Dolomiti Superski — Attraction in Salten-Schlern - Salto-Sciliar

Pretty much unparalleled ski area on almost all dimensions compared to anywhere else on planet Earth. 7 days on the IKON PASS.

Massive on a different scale, Italian and Ladin villages, activities and spas , and probably the most savory on and off mountain culinary experiences in the world.

ON-PISTE SKIING: Skiing on piste is superb, the grooming, italian fine; the lift system is very good, with many fast lifts, and gondolas, well-managed. The Sella Ronda circuit is great for transiting from around most of the areas but note places like Cortina, will require a short shuttle, car or bus ride, All villages have charming idiosyncrasies, like Cortina has serious on piste exposed high altitude steep in-bounds terrain, less crowds, and great grooming. Marmolada Glacier is a great place to ski on and off piste. Selva Val Gardena is the most crowded.

OFF-PISTE SKIING: is a sight to behold, a religious experience to be lived . Off the Sella Massif, the terrain is fantastic, some chill but all intimidating and much of it will test one's mettle, and the environment is magnificent. Almost nowhere else can you consistently ski in between massive granite towers like these, and it's an incredible feeling but also creates its own sense of foreboding. Most of the terrain is alpine ie above tree line, just some off-piste exits are through thick steep low profile tree forests, be aware! The whole area is a free-riders paradise. Many require ski mountaineering gear and experience . Get an alpine ski instructor/guide, join a group lesson, to really enjoy. All off-piste is avalanche prone terrain, check the avalanche forecast, have an avalanche bag with shovel, probe (& an airbag is good to have), and an armed active beacon or ARVA as they call it here. So while the terrain has everything, the big caveat is the Quality of the Snow can be a challenge given the Dolomites southern latitudinal setting.

THE SNOW 1: Snow situation has been iffy in the last decade with climate change & the low latitude location. The riches of the limitless off-piste terrain are only accessible when there is enough snow. Skiing off-piste jewels like Val Mesdi and Val Lasties needs a lot of snow, especially the entrances and the exits.

THE SNOW 2: The other risk factor or characteristic is a high likelihood of skiing into or on what I call Dolomites or Dolomiti Cement, heavy sticky snow like the famed Sierra Cement of US Pacific Northwest.

Rapid altitude change: can cause issues rising from base areas to mountain tops & saddles.

RISK of On Snow HUMAN cannonballs is high as many including adults do not follow basic ski-ride etiquette,

THE FOOD: The on mountain restaurants serve delightful food . It remains a Sherlock Holmes worthy mystery as to how they get the meats and vegetable to be so delectably fresh up high on the mountain. Places to eat are many, like Masi in Cortina, whose delightful cuisine deserved 3 Michelin stars! Other places with superb food, and staff are Fredarola in the Arabba region, Cherz in Arabba, Scoiattoli in Cinque Torri, Grill Strobel in Col Gallina in the Cortina-Lagazoui, Crepe du Munt above Corvara, Rifugio Maria on top of Sass Pordoi is a cool spot, Rifugio Luigi Gorza on the saddle of Porto Vescovo, has a view-for-miles sundeck, and Rifugio Serauta cafe is a good place to acclimate before taking the 3rd gondola up to Marmolada ; Hotel Farolia bar in Cortina is nice and the bar in the Col Alto Hotel in Corvara is very well tended. Stayed at the fine Hotel Col Alto in Corvara.

Best of all, the Italians are wonderful company, fun, charming, gracious and helpful. What a ride, and what an...

I was at Cortina D'Ampezzo in this Dec 2018 and was happily skiing at the beginners slopes. I was at Chalet Tofana. On the first day, my wife and myself just went for a joy ride on the ski lifts without skis and enjoyed the views and came back down on the lift. On the 3rd day I was happily skiing and decided to take a look at the higher slopes to see if I was ready for them. I entered the chair lift and while reaching the top I saw the slopes were quite treacherous and decided these slopes were not for me. So I decided to return back on the chair lift. To my utter surprise, the operator stopped the lift and rudely asked me to get off. I first tried to question him why he was asking to get off when I had a valid pass and after all it was my decision whether I wanted to ski or not. But he knew no English and just shrugged his shoulders indicating that he would not restart the lift if I didn't get off. I then pleaded to him that I could not ski and needed to get back down safely. How else would I be able to get down if I'm not on the lift. Again he just shrugged his shoulders indicating he didn't care and that as far as he was concerned I had to just get the hell off. Being left with no option, I removed my skis and tried waking down. With the steep gradient of the slippery slopes I fell a couple of times while walking as ski shoes offer handly any grip whatsoever. I then thought it would be best to again wear the skis and slowly snow plough all the way down. I could just manage a few feet and I slipped and fell down very badly. The fall was so bad that I've torn 3 of my 4 ligaments of my left knee. It is such a painful and slow journey to recover.. I just wish I met that unconcerned and rude lift operator later. I would have given him such a bashing that for sure it would be him in the hospital instead of me.. What I do not understand is :

1. Why the hell was I not allowed to use the lift on the way down?
2. If there was such a strict rule, how come on the first day my wife and I went up and down without any problems?
3. There should have been very clear warning signs that lifts can't be used on the way down. These stupid people want their patrons to have fun or land in hospitals with broken limbs?? How is a foreigner supposed to know if there are such rules and if they are not clearly spelt out?
4. I wish somebody can clear this point for me and if the ski lift operator was wrong in not allowing me to use the lift for coming down despite my pleading him and inability to undertake such steep slopes, I have all the details of which lift I used, time and date and if that operator could be identified, I think he should be immediately sacked with a serious apology letter to me. If I could have his details maybe I could ensure he's sent to the hospital with some broken limbs thanks to me.

You guys in charge of the lifts at Cortina D'Ampezzo very seriously need to consider this point. Accidents could be fatal.. Are you playing with peoples lives?? Who gives you the right to do this? Who's going to pay for my 3 months of pain and discomfort to myself and my family? I'm writing this while wearing leg braces as I cannot move...

There is no contact us section on the dolomiti superski website so a Google review will have to do. Whilst skiing with friends in Alta Badia at the end of January I had an accident which resulted in me being knocked out. My friends notified the local medical team and they were on the scene very quickly (I don't remember this bit). It seems that they were excellent, checked me over and moved me to an easier point on the slopes by skidoo. From here a helicopter was called and I was transferred to hospital by helicopter. I remember bits of this and thought they were amazing to fly in the mountains. They transferred me quickly to the closest relevant hospital.

Three weeks have passed with firstly two days in hospital in Bruneck/Brunico, two days in a hotel in Alleghe and then, unfortunately, four more days in hospital in Venice. Believe me that none of this was planned but the Italian support in the Dolomites has been AMAZING. Time will tell whether the future includes skiing but if it does then I will return to the Dolomites. Not to place a burden on them but to thank the teams that took amazing care of me when I couldn't care for myself.

In the UK medical helicopters are provided by charities and CT scans are like gold dust. In Italy a helicopter appeared very quickly and I had no less than 4 CTs scans, to try to find a brain(!), in six days in hospital. Unplanned but truly amazing when you need it most.

Oh and the scenery was amazing in the three days that I did manage. The pistes were amazing too. When the mistake came it was all my own work... not that I remember it either. Having skied for at least 25 weeks over the last 35 of so years hopefully that's my one big mistake...