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This ski safari is an adventurous 4 days plan.

This ski safari off-piste is a 4-day proposal and, compared to our “Freeride Ski Safari Dolomites“, it is a bit more in between freeride and ski touring: Every day we will use the skins for a relatively short ascent. This will give us access to some long and wilde off-piste runs in the Dolomites. The itinerary is circular, starting and ending at the San Pellegrino Pass. The places we will visit are amazing: Val di Fassa, Sella and Marmolada. As always, it’s just a suggestion that will be shaped on your request!

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SKI SAFARI OFF-PISTE VS FREERIDE SKI SAFARI

This proposal is based on the idea that a little bit of skinning can give the privilege of access to wild areas where skiers can find untracked snow and more adventure: this plan is between freeride and ski touring because even if skinning is required, the ascents are still short while the descents are long. For this purpose We will use the lifts and ski in the resort. The freeride ski safari is more resort based and the use of the skins is optional. For a third  idea of off-piste dolomites week please read here!

CUSTOM-BUILT PLAN

As usual, this is an example of a tour: depending on your requirements, we will provide you with a customized plan, where the duration as well as the daily program may differ from what is written below.

HIGHTLIGHTS

  • 2 nights mountain refugios and 1 night hotel during the tour.
  • Use of skins and lifts.
  • Wild ski safari off-piste.
  • A flexible plan, depending on the weather, snow condition and fit level.

ALL-INCLUSIVE

For the tours with Refugio’s overnight stay we suggest the chose the All-Inclusive: the price includes, in addition to the guide service, the accommodation during the tour, dinner and breakfast. The night before the tour and the last night are not included, in any case, we will help you find and book the best solution for you. Price details are here: “prices”.

EQUIPMENT AND LUGGAGE TRANSFER

In addition to the avalanche safety equipment (the rental of which is included in the price), you will need wide skis, skins and touring boots. We will help you with the rental if needed. You can choose to carry your equipment on a backpack (see what to bring) or choose the luggage transfer service (see the price list).

YOUR GUIDE

The ski safari off-piste is carried out by a mountain guide  UIAGM/IFMGA certified. This is the most valuable qualification for a guide in Italy and all over the world. Besides, Freedolomites guides most definitely sport the best knowledge and will guarantee your safety and your fun.

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Program

4 days ski safari off-piste

DAY 0: ARRIVAL IN THE DOLOMITES!

SAN PELLEGRINO PASS.

The San Pellegrino Pass is a mountain passage in the Dolomites between two valleys, you can get here by renting a car or by public transfer, from both sides. If you land in Verona or Milan airport, you’ll get here by passing the city of Trento and going up the Fiemme Valley. From Venice, it’s more convenient to go through the town of Agordo and reach San Pellegrino through the Biois Valley. San Pellegrino is a ski resort that belongs to the Dolomiti Superski, but it isn’t connected by ski lifts to the Fassa Valley and the main resort. We will make the connection ourselves!
Dinner and night at Hotel.

A lot of snow above San Pellegrino Pass during the ascent to Selle Pass.

DAY 1: BEGINNING OF OUR SKI SAFARI OFF-PISTE!

CROSSING OVER THE RIDGE TO FASSA VALLEY.

The San Pellegrino ski area has lifts on both sides of the pass, our main goal today is to cross the ridge from the south and descend the other side of the ridge. Before doing that, if the snow conditions are good, we will do a great detour to the Col Margherita cable car and tackle a freeride run with 0 approach. This run is a classic of San Pellegrino, it goes down the steepest side of the mountain, below the cable car. This will be a 650 meter descent, a great way to start the day.
After that we go to the sunny side and from the top of the chairlift we start our ascent to the Selle Pass. The climb takes less than 2 hours, the slope is gentle and the view is amazing! Once we reach the saddle, we can take a break, switch from touring to ski mode and start a long and wild descent. This plan has 2 options at this point: one is to ski in the resort and reach a refugio, the second is to put the skins again and reach another refugio: a cozy accommodation on an unbelievable beautiful place, far away from the groomed slopes. The choice will be made after a conversation with you during the planning process.
Dinner and night at Refugio.

The landscape of Vallaccia Valley, with Vallaccia Refugio in the middle of the picture.

DAY 2: A REMOTE OFF-PISTE DOLOMITES PLACE.

FROM CIAMPAC TO SELLA MASSIF.

If we spent the night before at the Ciampac Refugio, in the resort, we are already at the base of the Forcia Neigra, the saddle we have to climb. On the contrary, today’s ski safari starts with a nice off-piste descent and some resort skiing to get there. Today’s ascent is short: from the bottom of the lift we put on our skins and after 45 minutes of turns we reach this small panoramic fork. The descent from here requires good snow conditions and good technical skills: the first part can be exposed to avalanches and conditions must be carefully assessed, the second part is a forest ski that is great fun but requires sharp turns and good quads! Once out of the woods, this 1000 meter descent is not over yet: we follow a gravel road for a long time until we get back to the resort.
The skiers might deserve a lunch break now, and after that we still have to ski on-piste to reach the next Refugio. The Refugio is finally reached by a short car transfer, but if we are very fast and strong we can get there directly by skiing another off-piste run called Lasties Valley (here’s the description, chapter 2)from the top of the Pordoi cable car. Not bad for the second day of our ski safari off-piste!
Dinner and night at Refugio.
FORCIA NEIGRA FEATURES:
Ascent: 250 meters.
Descent: 1000 meters.
Inclination: max 40°.
LASTIES FEATURES:
Ascent: 0 meters.
Descent: 1100 meters.
Inclination: max 35°.

Skier is enjoying the snow from Selle pass, in San Pellegrino ski area.

DAY 3: THE OFF-PISTE SKI SAFARI GOES IN SELLA MASSIF.

THE MASTER PIECE OF OFF-PISTE IN THE DOLOMITES: SELLA MASSIF.

We’ve talked about freeriding in the Sella massif in almost all the pages of the freeride section: on this mountain there is a huge amount of runs and some of them are described in the intermediate and advanced pages. You can also read about the Sella Massif on day 4 of the “Freeride Ski Safari” and on day 6 of the “Off-Piste Week Hotel Based“. As you can read, the most famous itinerary is the Mezdi Valley, which can also be done without skins. Some other great itineraries are described on the linked pages, here we want to introduce another one: Culea Valley. This run is located in one of the most beautiful and wild areas of the massif: similar to Setus Valley in terms of the ascent, but a little easier in terms of the descent. As in Setus, the ascent is long but mostly flat, and the descent is through a narrow valley and then, after a traverse, through a second, wider valley. There are at least 2 harder detours possible here.
Dinner and night at hotel.
VAL CULEA FEATURES:
Ascent: 350 meters.
Descent: 1050 meters.
Inclination: max 40°.

A couloir in Sella Massif, full of snow: off-piste Dolomites.

DAY 4: LAST DAY OF OFF-PISTE SKI SAFARI.

ANOTHER MUST TO DO: MARMOLADA OFF-PISTE.

From the Pordoi Pass, where we spent the last night, we ski towards the Marmolada, which, like the Sella Massif, is another great off-piste area in the Dolomites. The top of the Marmolada is reached by a cable car with 3 stations, from here we can ski a number of different itineraries without ascents. Ideally, to close our circuit, we want to do one of the most demanding and long itineraries of the area: The Marmolada Saddle Traverse from North to South. This itinerary is described here and includes a long descent along the glacier and a technical ascent to the saddle. Once we reach the small fork, we start this amazing, sunny side, descent that requires a good timing when the sun has softened the snow. At the end of the descent we will ski on the same gravel road as on day 2. Once back at the lift, we will continue on the resort towards the Fassa Valley to reach Pozza di Fassa. From Pozza a bus or private transfer will take us back to the starting point. Alternatively, if the conditions aren’t good enough for the Marmolada saddle, we can skip the ascent and ski for a long time on the north side of the Marmolada, finishing at Villa Maria, as already described here, on day 4. From Villa Maria it’s the same route to Pozza di Fassa.

MARMOLADA SADDLE FEATURES:

Ascent: 400 meters.
Descent: 1950 meters.
Gradient: max 35°/40°.

Two skiers are carrying the skis on their back, while ascending the saddle Marmolada. Marmolada off-piste.

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Freeride ski safari dolomites is our solution for an unconventional holiday.

A ski safari in the Dolomites usually means exploring a vast area of the Dolomites, skiing from one valley to the next on groomed slopes, staying overnight in different refuges or mountain chalets along the way. Our idea is to combine this purpose with your freeride desires: we will move from one valley to another, skiing off-piste as much as possible. Compared to the “off-piste skiing dolomites week” you can expect a more groomed-ungroomed mix, as we have to cover a certain distance each day to discover the next “refugio”.

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FREERIDE SKI SAFARI VS OFF-PISTE WEEK

How do these two suggestions differ? Certainly the Dolomites Freeride Ski Safari is an innovative and fun trip: changing accommodation so often and staying in mountain refugios is fun and a perfect way to discover the region. On the other hand, during the freeride skisafari there is less flexibility and sometimes, when the snow conditions off-piste aren’t great, the only alternative is to stay on the groomed slopes. Conversely, the hotel week allows us to decide each day where better to go, but it lacks the hut adventure!

CUSTOM-BUILT PLAN

On this skisafari you will not change the accommodation every night, this is an example, do you rather prefer to change every night? Or do you might chose for less changes? We are ready to modify our plan depending on your request!

HIGHTLIGHTS

  • – 3 nights mountain refugios and chalets and 2 nights hotel.
  • – A mix of groomed-ungroomed skisafari.
  • – Exploring the most renowned and beautiful area of the central Dolomites.
  • – A flexible plan, depending on the weather, snow condition, and the level of the group we will adapt the plan almost every day.

ALL-INCLUSIVE

Accommodation during the tour is included in the price: nights plus breakfast and dinner. The night before the tour and the last night are not included, sometimes you don’t need those nights, sometimes you prefer to sleep near the airport. In any case, we will help you find and book the best solution for you. Price details are here: “prices”.

EQUIPMENT AND LUGGAGE TRANSFER

The guide will provide the avalanche transceiver kit, shovel and probe free of charge if needed. It’s strongly recommended to bring or rent wide skis (from 85mm to 100mm in the middle). You can choose to carry your equipment on a backpack (see what to bring) or choose the luggage transfer service (see the price list). It’s also possible to choose a compromise: for example, to book two luggage transfers along a one-week ski-safari.

YOUR GUIDE

The freeride ski safari is carried out by a mountain guide  UIAGM/IFMGA certified. This is the most valuable qualification for a guide in Italy and all over the world. Besides, Freedolomites guides most definitely sport the best knowledge and will guarantee your safety and your fun.

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Program

One week freeride ski safari dolomites

DAY 0: ARRIVAL IN THE DOLOMITES!

FIORENTINA VALLEY, SELVA DI CADORE.

Today you’ll reach the Dolomites: Venice airport is the closest one and from there it takes just 2 hours driving. Selva di Cadore is a pretty village: in the winter is very sunny and the view is magnificient,  from the town you will admire the Pelmo and Civetta peaks which are 2 of the ten highest peaks in the Dolomites. The Pelmo is also renowned as God’s throne, due to its shape, from the south side it actually seems a huge throne while the north side is a vertical and massive wall.
The town is one of the access to the Civetta ski area, if you get here early you can enjoy a couple of hours of ski before the start of our skisafari!
Dinner and night at ***Hotel in Selva di Cadore

Pelmo north face, the view from Selva di Cadore town.

DAY 1: FIRST DAY OF FREERIDE SKI SAFARI!

5 TORRI AND LAGAZUOI AREA.

Today we’ll start our tour with one of the most spectacular places in the Dolomites: above Cortina d’Ampezzo there is a very scenic area surrounded by walls and towers. Here we will spend the first day and the first night in a cozy “Refugio” at the foot of the 5 towers. Today we will have the opportunity to do some short off-piste runs: some of the itineraries from the 5 Towers are mostly in the forest, which is very convenient on a snowy day or when the wind is blowing. The Lagazuoi don’t have any forest around them, but they do have some steep couloirs; moreover, we are not far from the Tofana ski area, so if the conditions are good, we can decide to try one of the biggest runs there. You can find a description of some itineraries of the 5 Torri, Lagazuoi and Tofana on these pages: “intermediate freeride in the Dolomites” or “advanced freeride”. The Refugio is located in a very scenographic place, if you’re lucky enough to find the full moon you’ll be looking at the Tofana, maybe drinking a beer in the external hot-tube of the hut!
Dinner and night at Refugio.

The 5 towers above Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of the Dolomites freeride area

DAY 2: A LONG DAY OF THE DOLOMITES SKI SAFARI

FROM THE 5 TORRI TO MARMOLADA.

The ski safari will take us from the 5 Towers to Marmolada, the highest peak in the Dolomites and a true freeride paradise! However, the Marmolada day is tomorrow, today we ski all the way through the Val Badia and Val Fodom to reach it! First we have to take the famous Lagazuoi cable car to reach the top. From here there are at least 2 off-piste options: one is described here and it’s called Armentarola Nord, the second is an easy-medium freeride run that crosses a huge plateau, at the foot of great walls, before entering a wide gully. This run does not require an approach and is 500 meters downhill.
Once back on the groomed run, we reach the beginning of the Val Badia valley, which we have to cross, run after run, to reach the highest village of the valley, Corvara. From here we cross a pass called Campolongo and ski down in the Val Fodom to Arabba, another beautiful village. In this area the possibilities for freeriding are enormous, maybe we won’t have so much time to do the longest runs, but we will certainly enjoy some side country runs or short and interesting couloirs, for example the first part of Ornella or the “Antenna Couloir”, which are close to the lifts. Our main goal today is to reach the base of the Marmolada, where we will spend the next two nights in a nice hotel. From the top of the cable car called Porta Vescovo, a long and wild off-piste run is a cool way to reach Marmolada: a 500 m descent brings us to Passo Fedaia and from here a walk on the road brings us back to the groomed slopes and finally to the hotel.
Dinner and night at ***Hotel in Marmolada.

 

At the sunset during the off-piste dolomites ski safari, before descending to Marmolada.

DAY 3: BEST OF DOLOMITES FREERIDE.

MARMOLADA FREERIDE PARADISE.

Day 3 is dedicated to freeriding in Marmolada: the freeride runs are among the longest and best powder in the Dolomites and are well described on this page: “intermediate freeride” and on the fourth day of this page: “off-piste week”. In Marmolada the type of terrain is an open field and the gradient is constantly between 30° and 40°, with some exceptions, such as the run called Canyon, which surprises with its narrow gully that must be skied through to reach the lowest and most beautiful slope of this great itinerary. Today the plan is to tackle 2 runs: the first one will be an itinerary not far from the groomed run, for example the “bellunese vecchia” or “intra i sass”. These runs have the advantage of a quick return with almost no walking. For the second run, we take the cable car back and maybe we can make a short stop at the middle station to visit the WW1 Museum. This small and very interesting museum is located at an altitude of 3000 meters above the sea, in a place where the Italian and Austrian soldiers fought a crazy war, trying to survive against the enemy and an extreme nature.
The second run will take place on the left side of the glacier, for example the “canyon” or “Villetta Maria”. After one of these two itineraries the day will probably be almost over, maybe we still have time to ski along the Sottoguda Canyon, a spectacular passage through ice falls. A short description can be found here.
Dinner and night at ***Hotel in Marmolada.

A powder day in Marmolada during the dolomites ski safari.

DAY 4: MASTERPIECE OF THIS DOLOMITES SKI SAFARI.

FREERIDE SKISAFARI ACROSS THE SELLA MASSIF.

Today we’ll go to a different place, but the distance we have to cover is not as big as on day 2, so we’ll have a lot of time to freeride. Our goal is to reach the Pordoi cable car, which is the entrance to the freeride area of the Sella massif. Here the possibilities are huge: from intermediate runs with 0 access, like the Lasties Valley, to steep and advanced couloirs with 2 hours and 30 minutes of skinning access, like the “Rissa del Dain”. The most famous itinerary here, and one of the most famous in the Dolomites, is certainly the Mezdi Valley. Why is it so famous? Once you’ve tried it, you’ll understand: it requires an approach over the summit plateau, which is worth the trip in itself, it’s 1500 meters of descent, first through a rather steep couloir, then through a beautiful valley surrounded by high towers and pinnacles. At the end of this great run we deserve a nice lunch, maybe on a terrace of a hut looking at what we just did. After lunch we will ski on the resort to reach the Pordoi Pass and our place for the night.
Dinner and night at Refugio.

Val Lasties in Sella massif during a freeride descent.

DAY 5: THE SKISAFARI CONTINUES.

FREERIDE OR GROOMED SKI IN GARDENA VALLEY.

The plan for today is to reach a “Refugio” in a wonderful place, on the top of a mountain above Ortisei, in Val Gardena. Once again I remind you that this is an example of a plan that will be adapted to your needs: Val Gardena doesn’t offer so many freeride possibilities, but one of them is great: from yesterday’s place we have the chance to ski a magnificent itinerary called “Sassolungo Fork”, which is described here. The access requires a skin approach, so not everyone is willing to do that. But if so, the descent is definitely worth it, a never-ending descent in a very wild environment will be our reward after the 1 hour and 30 minutes ascent. The descent ends in the Alpe di Siusi, one of the most famous landscapes of the Dolomites. From here we ski down to Ortisei and up again for the last flat walk to reach our dream place.
Dinner and night at the Refugio.

The skier is enjoying the first track on powder, Sas Ciampac, Badia Valley.

DAY 6: LAST DAY OF SKI SAFARI DOLOMITES.

THE LONG WAY BACK TO THE STARTING POINT.

The plan for today is a long way across the Dolomites, from west to east, to return to our starting point: Selva di Cadore. We have to ski all the way back through the Val Gardena, crossing the Gardena Pass and skiing from one side of the Val Badia to the other. Once at the end of the Badia Valley we will take a short car transfer to reach the Falzarego Pass and from here we will ski to the Fedare lift station, where our Dolomites Freeride Ski Safari started 6 days ago. Obviously it’s an ambitious plan to ski so many kilometers in one day, and we may not have the time or energy to do any off-piste skiing today, but the groomed runs are great and it will be a very fun day! Alternatively, we can decide to end our trip before, for example at the Falzarego Pass, and return to the hotel by car transfer. If you have more time and want to ski another day, we can spend an extra night in the mountains and tackle a great run in Badia Valley which is called “Val di Litres”: the next day we will make our way back to Selva with no rush and, why not, add another freeride run!
Dinner and night at ***Hotel in Selva di Cadore

The landscape from the top of Lagazuoi peak, Dolomites.

Comments

Your voice

Echoo
We spent a week doing an off piste Dolimiti safari. What an amazing week and experience. Fabrizio was a wonderful guide very knowledgeable and engaging The skiing was incredible, the day on the Marmolada glacier will never be forgotten. Moving around and staying in different areas really worked well, a special mention to Sottoguda which was such a nice hotel and pretty village. As ever the Dolomites delivered. Thank you
Noel Tinker
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The off-piste skiing in the Dolomites week, hotel based.

This proposal is a week of skiing in the Dolomites, based in a very central town, moving every day in search for the best freeride runs in the central Dolomites. For this purpose, we describe here a typical week: you’ll stay in Arabba, which is located in a very central spot in the Dolomites, at the base of the Sella massif, and close to Marmolada freeride paradise. This will be an idea for your custom-built Dolomites freeride holiday!

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OFF-PISTE WEEK VS FREERIDE SKI SAFARI

What’s the difference between these two suggestions? The hotel week is flexible and lets us choose each day, depending on the snow conditions we will move searching for the best snow. The Dolomites Freeride Ski Safari is an innovative and fun trip: staying in mountain refugios is a perfect way to discover the region. Conversely the freeride skisafari has less flexibility, and when the snow is poor, the only option is the groomed slopes.

CUSTOM-BUILT PLAN

This page describes a typical off-piste Arabba week: we can modify the number of days and the location in the Dolomites. You can decide for example to spend a long weekend based in another central town of the Dolomites. The difficulty of the choosen itineraries will depends on your level. We are ready to work on a tailor-made plan for you!

WHERE

We suggest to stay in Arabba or Malga Ciapela/Sottoguda: Arabba is very central in the Dolomites and Malga Ciapela is at the base of Marmolada freeride paradise and just a couple of slopes from Arabba.

GUIDE SERVICE

For this type of activity, we suggest you choose the guide service instead of the all-inclusive formula. We will be happy to help you book the hotel (you can decide the number of stars you want) and all the logistics, which you will then pay for separately from the guide service: this is certainly more economical and convenient for you and helps us to always give you an accurate quotation of our service.

EQUIPMENT

The guide will provide the avalanche transceiver kit, shovel and probe free of charge if needed. It’s strongly recommended to bring or rent wide skis (from 85mm to 100mm in the center). Skins and touring boots aren’t necessary, but depending on snow conditions they can allow us to ski some great routes with a little touring access. It’s recommended to wear breathable fabrics and to dress in layers: see here “What to bring”.

YOUR MOUNTAIN GUIDE

The skiing Dolomites week is carried out by a mountain guide within UIAGM/IFMGA certified. Local mountain guides most definitely sport the best knowledge and will guarantee your safety and your fun.

WHEN

The Dolomiti Superski lifts are open from the beginning of December to the beginning of April. The best time for off-piste skiing is quite unpredictable and varies from season to season. Statistically speaking, February and March are the best months.

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Program

Off-piste skiing Dolomites week, day by day.

DAY 1: THE SKIING DOLOMITES WEEK STARTS!

OFF-PISTE ARABBA: FORFESC AND PIZZAC.

There are so many amazing freeride options in Arabba that one day is never enough to ride them all! Let’s start with some sidecountry skiing as a warm-up. Once you’re ready, we’ll take the main and highest cable car in Arabba, which is called Porta Vescovo. From the top, we’ll start a short but steep hike where crampons can be useful. After 120 meters of positive gain, we’re at the top of Forfesc, soaking in a breathtaking 360-degree panorama. From here, we’ll start skiing along the ridge until we get to the access point for the downhill. Just a heads-up, sometimes a snow cornice here needs to be crossed using the rope. The first part of the route has a pretty steep incline, but it eases off after a few hundred meters. The best part is that the whole route has a nice gradual slope. It’s definitely one of the best in the area!
Ascent: 120 meters.
Descent: 750 meters.
Gradient: max 45°.
If Forfesc is a little bit too much for you, no problem! We can instead tackle another great run called Pizzac, which is an off-piste Arabba descent starting from a little, panoramic peak above the intermediate station of Porta Vescovo. This sheltered run often offers a very good quality of snow, even when you don’t expect to find anywhere! The second half of the run is in the forest, where you’ll find some really fun off-piste skiing among the trees!
Ascent: 50 meters.
Descent: 600 meters.
Gradient: max 35°.
Another options among the variety of off-piste Arabba’s runs are described on this page and they are called Ornella and Burz.

One of the off-piste Arabba runs: the entrance of Pizzac run, Porta Vescovo, Arabba.

DAY 2: GREAT OFF-PISTE SKIING IN SASSOLUNGO DOLOMITES.

SASSOLUNGO FORK NORTH SIDE.

Today we’re off to the gorgeous Gardena Valley! We’ll be following the groomed slopes, passing over the Pordoi Pass and reaching the Sella Pass. Now it’s time to say goodbye to the groomed slopes and put on our skins! We’re so excited to be heading up to one of the most gorgeous spots in the Dolomites! We’ll be starting our ascent at the base of the incredible Sassolungo mountain, with the 5 Fingers and Grohmann peak to our left. The climb will take about an hour and a half, so once we reach the fork, we’ll take a quick break to drink some hot tea from our thermoses. Now it’s time for the fun part! We’re going to take off the skins and start off-piste skiing in this fascinating and shady place, surrounded by huge walls. The descent is never so challenging but very long: it’s a beautiful journey across the Sassolungo massif all the way to Santa Cristina, which is quite a distance from where we started. It’ll be a breeze coming back! We will use the lifts and enjoy the lovely groomed slopes all the way back to Arabba.
Ascent: 350 meters, skins required.
Descent: 1000 meters.
Gradient: max 30°-35°.

A ray of light is breaking through the shadow of the north side of Sassolungo, while we are off-piste skiing.

DAY 3: SKIING DOLOMITES WEEK, FROM ARABBA TO CORTINA D’AMPEZZO.

LAGAZUOI AND 5 TOWERS.

Arabba might not be close to Cortina d’Ampezzo, but it’s fully connected by lifts! So why not relax with a day mostly of groomed and a little bit of off-piste skiing, visiting one of the masterpieces of the Dolomites: the Lagazuoi and 5 Towers area. If you’d rather not waste your precious powder time, let’s take the car and spend all day between the Lagazuoi freeride couloirs and the 5 Towers trees runs! There are so many possibilities here! The runs have all kinds of features. The 5 Towers are perfect for a snowy or cloudy day when visibility isn’t great. We’ll ski among the trees, hopefully flooding the new powder during the snowfall! The Lagazuoi is right next to the 5 Towers, but the terrain is totally different. It’s a bit higher in elevation, and most of the access points require a long traverse where it’s really helpful to have good visibility to find the way. One really cool run is called the “Great Saddle”. It’s a steep valley that’s absolutely perfect for your first advanced experiences!

carring the skies during the Canale della Nonna approach, Lagazuoi, Cortina d'Ampezzo.

DAY 4: OFF-PISTE SKIING IN MARMOLADA FREERIDE PARADISE.

WELCOME TO MARMOLADA, THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THE DOLOMITES!

Here we have some of the longest and best powder skiing in the Dolomites. The nature of the slopes here is pretty unique in the Dolomites: the gradient is constantly between 30° and 40°, and we usually ski on a very open field. Just a quick note to say that the Marmolada is a glacier. It’s something to be aware of, as long as it lasts! Once you’re at the top of the cable car, you’ll find a single groomed run going to the right. The rest of this huge space is just for off-piste skiing, so get ready to explore! On the intermediate freeride page, we’ve described some itineraries. Here we talk about Villetta Maria, which is the longest run of Marmolada and probably of the entire Dolomites. We’ll start from the summit, do a quick safety check before leaving the groomed run, and then we’re off! We’ll be skiing for quite a while on the left side of the glacier, where the environment gets wild in the heart of the north face. Before we reach the ruins of a refugio (which was sadly destroyed by an avalanche in 2020), we’ll turn left and push a little bit to enter some really fun terrain below the Gran Vernel north face. After that, we’ll have to catch the right entrance of the white road, which, after many fun turns, will lead us down at the end, right near a restaurant called “Villetta Maria.”

Ascent: 0 meters.
Descent: 1800 meters.
Gradient: max 35°.

snowboarding off-piste skiing Dolomites: along the Marmolada glacier.

DAY 5: THE OFF-PISTE SKIING IN BADIA VALLEY.

TWO EXAMPLES OF A CUSTOMISED SKIING DOLOMITES WEEK!

Two off-piste runs in Badia Valley are described below. They are very different one each other: the first is easy (some other ideas here) the second is an advanced one, where ski mountaineering skills are required. Once more here we want to clarify that all our proposals are examples of tours which will be modify in order to create a tailor-made plan for you.
Prolagià is the top of a big hill in Badia Valley and can be reached from different towns. There are slopes on two sides of the hill, and the other two sides are wild. We take the lift to the top, then walk on a flat, wide ridge to start the route. The very first part is steep, but open. Later, we ski on gentle slopes among small trees. We can then decide to move towards the lifts or skiing all the way down till the road and take a taxi to move back to the lifts.
Ascent: 40 meters.
Descent: 550 meters.
Gradient: max 25°.

The Sassongher couloir is on the other side of the difficulty scale: it’s one of the most ahestetic skiing Dolomites lines, and it’s visible from many groomed slopes of Badia Valley. From a distance, it looks like that gully is too narrow and steep to ski. The run it’s actually a difficult descent but never extreme in terms of incline and large enough for us to turn all the way down. At the end, there is a short abseil. If you have the right mountaineering experience and a good technical level, it’s one of the best advanced off-piste skiing routes in the Dolomites!
Ascent: 550 meters.
Descent: 1000 meters.
Gradient: max 45°.

Two skiers are taken from the distance while they are looking the view of the Dolomites: Pralongià, Badia Valley, Dolomites.

DAY 6: THE LAST DAY OF THE FREERIDE SKIING DOLOMITES WEEK.

A OFF-PISTE SKIING DAY IN PORDOI.

The Sella massif counts a large number of off-piste skiing runs and some of them are described on the intermediate and advanced freeride pages. The Pordoi cable car is the gate to the summit plateau of the Sella massif, from here the access can be very quick with 0 approach or long, altought technically easy, up to 2 hours and half of skins. So we’ll decide on our goal based on the snow conditions and our group level and maybe we will also decide to spend here more than one day of our off-piste week. Here we want to describe one of the greatest itinerary of the whole Dolomites: climbing first the highest peak of the massif and off-piste skiing from the summit the “Fontane Valley”.
From the cable car station we first ski to the base of the Boè peak pyramid. From here we put on crampons and start the relatively short but tiring climb to the summit. After about an hour and a half, we’ll be there, enjoying the 360° view. The descent is the most direct line from the top of the peak and it goes down by the east and south face. It’s important here to choose the right time of the day for the descent, when the snow is warm enough to be not frozen. A steep, hidden couloir S-shaped leads to the nice and open slopes above Arabba. This is a spectacular descent!
Ascent: 350 meters.
Descent: 1350 meters.
Gradient: max 45°.

The view from the top of the Boè summit, Sella massif, before starting the descent of "Fontane valley".

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Advanced freeride mostly means skiing its iconic Dolomites couloirs.

Advanced freeride in the Dolomites means above all, skiing their famous couloirs: Cortina d’Ampezzo offers a wide variety of steep couloirs, as do the Sella massif, the Marmolada and many others.
In addition to the famous itineraries such as Val Mezdi or Val Lasties, the Sella Massif offers dozens of routes, some of them really extreme. The Tofana massif, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, and the Marmolada massif are two other paradises for steep off-piste skiing. If you are an advanced off-piste skier and want to try steep couloirs, rappels or snow cornices to overcome: Freewheeling’s guides will accompany you to discover the steep in safety.

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WHERE TO STAY

A good suggestion is to find accommodation in a very central place in the Dolomites: if you don’t mind a short drive, Selva di Cadore is equally distant from Cortina d’Ampezzo, Marmolada and Pordoi. If you prefer not to use the car, we can start our ski tour from Arabba in the direction of Sella and Marmolada.

CUSTOMISED PROGRAMME

For advanced freeride in the Dolomites we only guide small private groups (max. 3-4 people): the itineraries are chosen according to the lowest technical level of the group. When we talk about advanced freeride, it’s about a wide range of difficulties: from short and steep couloirs, where falling down wouldn’t be dangerous, to complex itineraries where the rope is required or where we have to deal with a no-fall zone. Depending on the snow conditions and your technical level, we will take you to the best places!

WHY FREEWHEELING DOLOMITES

In general, for any type of request, but even more for unconventional requests, we strongly believe that speaking directly with a guide will make your day special: most of the time it will be exactly what you were looking for. When you write to us, the first person to read your email is an IFMGA guide from our small group.

EQUIPMENT

The transceiver (A.R.T.V.A), probe and shovel are mandatory and will be provided by us (included in the price) if you don’t have your own. The helmet is also compulsory. In case we need harness and crampons, they will be provided by us. At this page you can read What to bring.

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Sella couloirs and Marmolada

HOLZER AND JOEL COULOIRS.

These 2 couloirs are classic steep couloirs with easy access from the Pordoi cable car: the Holzer has a north face, while the Joel has a south face. Both are very narrow and skiers have to slide sideways in some sections, while the gully is not wide enough to make a turn.
The Holzer doesn’t require any climbing, but after the first fairly wide section, the couloir gets much narrower. The skiers have to stop on a small flat spot and do a rappel. The rappel allows you to cross an icefall. In normal conditions, the length of the rappel is about 20 meters. In some seasons, the snow level inside the gully can get so high that the whole icy part is covered and abseiling is avoided: hard to believe!
To get to the start of the Joel couloir, skiers have a short but steep hike up to a saddle. It takes 10 to 25 minutes to get there. It depends on how deep the snow is. Anyway, the first footprints here would be the first tracks down the other side of the saddle! The gully is very steep, due to its exposure, it’s very important to tackle this route only when conditions are good. If we see that the snow at the entrance is too hard, we will surely decide to go back and ski something else!

 

HOLZER:
Approach from the lift station: 0 meters.
Descent: 1100 meters.
Gradient: max 50°.

 

JOEL:

Approach from lift station: 80 meters.
Descent: 650 meters.
Gradient: max 45°.

The beginning of Joel couloir: the skier is taken while he's doing a turn between shadow and light.

PIZ MIARA, VALON DE MEISULES AND VAL DE LITRES.

 

Piz Miara: This advanced off-piste itinerary is one of the greatest in the Dolomites and requires good mountaineering skills and safe snow conditions. The highlights are a long approach, a long descent (with lifts) and an endless couloir where the snow is often excellent. From the Pordoi lift station we have to ski all the way across the upper flat plateau of the Sella massif; this approach will take more than 2.5 hours, despite the short altitude gain. The descent starts from the big summit cross of the Miara peak, the first obstacle is often a cornice that we have to break or cross with the help of the rope. The gully is wide enough to make nice turns, but the obstacles aren’t over yet: we have a long rappel down a vertical rock face. After that the terrain is still steep and a hidden couloir is the only way to cross another vertical wall…

Val de Litres: Another great advanced freeride route! This time the approach is much shorter and doesn’t require the use of skins, but don’t underestimate the difficulty of this itinerary. It’s easy to get lost and the consequences can be really bad. Again there’s a rappel, but this time it’s a very narrow passage on the snow, much friendlier than Miara’s! These 2 runs can be some of the highlights of our freeride weeks: you can have a look at these 3 links:
Freeride ski safari dolomites.

Hotel based week.

4 days skisafari.

 

PIZ MIARA, VALON DE MEISULES.

Access from the lift station: 350 meters, 2h30.
Descent: 1050 meters.
Gradient: max 45°/50°.

 

VAL DE LITRES.

Access from the lift station: 60 meters, 20 min.
Descent: 1100 meters.
Gradient: max 40°/45°.

 

 

a skiers is freeriding on Piz Miara, sella assif. He just came across the upper gully, which is in the cloud.

MARMOLADA SADDLE.

This proposal combines two long descents, one on the north side of the Marmolada, through the glacier, and the second on the steep south side. For this, there’s a skin climb of about 1 hour and a tricky ascent that leads to the tiny Marmolada pass. But let’s take it in order! The itinerary starts with the long Marmolada cableway that leads to the top of the Marmolada. From there we’ll descend along the glacier, a long ride in very open terrain. After about 750 meters of pure fun, we find a passage over a rocky ridge to move on the extreme right side of the glacier. Now it’s time to switch to ascent mode. For about 1 hour and 30 minutes you will be in the cold shade of the high walls above the glacier. The last part to reach the fork is very steep and it is necessary to carry our skis on the backpack and to climb with crampons and an ice axe. This effort will be rewarded when we reach the end of the climb, looking down on the other side of the descent that awaits us! Finally, the sun warms our bodies, but before we start skiing, there’s an abseil that will lead us to the snow. The descent is epic: 1200 meters of freeride on a magnificent terrain: after the first steep section, the slope becomes more gentle, allowing skiers to relax and enjoy the view. At the end, a forest road will take us back to the bottom of the valley.

 

MARMOLADA TRAVERSE NORTH-SOUTH.
Ascent: 400 meters.
Descent: 1950 meters.
Gradient: max 35°/40°.

The last climb before reaching Marmolada pass. The skiers is carrying the skies on the rucksack and he's wearing crampons and ice-axe.
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Cortina d’Ampezzo couloirs

VALLON DE RAOLA.

Far away from the resort, this great run goes down a never ending couloir. The slope is never extremely steep and it is great fun! Due to the approach to the couloir, this itinerary belongs to the advanced freeride in the Dolomites section: to reach the entrance of the gully we have to ski a long traverse from the top of the last chair of the Tofana resort. This section must be taken seriously: the traverse is above huge cliffs and this is definitely a no-fall zone, even the snow stability must be carefully evaluated. At the end of the traverse, just at the pass where the north side gully starts, we find an ancient building, it’s mind blowing to think that during the WW1 people could live up here, even in winter, at almost 3000 meters, between vertical walls, covered by snow, in the cold, under meters of snow!
After a well-deserved break, we start our incredible off-piste run, which will end in a remote valley called Travenanzes. The return is a bit tiring, while we have to push ourselves along a cross-country circuit to finally reach the bus stop where the bus will take us back to Cortina d’Ampezzo.

 

Ascent: 0 meters.
Descent: 1500 meters.
Gradient: max 35°/40°.

On the approach to Raola advanced freeride run, Cortina d'Ampezzo, a WW1 ruins is passed over by the skiers.

BUS DE TOFANA.

With the cable car “Freccia nel Cielo” we reach the slopes in the shadow of the walls of Tofana di Mezzo. Here we climb with skins for about 45 minutes until we reach a large arch. The characteristic hole can be seen from afar. It is the entrance to this magnificent route.
This time the ascent is from the north side, while the descent is on the sunny side. Skiing in the sun often means choosing the right time to start, when the snow is not frozen but soft enough for a great ride. The slope is quite steep at the beginning. It passes close to the Rifugio Giussani and continues under the majestic mass of the Tofane Pillars. At this point the skiing becomes more relaxed and we can make some wide turns. We reach the Dibona refuge. After a good refreshment, we continue in the woods to rejoin the slopes. If you want to spend one week riding in the Dolomites, we usually visit Cortina and its runs during an hotel based week.

 

Ascent: 200 meters.
Descent: 1050 meters.
Gradient: max 40°.

The tricky passage to reach the arch, which is the beginning of Bus the Tofana run.

COULOIR OF THE COLUMN.

The name of this itinerary is due to the singular rock pillar which is located along the descent. This aesthetic line is visible from the bottom of the valley and the attraction for the freerider sight is almost overpowering! Surely this line cannot be skied at any time in the season but requires a good layer of snow at lower elevations, where we will have to ski among the bushes to find our way down to the town. The gradient is never extreme but at the end of the couloir, the itinerary turns left, above high cliffs, another no-fall zone! From the Tofana cable car we have to ski down the groomed and soon leave it for a short but steep climb, sometimes the crampons are useful.

Ascent: 100 meters.
Descent: 1100 meters.
Gradient: max 40°.

This skier is resting in the middle of the Column's couloir, one of the Cortina d'Ampezzo couloirs.

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Literally, just over the lift corner, the Dolomites are a freeride paradise ready to be skied!

Intermediate freeride in the Dolomites means to ride, for example, in Marmolada, Val Mezdi and many others in Sella massif: over 1000 vertical meters of pure powder snow (possibly and hopefully!), surely quiet and untouched corners of the Dolomites to ride over. Besides the renowned Mezdi Valley, you’ll be surprised at how many freeride possibilities the Dolomites can offer! To do an intermediate freeride itinerary, you need to be a good resort skier, not a great resort skier, but good enough to tackle black runs without suffering too much: skiing on fresh snow is generally harder than skiing on groomed slopes. So intermediate freeride for advanced resort skiers. Now that this is clear, try to focus on the beauty and the fun of these suggestions!

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WHERE TO STAY

The best freeride Dolomites’ places are the Marmolada and the Sella Massif, as you may know, all the ski areas are connected to each other, nevertheless it could be a good suggestion to find accommodation in a central town like Arabba, Corvara, Malga Ciapela or Selva di Val Gardena.

CUSTOMISED PROGRAMME

We run mostly private tours, so the more information we get from you about your experience and technical level, the easier it will be for us to start the day with a clear idea of what to do and where to go. However, on a freeride day, your guide will easily make an assessment on the first run.

EQUIPMENT

On the freeride dolomites’ day, wide skies are very useful. Ski touring equipment (skins, touring bindings and boots) is not necessary, but with a little skinning up we could access a variety of different itineraries. The transceiver (A.R.T.V.A) probe and shovel are mandatory and are provided by us (included in the price).

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some examples of intermediate freeride tours

THE QUEEN OF THE DOLOMITES: OFF-PISTE MARMOLADA.

The Marmolada is also known as the Queen of the Dolomites. The name comes from the fact that it is the highest peak in the range, at 3343 meters. However, there is no better term to describe the magnificence of the vast slopes that it offers to every freeride skiers, expecially intermediate. Here we can give free rein to our imagination and follow several runs that cross the different sectors of its glacier: all of them are very long, the environment is wild and quite severe, the quality of the snow is usually good and the terrain is vast: perfect for big and wide turns!
Down below the details of some itineraries, clicking here you ca also find a report of the longest freeride in the Dolomites.

 

BELLUNESE VECCHIA A long warm-up: this run is not far away from the groomed run and it is out of the glacier.
0 meters up/ 1050 meters down.  35° inclination.

LYDIA:  central itinerary on the huge Marmolada north face: allows us to ski between crevasses.
0 meters up/1200 meters down. 35° inclination.
Sometimes (depending on the conditions) the return needs a 30-minute walk.

 

INTRA I SASS (LEFT AND RIGHT): 2 great runs in the midst of a pair of peaks on the northern flank of the Marmolada.
0 meters up/ 1200 meters down. 30° inclination.

 

CANYON The wildest itinerary of the Marmolada: it gives us an unexpected passage in a narrow canyon.
0 meters up/ 1300 meters down. 35° inclination.

A snowboarder is riding off-piste Marmolada, down the north face.

VAL MEZDI

The Val Mezdi is probably the most famous freeride descent in the Dolomites, crossing the entire Sella Massif, from the Pordoi Pass to the Val Badia. The descent itself is 6 km long and the access to this legendary valley requires a long hike, not particularly difficult and definitely worth it!

From the Pordoi Pass we jump on the cable car that will leave us on the summit plateau of Piz Pordoi. There are no groomed slopes up here, but the wild mountains are just beyond the fence of the station. A short but technical descent will bring us to the Pordoi saddle: it is time to start the spectacular traverse that will bring us to the entrance of Val Mezdi in about 45 minutes; here the skins are welcome but often not necessary: the wind here usually blows the snow up so that walking on this mostly flat plateau is not a big deal. At the end of the hike we deserve a little break, a warm drink from the thermos and a snack: better to start the descent relaxed and concentrated, because the first steep and narrow gully is nothing but easy. At the end of this section we can start to enjoy the spectacular place we are now skiing: we are constantly surrounded by incredible rocky peaks and towers. We continue on a gentle slope until we reach the first trees. From here we will need more concentration and energy, because the last part is steep again. After that we can finally relax on a nice forest road before returning to the resort. This itinerary is surely one of the highlights of our Freeride week or Ski safaris.

 

DETAILS OF VAL MEZDI:

Approach from the lift station: 45 minutes mostly flat.
Descent: 1500 meters.
Inclination: max 40°.

A classic freeride in the Dolomites itinerary: the Val Mezdi.

SELLA MASSIF BESIDES THE VAL MEZDI.

The Mezdi Valley is certainly the most famous off-piste itinerary in the Dolomites, but the cable car that goes to the top of the Pordoi Peak gives access to this itinerary as well as 30 other great itineraries! Some of them require the skins on the approach, but for others we can start skiing from the station. Here are 3 itineraries as examples.

 

FORCELLA PORDOI:
This is a very classic one, the descent is directly from the cable car, so from the station we just have to ski on the summit plateau until we reach the Pordoi saddle, from here the descent is quite obvious. Sure, this descent is usually pretty tracked, but if it has snowed the night before, we will have great fun down here, promised!
Ascent: 0 meters.
Descent: 600 meters.
Inclination: max 35°.

 

LASTIES VALLEY:
From the Pordoi cable car station we go gently towards the Pordoi saddle, once here we turn left and we ski a beautiful slope that often offers good snow. After this easy section we have to decide which side of the next big valley we want to ski, it depends on the snow, but what really impresses here is the majesty of the walls that constantly surround the skiers, who feel tiny in this white paradise. After a steep section, where it is very important to know where to go, we can see the road below, which we reach through a fun slope among bushes. The return to the resort is a bit tricky but not too tiring or we can overnight stay at the Refugio (read here).
Uphill: 0 meters.
Descent: 1100 meters.
Gradient: max 35°.

 

SETUS VALLEY:
This itinerary is one of the greatest freeride in the Dolomites, like the Val Mezdi, it crosses the whole Sella massif. The access is a bit more demanding than the Mezdi Valley and requires skins to better cover the ascent. The 2 hour ascent is rewarded with a breathtaking descent down a long and beautiful couloir. Technically it is also a bit more difficult than the Mezdi Valley, so it is only suitable for upper intermediate skiers.
Uphill: 350 meters.
Descent: 1050 meters.
Inclination: max 40°.

A skier is moving a powder cloud of fresh snow.

LAGAZUOI AND 5 TOWERS.

This ski area is located at a high altitude, between the Alta Badia valley and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The beauty of its landscape is unique and world famous, so what could be better than enjoying it while skiing on fresh snow? There are two freeride areas: one on the south side (Lagazuoi) and the other mainly on the north face (5 towers). Below is a small selection of off-piste possibilities.

 

ARMENTAROLA NORTH:
From the top of the Lagazuoi we take the Armentarola ski run, an iconic ski run that connects the area of Cortina d’Ampezzo with the Val Badia. After a while we leave the groomed slope to find a hidden and often untracked gully that later rejoins the slope.
Ascent: 0 meters.
Descent: 550 meters.
Inclination: max 35°.

 

COL DEI BOS:
From the gondola station we leave the ski slope and start a long traverse that will take us to a dreamy place, surrounded by huge blocks and pinnacles. As we get further away from the track, we get closer to the huge wall of the Tofana di Rozes. It’s almost sad, but after a short climb we have to leave this place and start our fabulous descent. The gradient is always gentle and the slope is wide, nothing could be better!
Ascent: 20 meters.
Descent: 750 meters.
Gradient: max 30°.

 

5 TOWERS:
This itinerary can be the perfect last one after a great day off-piste. It starts literally outside the door of the Scoiattoli Refuge, a wonderful place to stop for lunch or, even better, for a night during the freeride Ski Safari. From here we have a short walk among the rocks of the 5 towers where we will see some remains of WW1 trenches and bunkers. The descent is for the most part in the forest, so it is a very good option after a snowfall or on a windy day. The run ends at the middle station of the cable car, so we can easily decide if we want to do it again!
Ascent: 15 meters.
Descent: 550 meters.
Gradient: max 30°.

A skier is almost at the entrance of the Canale della nonna, which is an intermediate freeride itinerary.

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Sidecountry skiing: an easy level off-piste day

Many people can think that freeride skiing on powder is only for the pros. Nothing could be further from the truth! With a little bit of know-how and the right choice of itineraries, even a good intermediate skier can enjoy skiing outside the boundaries of the ski resort.
I’d love to show you an example of side-country skiing in the Dolomites, broken down by hour: rather than trying to do a long list of possible itineraries, here is a typical and real entry-level, off-piste day.

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WHERE TO STAY

You can think of the Dolomiti Superski area as one big ski resort. So it doesn’t matter where you stay, because we can easily move from one valley to another by lift. Places recommended for sidecountry dolomites skiing are Val Badia, 5 Towers, Arabba.

CUSTOMISED PLAN

What you can read here and in general everywhere on this website is an example of what you can expect from a day or a trip with us. It’s pretty obvious that where we go and what we do depends on your skills, but also very importantly, it depends on the current snow conditions.

EQUIPMENT

It is possible to use your regular skies, but for off-piste skiing we prefer wider skis for better flooding on the powder. Renting these skis is our suggestion.
Transceiver, probe and shovel are mandatory and included in our price.

YOUR GUIDE

The easy off-piste day is carried out by a mountain guide  UIAGM/IFMGA certified. This is the most valuable qualification for a guide in Italy and all over the world. Besides, Freedolomites guides most definitely sport the best knowledge and will guarantee your safety and your fun.

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A day of easy free-ride skiing in Badia Valley

FIRST APPROACH SIDECOUNTRY

We meet at 8:30 a.m. in front of the main lift: don’t forget to bring a small rucksack in which to put the transceiver, probe and shovel.
We take the lifts towards the Pralongià area, starting to gain some confidence just on the side of the groomed run. Before reaching the Passo Campolongo, there’s a shortcut between the trees, a few narrow curves and the terrain that opens up above the pass. Once we get to the road, we have to walk back to the lifts in 5 minutes: walking on ski boots with the skies on our shoulders isn’t nice, but it’s part of the game!
Ascent: 0 meters.
Descent: 300 meters.
Gradient: max 25°.

a skier is riding among the trees on a deep powder snow during an off-piste.

10 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING: THE CHERZ HILL.

At the top of the next lift, just after a couple of turns into the groomed, we get into the fresh snow; at the beginning the ground is flat, so we have to push, but soon it starts to incline and the fun starts to grow! We are now skiing on open terrain: grassy fields now covered with pristine snow. After a rather long descent and maybe some falls, we reach a forest road that leads to the village of Arabba.
Ascent: 10 meters.
Descent: 400 meters.
Gradient: max 25°.

one single track of a skier is visible, the rest of the snow is still untuched. Another skier far behind is off-piste skiing following the track.

READY FOR THE BIG GOAL: ORNELLA OFF-PISTE.

Once in Arabba, it is time to take the gondola to reach the big goal of the day! From the middle station of the gondola we will leave the groomed slopes far behind us and ski down a remote valley: at the beginning, the slope is quite nice and gentle, but after this pleasant section we will have to use the skills we have already acquired today to tackle the steep part (relatively steep) among small trees. This is the most fun part, after a while we reach a road forest where we usually find some harder snow, perfect to move fast without pushing. We now end up between some houses of a remote village, from where we can take a taxi or, if we are lucky, ski down to the bottom of the valley, right in front of the river.

 

ORNELLA FEATURES:
Ascent: 0 meters.
Descent: 750 meters.
Gradient: max 30°.

5 skiers are sidecountry skiing nearby the 5 towers.

LUNCH TIME.

Now it is time for a well-deserved lunch break! Instead of waiting in line at a crowded “refugio” on the side of the slope, we have the chance to stop at a charming place: this restaurant is called “the fort” and it is an old fort from the 19th century, very well preserved and, above all, the food is delicious! After lunch it is time to start our way back: some more sidecountry skiing, of course!

Drinking the "skiwasser" while the skier is waiting for his meal.

AFTERNOON: END OF A GREAT EASY OFF-PISTE DAY: THE BURZ RIDGE.

After lunch we are back in Arabba, on the way back to Corvara in Badia, there’s a nice slope, not often skied, which takes a nice sunlight in the afternoon. Just in time for our last run of the day: from the top of the lift there’s a little walk, good for lunch digestion; now is time to start the last descent of the day riding a smooth ridge, the beginning is a bit steep but soon it turns into a nice and gentle inclination. At the end, there will be a bit more walking, but we already got used to it!
Surely Arabba offers a large variety of runs: from easy off-piste to advanced. You can find more descriptions in here: Off-piste week.

 

BURZ RIDGE FEATURES:

Ascent: 20 meters.
Descent: 450 meters.
Gradient: max 25°.

A skier is smiling while she's enjoying the powder snow during her off-piste afternoon.

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