In the final stage of his trip to the Dolomites, Philip Cottam reaches the Val Gardena and the Sella Ronda, where the ‘wrong’ Alps make their final, and most persuasive, case…
Somehow, I survived our descent of the Saslong World Cup downhill slope into St Christina, to complete the Sella Ronda, the nearly thirty-kilometre ski circumnavigation of the Sella massif. All that remained, so I thought, was a few minutes bus ride back to our hotel in the charming village of Ortisei/St Ulrich and a much-needed hot bath. But then our guide suggested it would be fun to take the various lifts up to the summit of the Seceda (2500 metres) and do the 10 kilometre La Longia, the longest run in the Val Gardena, back to Ortisei instead.
In a momentary fit of testosterone- fuelled madness three of our party of five agreed. It was only on the long and exposed summit chairlift that common sense started to return but by then it was too late, we were committed. The run was fabulous but my skiing was definitely defensive rather than carefree. I was not alone in this, but we all made it safely down, and ended what was a truly special mountain day in high spirits. Spirits that were then somewhat dashed when it appeared that we still had a long walk back down to the village.
Descending La Longia (photo courtesy of ValGardena)
But then there was something close to a miracle. After a few yards walk we came across a network of escalators and travelators that took us effortlessly to the centre of the village in a few short minutes. Morale rocketed again on coming across this amazing transport scheme that was cleaner and smarter than the London underground. As for La Longia, I skied it four times the next morning with the energy and carefree spirit that I had previously lacked descending it as the unexpected last run of a long day.
The charming village of Ortisei/St Ulrich where we were based lies at the western end of the Val Gardena, a short 45-minute drive from the airport at Bolzano compared the two hours it can often take from Innsbruck. A few minutes drive up the valley to the east lie the easily accessible villages of St Christina (site of the Val Gardena World Cup downhill) and Selva (one of the starting points for the Sella Ronda). The setting is truly wonderful. The east end of valley is overlooked by the brooding mass of the Sella; to the south lies the cathedral-like structure of the Sassolungo; to the north the spiky ridge of the Geislerspitzen dominates the skyline. The skiing certainly lives up to the majesty of the setting with something for everyone regardless of age or experience.
Ortisei is certainly a good place to be based and not least for families given the presence of the superb family hotel, the Cavallino Bianco. For those not travelling with young children there is the equally excellent Adler Dolomiti. The village is also full of charming shops, cafes and restaurants, all within easy walking distance. As for the skiing, the Alpe di Siusi cable car takes you up to 2000 metres and a huge area full of wide blue and red runs. It became my favourite place to warm up my ski legs at the start of each of my trips.
For many Alpe di Suisi would provide enough entertainment for a week of skiing as there are almost 20 different lifts as well as a multiplicity of places for a hot chocolate or a lunch. I particularly enjoyed the Rauchhutte for its traditional charm and wonderful views which I discovered on my first visit. The combination of the village of Ortisei and the skiing at the Alpe di Suisi certainly make it an excellent choice for a family ski holiday. And, as everywhere in the Val Gardena, there are wonderful views in every direction.
The legendary slope of the Gardenissima (photo courtesy of ValGardena.com)
For those wanting to stretch their wings the Furnes cable car on the north side of the village leads directly to the summit of the Seceda (2500 metres) and its huge wide-open slopes at the bottom of which lies the village of St Christina. Seceda is not only the starting point for the La Longia run back to Ortisei but also of the Gardenissima which descends towards St Christina for 6 kilometres and is the site of one of the longest giant slaloms anywhere. As for places to take a break there are not as many on Seceda as there are back on Alpe di Suisi. However, I would heartily recommend the Hutte Seceda Curona which is found near top of the La Longia run. It is not very big and easy to ski past but the food is really good and because of its location it never seemed to become overcrowded.
For those who like tick lists there is the challenge of the Val Gardena 8 – the best runs in the valley, of which three are black runs and five are reds. I only discovered there was such a list by accident when our guide commented at the conclusion of our descent of the La Longia to Ortisei that, as well as completing the Sella Ronda, we had also done two of the Val Gardena 8. The list includes the steepest run in the valley, the longest run in the valley, the current downhill World Cup slope, the longest giant slalom course in the valley and a new run from Alpe di Suisi back down to the village.
La Longia on the outer edge of Seceda
The Val Gardena also provides easy access to the Sella Ronda, one of the best ski routes in the Alps. It is a nearly thirty-kilometre circumnavigation of the Sella massif crossing four cols, passing by five villages and can be done in either direction. That said, you do not have to be an expert to do the Ronda as the majority of the runs are reds and blues with a number of more demanding moments. A fit intermediate skier will have a really enjoyable time.
Depending on the experience and fitness of the party it is also possible to include skiing on the Marmolada and the Val Gardena World Cup downhill slope. The ride to the top of the Marmolada (3265m) is almost exciting enough on its own – the views are truly spectacular. However, the real reward is the 12-kilometre descent of 1800 metres on the La Bellunesi piste, a demanding red, before rejoining the Sella Ronda proper. As for the World Cup downhill slope each time I did the Ronda we used it for our final run of the circumnavigation.
The summit of La Marmolada (photo courtesy of ValGardena.com)
It certainly provides a fitting end to a wonderful ski route. Doing it with a tired body makes it more of a challenge than it would normally be, even more so if one has indulged in hearty lunch. Our guides took us to the Rifugio Salei underneath the Sassolungo/Langkofel. We were not disappointed. My only other advice about skiing the Ronda is that it is more fun with a small group and that using a guide is a big help. On both the occasions I skied the Ronda it allowed us to focus on the skiing and the wonderful views without having to worry about navigating the lift system, especially when there were frequently more than one or two lifts to choose from.
I have never returned home disappointed from skiing in the Dolomites. Even if the weather has not always been perfect the snow has been good, the range of skiing on offer more than enough to keep one entertained and the atmosphere always friendly and welcoming. They may be further away than some other areas but the opening up of flights to Bolzano makes the journey both more manageable and more fun.
Philip flew with Sky Alps to Bolzano. For more information, please visit www.skyalps.com.
For more information about skiiing in the Dolomites, and to start planning your trip, please visit www.dolomitisuperski.com. Full details of the Val Gardena slopes can be found at www.valgardena.com.
For more information about the Cavallino Bianco and Adler hotels, visit www.cavallino-bianco.com and www.adler-dolomiti.com.
Header photo courtesy of Cavallino Bianco
