon, spacious and sunny valleys, secluded

mountain passes and dark gorges hiding blue

ice-alls. We enjoyed a 12-kilometre glacier

run, skied along rambling plateaus, through

silent orests, idyllic villages with smoking

chimneys, cobblestone streets, busy towns

with tiny cars...


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We saw and skied it all! The temperatures

were exceptionally cold, so the snow and

the worlds largest snowmaking system

provided near-perfect pistes throughout.

But then pistes doesnt seem an adequate

word to describe the groomed runs in the

Dolomites. Highways might be more apt;

they are so wide and extensive, in manyplaces its not hard to imagine you have

the mountain to yourself.

Runs frequently go for five, seven, 10, 12

or even 14 kilometres! Even the

chronologically-challenged like us (50+,

but then 50 is the new 30 when you get

there) were regularly clocking speeds of 80

to 100 kp/h. Choose the right time and

place and this is one location on the planet

you can thrill to such speeds in relative

safety, on groomed carpets.

Forget black-diamond faces and scary

chutes; go elsewhere for that. There are

steep runs, but generally the Dolomites

offers everything for anyone beneath thehardcore expert category. The clincher

for accomplished skiers is the speed, long

runs and the scope to travel as far as the eye

can see. Every day or two we moved on to

different andbeautifullyappointed mountain

rifugios and hotels, most of which were

family-made masterpieces of local wood

ALPINE

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On safari

Right: A 15th Century horse stable makes for

an atmospheric restaurant at Vigo ski area.

Centre right: The Hotel Montanara is famous

for its home-made Pumpkin Gnocchi. A

Dolomites Ski Tours hot spot!

Bottom right: Wicked desserts at the classy

Post Hotel in Corvara.

Below: Near the end of a 14km run off the

Marmolada Glacier is spectacular Sottoguda

Gorge with steep cliffs and mesmerising

icefalls.

ALPINE

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Right: A 15th Century horse stable makes foran atmospheric restaurant at Vigo ski area.

Centre right: The Hotel Montanara is famousfor its home-made Pumpkin Gnocchi. ADolomites Ski Tours hot spot!

Bottom right: Wicked desserts at the classyPost Hotel in Corvara.

Below: Near the end of a 14km run off the

Marmolada Glacier is spectacular SottogudaGorge, with steep cliffs and mesmerisingicefalls.


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ALPINE

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and stone. Sometimes we were isolated up

a snowy forest road overlooking distant

valleys and peaks, sometimes we finished

our day in impossible locations atop

picturesque mountain passes.

We lived out of suitcases like rock stars, and

loved it. Each time we had to move

accommodation base, one of Marios guides

would come along with a vehicle and

transport our bags to the next destination.

The safari was exceptional value when you

weigh up lift tickets, cosy and comfortable

accommodations, breakfast and dinner

daily, all transport, and our personal guide

who knows the area backwards.

Id go back just for the mountain lunches

just try and say no to homemade fettucini

with local porcini mushrooms and wild

game ragu, and all of this accompanied by

adelectable pinot noir grown in the valley in

which you are skiing...for $15 to $20.

Dolomites Ski Tours tailors regular weeks

and ski safaris to suit each group. Youre not

obliged to do our taxing eight days and youdont have to ski quickly; Mario will

structure weeks and safaris to suit the age,

ability or inclination of your group. You

can even join a group as a sole traveller.

Whatever you do, therell be plenty of time

to max out the fun meter in the

Dolomites. ASwww.dolomitesskitours.com.au

Top: Another lunch stop, another compelling

view - near San Pelligrino ski area.

Left:PeacefulLusiaskiarea,whereold dairy

hutshavebeen convertedto privatedwellings.

Below: Sweet temptations in Venice.

the area backwards. Te other great

memory is o our daily lunches; somehow

the Dolomites elevates sandwich-scofng

Tredbo tragics to discerning, menu-

savvy ood critics. Just try and say no

to the Homemade ettucini with local

porcini mushrooms and wild game ragu

accompanied by a delectable pinot noir

grown in the valley in which you are

skiingor $15-20!

Te Saari was exceptional value when

you weigh up lit tickets, cosy and

comortable accommodation, breakastand dinner daily, all transport, and our

personal hot-skiing guide who knows

.

.

.

.

.

... .

.

.

.

. . . .

Top: Another lunch stop, another compelling

view - near San Pelligrino ski area.

Left:PeacefulLusiaskiarea,whereold dairy

hutshavebeen convertedto privatedwellings.

Below: Sweet temptations in Venice.

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Alpine Style - Dolomites