alpine style - dolomites
TRANSCRIPT
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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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7/31/2019 Alpine Style - Dolomites
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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
STYLE
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DESTINATIONS/THE DOLOMITES
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
STYLE
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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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DESTINATIONS/THE DOLOMITES
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.