Skirama Dolomiti Ski Area — Simon Jack Burgess

In the North East of Italy you will find the Italian Dolomites, a mountain range with 21 peaks higher than 3000m. The location of the Dolomites ensures that they receive their fair share of bluebird days during winter with clear skies and sun shining the majority of the time. This makes a trip to Skirama Dolomiti particularly appealing as you will be met with beautiful weather and incredible landscapes.

SKI RAMA DOLOMITI SKI AREA

Skirama Dolomiti is a collection of eight ski resorts all accessible via one ski pass. The pass includes the resorts of; Madonna di Campiglio, Pinzolo, Folgarida Marilleva, where you can ski via interconnected chairlifts. The pass also includes the resorts; Pejo, Ponte di Legno/Tonale, Paganella Ski, Monte Bondone and Alps Cimbra-Folgaria and Lavarone. You receive one weeks complimentary access to Skirama Dolomiti with an Epic Pass. The combined ski area includes 380kms of pistes accessible via 150 ski lifts.

SKIRAMA DOLOMITI SEASON DATES

With the Presena Glacier the ski season runs between November - May in the Ski Rama Dolomiti. Most of the resorts however will open in December and close Mid April.

FOLGARIDA MARILLEVA

Folgarida and Marilleva ski areas are combined to make a pretty sizeable ski area. With 60 km of pistes accessible via 25 chairlifts, with further links to neighbouring Madonna di Campiglio and Pinzolo increasing the area to 150 km. Folgarida Marilleva makes a great base for a ski or snowboard trip, especially as an intermediate with nearly 50% of the runs graded as red or blue. Beginners will also love Folgarida Marilleva with designated learning zones in both resorts. The remaining 13% of runs are steep black pistes that offer a challenge to even the most dedicated skiers and snowboarders

There is a small terrain park in Marilleva which at the time of my visit had two boxes and two kickers. This is a great start for beginners but would fail to maintain the interest of most. If you enjoy riding in the terrain park, instead you should take the interconnected chairlifts and head to Madonna di Campiglio where you will find a more complete snowpark.

Staying in Marilleva is a great option for those who would like direct access to the slopes with ski in ski out apartments available at Marilleva 1400. From the outside the on snow accommodation looks… well quite ugly but the location can not be argued with. Alternatively choose to stay in one of the local villages. I opted for this apartment in Castello, a short drive from Marilleva gondola with awesome views across the valley and quaint traditional housing.

The great location and the skiable access to 150km of pistes can mean Marilleva is busy first thing. Luckily throughout the morning the crowds disperse around the different resorts meaning that lift queues are not too bad. There are still areas that bottleneck and it is worth considering when and where you stop for lunch to contrast with the main crowds.

MONTE BONDONE

Monte Bondone is a family focused ski resort that is known for its wide pistes and purpose built village. With hotels, childcare and restaurants/bars all accessible from the pistes a trip to Monte Bondone is hassle free. Monte Bondone offers night skiing between 8pm and 10:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays with access to its slopes and terrain park.

During daily operations Monte Bondone offers 21 pistes with 100% snow making capability so you can be sure of great on-piste conditions. The 20km of slopes should be enough to keep the family entertained for a weeks holiday. Make sure to check out the Gran Pista Rocce Rosse which is a 4km piste with a 800m vertical drop offering spectacular views of the Brenta Dolomites.

Monte Bondone has recently begun to focus on freestyle and offers events and competitions throughout the season in its terrain park. With the addition of a beginners funpark; with entry level features and a boarder cross track, there is lots of challenge to be found.

PEJO

Pejo is special. This historic resort has a beautiful setting in the midst of the Stelvio National Park. Operating for over 70 years Pejo is keen not to be left behind and has modern lifts including the new Pejo 3000 cable car that takes you to the resorts peak. A small resort within a short drive of Marilleva and Madonna di Campiglio, it is remarkable that Pejo isn’t affected by crowds. It’s 20km of pristine pistes were empty on my visit. The addition of the Pejo 3000 cable car allows for 1600m of vertical drop ensuring great quality of snow conditions. The cable car allows for up to 100 skiers and snowboarders to make the ascent within minutes, assuring you are not waiting for long in lines.

Although the highlight of a trip to Pejo has to be the 8 km piste from Valle della Mite down to Peio Fonti, this is not all Pejo has to offer. Pejo also has a pretty decent terrain park with small and medium size features. There is essentially two lines through the terrain park, a jib and a jump line, although it is possible to cut across both. Alongside the main park there is a fun run for kids (and adults), where you can play the piano as you ski across a flat box feature. Pejo is also a good base for beginners and has a good beginners area at the base accessible by its own chairlift.

If nearby Marilleva is fully geared up for mass tourism, Pejo is a throwback to traditional Italian mountain heritage. Away from the crowds you will still find all the amenities you could want. With accommodation, restaurants and a spa centre, Pejo will make a more calm base for a trip to Skirama Dolomiti.

PEJO TIP - IF YOU SHARE THE PEJO 3000 CABLE CAR WITH MANY SKIERS, JUST WAIT FOR TWO-THREE MINUTES AT THE TOP OF THE LIFT. YOU WILL QUICKLY SEE THE SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS DISPERSE LEAVING YOU WITH 8KM OF EMPTY PISTES.

PAGANELLA

Paganella ski resort is one of the more popular ski resorts in the Trentino region due to its location and proximity to Trento. With slopes up to 2100m, Paganella can be seen from the city and is frequented by locals. One of the draws to Paganella is its accessibility with modern lifts from both the villages of Andalo and Fai. Because of its popularity with locals and my visit occurring during school holidays, I decided not to visit Paganella due to crowds. I would love to hear your opinions if you have visited this resort as the views of Marmolada and Lake Garda are meant to be incredible.

PONTE DI LEGNO - TONALE

The resorts; Passo Tonale, Ponte di Legno and Presena glacier all combine to form the Ponte di Legno - Tonale ski area. With skiing and snowboarding possible from November into May this region offers one of the longer ski seasons in Europe. Within easy reach of Lombardy region cities Milan and Bergamo, getting to Ponte di Legno - Tonale is easy for Italians and foreign skiers alike. Ponte di Legno - Tonale is known for its high altitude skiing and its snow sure pistes.

Passo Tonale ski area is a fantastic base for a ski holiday. With access to Ponte di Legno and Presena Glacier there is plenty of terrain that can be explored, with the area of Passo Tonale offering fast lifts, a slope side village and plenty of amenities. The skiing and snowboarding in Passo Tonale is spread out along one face and can be quite clunky to get from one side to the other with traverses necessary. The runs are great and the pistes are well maintained. The highlight for me was the Adamello Snow Park, which offered an initial jump line, followed by a choice of another smaller jump line or small and medium rails and boxes. The terrain park was fairly empty with local skiers seemingly preferring to carve their way around the pistes. The lifts in Tonale can become quite busy, so this is worth considering but you can always head to Presena Glacier or Ponte di Legno for shorter lift lines.

Ponte di Legno can be reached from Tonale via a cable car. The cable car actually descends down to 1200m but it is possible to ski to 2000m in Tonale. In Ponte di Legno you will have the option to explore the Corno d’ Aola and Santa Guilia offering red and black grade runs back to the village. Ponte di Legno has numerous nearby villages so accommodation options are plentiful. The formation of the mountains in this region allow for wide steep slopes that offer endless challenge for free ride focussed skiers and snowboarders.

A visit to this ski area would be incomplete without heading to Presena Glacier. Taking the gondola from Tonale you head up to 3000m where you will find impeccable snow conditions. The Presena Glacier is a freeride dream with plenty of hiking and touring opportunities. There is the possibility to ski a 12km run from Presena Glacier down to neighbouring resort Ponte di Legno. On your winter visit to the Presena Glacier you will also find an Iglu around mid mountain that hosts concerts throughout the season. The area around the Presena Glacier is scattered with reminders of its history and its role as a battlefield during war time.

PINZOLO

Pinzolo has been focussing on developing itself as a family ski area. Recent improvements to the beginners area and children’s entertainment make it a solid choice for a family ski holiday. If you are not travelling with a family don’t let that put you off. Pinzolo also offers challenge and access to some of the best slopes in the Skirama Dolomiti region. In the shadow of the Doss del Sabion, a 2100m peak, the village of Pinzolo allows access to an incredibly sunny ski area that offers fantastic views across the valley. The network of lifts connect with neighbouring Madonna di Campiglio, via the Express Cable Car, making it possible to ski between Pinzolo and Folgarida using only ski lifts. Staying in Pinzolo and looking for a challenge, then consider testing your legs on the Pista Dolomitica which starts at 2100m and 6km later has you at 800m.

ALPE CIMBRA-FOLGARIA AND LAVARONE

Folgaria - Fiorentini and Lavarone resorts combine to make the Alpe Cimbra Ski Area with over 100km of pistes. The ski area has an array of renowned advanced runs including; Agonistica and Avéz del Prinzep. As with the other ski areas in the Skirama Dolomiti the infrastructure at Alpe Cimbra is great with modern and fast lifts. The highest point of the Alpe Cimbra allows skiing and snowboarding at 1850m allowing for good conditions with lower slopes covered by snowmaking for later in the season. In terms of freestyle there are two main terrain parks, Mazinga Snow Park and Prinze Snow Park in Folgaria and Lavarone respectively, additionally you will find a boarder cross track. If you are looking for a family ski holiday with a range of activities Alpe Cimbra-Folgaria and Lavarone could be it. Activities ranging from; sledding, fat biking, dog sledding, ice-skating and ice karting are all available.

MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO

Madonna di Campiglio is the epicentre of the combined ski area that stretches from Folgarida to Pinzolo. Being the central point for access to 150km of pistes Madonna di Campiglio ski resort can be a bit pricier than its neighbours and at times pretty busy. The modern lift infrastructure around the resort, ensures that queues move quickly even if there are some areas that bottlenecks occur.

Host to annual World Cup events, there is a certain prestige associated with the slopes in Madonna. Madonna Di Campiglio is a resort that offers thrill on its steep pistes and challenge to be found on slopes where the best in the world come to compete. Additionally, Madonna is home to one of the best terrain parks in Europe, the Ursus Snow Park. Unfortunately, on my visit the park was still being built, but when its in full-flow you will find everything from ride on boxes to huge jumps. One of my favourite things about Madonna di Campiglio were the pistes. Madonna has a big apres scene, which can mean that guests to the area may be a bit slower to start their day. Getting across to Madonna di Campiglio early in the morning often meant perfectly groomed pistes and fewer crowds. Although this did change as the day progressed.

SKIRAMA PROS

Ski for free with an Epic Pass. This was a major reason in me choosing to visit Skirama Dolomiti and it is worth it for them as I really fell in love with the place so they will see my buisness again.
8 different resorts or combined areas accessible on the same lift pass! Think about that. On a weeks trip you could ski a new area every day and still not visit them all!
Skirama Dolomiti has a range of ski areas which each resort offering something different. Head to Madonna di Campiglio for steeps or Head to Pejo to avoid the crowds.
Long season with on snow activities possible between the months of November and May.
Cheap transfers available from Milan to the Skirama Dolomiti with plenty of airlines and flight options.
Plenty of accommodation options to suit all budget choice. Go big or go budget, you will still have a great time.
Most of the infrastructure is modern and the lifts are fast.

SKIRAMA CONS

Due to crowds at peak times, there can be long lift lines.
Not all resorts close together. You may prefer to have a car to increase your on snow options.
Buses between resorts are not always frequent and the timetable wasn’t that easy to follow.

SKIRAMA DOLOMITI TRANSPORT

If you are aiming to travel between; Folgarida - Marilleva, Madonna di Campiglio and Pinzolo you can do this via interconnected chairlifts. To reach any of the other resorts you can opt to use the bus services that run between the resorts or self-drive. I self-drove whilst in Skirama Dolomiti, I felt this gave a lot more freedom.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Before purchasing my Epic Pass for the 2019/20 season I had not heard of the Skirama Dolomiti ski area. I had enjoyed my previous snowboard trip to Italy so I decided to make this part of my Epic Pass Journey. The Skirama Dolomiti has quickly become one of my favourite places to snowboard in Europe. There is an expanse of terrain and with each resort offering something a little bit different I would highly recommend a trip to the area. The combination of quality skiing and affordability make this a great destination for any ski or snowboard trip.