Alta Badia Skiing & Snowboarding
Alta Badia is the Dolomites best ski area for families, beginners, intermediates, and gourmands! When not eating or drinking, skiing the 130km of quality trails at Alta Badia is an absolute pleasure amongst some of the finest Dolomites scenery.
There is little doubt that Alta Badia is all about the easy cruising end of the skiing market, with nearly 70% rated as blue for beginners. Most are centred on a massive rolling alpine plateau high above the towns of Corvara, La Villa & San Cassiano. The remainder of the resort spreads in tendrils past Colfosco up to Val Gardena & in the opposite direction through the village of Badia.
Alta Badia is generally snowboard friendly. There are very few surface tows but some of the beginner trails on the plateau may test the knuckle-draggers capacity to maintain forward momentum!
Alta Badia Skiing Highlights
The Alta Badia skiing highlights are a rite of passage according to Powderhounds. They are only to be undertaken when there is no powder because skiing powder ALWAYS takes priority. Tick off the following when at Alta Badia:
- Early morning top to bottom piste run from the resort’s highest point at Vallon to Corvara via Boe.
- Go as fast as you can down the Gran Risa World Cup course and then go up the world’s most ridiculous funicular.
- Ski trail 11 with its wonderful panorama and drink a Calimero or Bombardino in the La Utia hut.
- Slide down to Alta Badia’s lowest point, the village of Badia for a classic rifugio lunch. Take the lifts to the Rifugio Santa Croce which sits at 2045m below imposing cliffs and next to the ancient Santa Croce chapel (first consecrated in 1484). The rifugio is a farmhouse dating back to 1718 and serves up lovely lunches based on local traditions & ingredients.
- Ski to Armentarola up the valley from San Cassiano. From there, take a taxi (or bus if it is not too busy) up to Passo Falzarego (part of Cortina ski resort so a Dolomiti Superski pass is needed). Take the cable car up the Lagazuoi & ski the glorious hidden valley of the Armentarola run for 8km passing spectacular frozen waterfalls & an isolated rifugio. For a small fee, get towed by a horse drawn sleigh back to Armentarola – a highlight of any Dolomites ski trip.
- Complete the world famous Sella Ronda before lunch. The 40km long Sella Ronda links Alta Badia to three other ski resorts around the Sella massif. Best done early & in an anti-clockwise direction, the journey visits Val Gardena, Val di Fassa & Arabba Marmolada before returning to Alta Badia. Once done, never do it again – there are loads of better things to ski here!
- Challenge yourself to ski the 80km+ Great War Tour (Dolomiti Superski pass required). The route follows sites important from the ‘White War’ fought in the Dolomites during WW1. As well as traversing Alta Badia, the tour includes the best elements of Arabba Marmolada, Civetta & Cortina ski resorts. The best direction is anti-clockwise as it only requires two buses (instead of three). Start early and take some time to look at the museum on Marmolada. But not too much time; alot of groups fail to finish!
- Give the resort's best backcountry run a try - the Val Mezdí (Dolomiti Superski pass required). It is a steep & deep gash running up the side of the Sella massif above Colfosco. Access is via the Pordoi Pass cable car in the Val di Fassa ski resort.
- Ski directly to the door of the best après location at Osteria L’Murin at the top end of Corvara.
- At days end drink a G&T at L’Got in Corvara – still wearing your ski boots.
- After a night of great food, drink & entertainment at the Club Moritzino, ski down the Gran Risa into La Villa illuminated by the light of several snowcats which will transport down the not so (fool)hardy or inebriated!(see the Alta Badia Food & Nightlife page for more info)
Ski Lifts
The Alta Badia ski lift system provides an intriguing insight into Italian resorts & skiers. At La Villa witness the ridiculous lengths skiers will go to avoid having to walk anywhere. The lift across the road, the shortest funicular in the world (not verified, but you be the judge), the bony, icy trails through bitumen car parks used by some to skate to a gondola…… you must take your skis off anyway to get on the gondola, just walk ………. hello!!
Beyond La Villa, skiing at Alta Badia is a magical mystery tour. The 53 lifts are being continually modernised & improved to ensure efficiency & comfort. It is a telling stat that 80% of the lifts are chairs & gondolas.
The busiest lift in the resort seems to be the Piz Sorega gondola out of San Cassiano. A combination of sledders, pedestrians, Armentarola & Great War circuit skiers and the general resort riders tend to extend the wait times here more than just about anywhere in Alta Badia.
Lift Passes & Tickets
As with most Dolomites ski resorts, two ticketing options exist. The local Alta Badia lift pass is one of the more expensive at around €6 cheaper per day than the second option, a Dolomiti Superski pass.
A Dolomiti Superski pass gives one unfettered access to the interlinked ski areas that make up the Sella Ronda, Armentarola & Great War Tour ski trails. Ski lifts & piste trail link Alta Badia to Val Gardena, Val di Fassa & Arabba Marmolada. Buses link to the Kronplatz, Cortina & Civetta ski resorts which are also valid with a Dolomiti Superski pass.
All lift passes are 5% cheaper is pre-purchased online at least 2-days before you intend to ski.
Check out the gargantuan ski trail map for Dolomiti SuperSki below.
Anyone with an Ikon Pass can ski up to 7-days shared between: Alta Badia, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Kronplatz/Plan de Corones, Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi, Val di Fassa/Carezza, Arabba/Marmolada, 3 Peaks Dolomites, Val di Fiemme/Obereggen, San Martino di Castrozza/Rolle Pass, Rio Pusteria - Bressanone, Alpe Lusia - San Pellegrino, Civetta. Holders of an Ikon Pass can ski for free for 7-days, with no blackout period. Holders of Ikon Base Plus Pass and Ikon Base Pass can ski for free for 5-days with no blackout periods. You can go directly to the chairlift or gondola with your valid Ikon Pass as there is no need to stop at a local ticket window. The Ikon Pass is valid in the Dolomites from 15 November to 15 April in a given season.
Trail Map
The Alta Badia ski trail map fails to give enough detail in the complex plateau area bounded by Armentarola, San Cassiano, La Villa, Corvara & Passo Campolongo. It is incredibly easy to get on the incorrect lift or trail in this area. Read the signs carefully, keep your group together and ....................... you will still go wrong!
On-Piste Terrain
With one or two notable exceptions, the on-piste terrain at Alta Badia is all 'sweetness & light' and perfect for long, lazy loops across the landscape. It is rare that a resort so large would have nearly ¾ of its trails rated ‘easy’, but there you go, it is the exception to the rule. Don’t let that stat bother you though. It is a fun place to trundle about and one of the few where we will feel comfortable having a few drinks throughout the day, knowing that there is nothing too technical on the immediate horizon!
Beginner Ski Areas
Alta Badia has over 90km of ‘easy’ beginner rated ski trails so is heaven for new & timid skiers & snowboarders. Some trails are bordering on low intermediate level & most are not suitable for first timers. Novice (learn to ski) lifts & terrain are conveniently located near all of villages, the best of them are near Colfosco (after the sun pops over the mountain!).
The best learn to ski areas for first timers are in Colfosco (when the sun is out in the middle of the day!), Corvara & across the road on the sunny side of La Villa. Colfosco has an extensive fun slope and holds the most interest of the three areas.
Intermediates
Intermediate skiers will enjoy numerous long rolling piste trails, the best of which under the Piz Sorega, Boe & Col Alt gondolas. The few black trails at Alta Badia can also be done by intermediates, although care should be taken on the fast Gran Risa. A slide there will send you a long way down the hill.
Advanced
Other than going absolutely flat-out, warp factor 11 fast throughout the resort, there nothing for advanced riders in Alta Badia. The one black rated piste, the World Cup course of the Gran Risa, is fun, but not super technical and has a long run out to burn off any tear-inducing speed. Head to Arabba instead!
Off Piste & Backcountry Terrain
Not endowed with a wealth of quality off piste terrain, there are nonetheless numerous gentle bowls, light trees & some high alpine fun off the Vallon if conditions are right. Due the number of roads, buses & ski lifts in the area, a bit of off-piste exploration will usually end up somewhere near a form of transport! If in doubt get a guide!
Give the resort's best backcountry run a try - the Val Mezdí. It is a steep & deep gash running down the side of the Sella massif above Colfosco. Access is via the Pordoi Pass cable car in the Val di Fassa ski resort. Involves a small amount of skinning to the Boe hut near 3,000m elevation. Skiable vertical is nearly 1600m down to Colfosco. The terrain can be quite challenging in hardpack snow conditions. Numerous other stellar backcountry descents are on the Marmolada glacier & Sella massif, plus further afield toward Cortina d'Ampezzo. If in doubt get a guide!
