This couloir highlights the colorful dolomite that makes up the mountains around Cortina D’Ampezzo.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO
RECOMMENDED BY John Frasca
“There is something very special about the Dolomites,” John Frasca opined. “The shapes of the rocks and their colors are something you have to see. When the sun shines on the mountains, you feel as if you’re skiing amongst gems—sometimes pink, sometimes orange. It’s an amazing experience, especially as the sun begins to set.”
When people (at least Italian people) think of skiing the Dolomites, they think of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Cortina rests in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy in the enchanting Ampezzo Valley. The resort sits at an elevation of four thousand feet in the southern Dolomites, a section of the Southern Limestone Alps. The mountains’ jagged shapes and glowing coloration largely exist courtesy of their main component, dolomite, a kind of carbonate rock. Roughly two hours north of Venice, Cortina may be the world’s most popular ski resort for non-skiers. Since the resort was established, Italy’s glammerati have flocked there to see and be seen, frequently enshrouded in fur. (Some have estimated that up to 70 percent of Italian wintertime visitors to Cortina do not ski.) “Cortina has long been known as a jet-set destination,” John continued, “though it’s a place where the famous can go and maintain a level of privacy. If Europeans want to show off, they go to St. Moritz. That being said, Cortina is a fashion show of sorts. One person is better looking than the next. The scenery is spectacular on the mountain and on the Corso Italia, a pedestrian zone known for its restaurants and boutiques.”
But for a moment, back to the slopes.
Though skiers have schussed around the valley of Cortina since the turn of the last century (and tourists have come for almost another century), the region did not gain international exposure until 1956, when the VII Winter Olympic Games were held here. (The games were initially slated to be held in Cortina in 1944, but the war intervened.) Financial shortfalls in preparation for the games prompted organizers to seek corporate sponsorship, setting a precedent that would become as much a foundation of the Olympics as the Giant Slalom. Today, the fifty-plus lifts around the town’s center serve some ninety miles of on-piste terrain; if you’re adventurous enough to rent a car, you can access eight other resorts and over seven hundred miles of terrain throughout the Dolomites for roughly the cost of a week’s ticket at one resort, through the Dolomiti Super Ski Pass.
“Cortina came to the attention of Americans after the ’56 Olympics, though I think it may be better known to a younger generation as the location of some of the scenes from the Sylvester Stallone film Cliffhanger and the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only,” John continued. (In the latter case, it was the site of the famous stunt scene where assassins riding spike-wheeled motorcycles pursued 007 across the slopes.) “As affluent as the clientele at Cortina are, I find it a down-to-earth environment. And since so many of the Italian visitors don’t ski very much, American guests will find the slopes uncrowded—and frequently sunny. Four out of five days have clear skies.” (Some joke—or at least half-joke—that the average Italian ski day begins at eleven A.M., and consists of one run to a mountainside restaurant where a large lunch washed down with a few glasses of wine is consumed. Lunch is followed by a nap in the sun and then a short run down to one of the grappa bars in the village.)
The terrain at Cortina is spread among four areas around the Ampezzo Valley. These include Faloria-Cristallo-Mietres, Tofana-Socrepes, Cinque Torri, and Lagazuoi. (You cannot ski from one area to the other, though they are connected by lifts or shuttle buses.) Each is distinct. You’ll find the region’s steepest trail at Cristallo in the shape of Forcella Staunies, which launches skiers/riders with a slope of 65 percent and continues through a narrow gorge bookended by cliffs. The exhilaration of the pitch is only enhanced by spectacular views across the Dolomites and down to the center of Cortina. Tofana is the highest point at Cortina, reaching 10,640 feet. “On a clear day, you can see Venice Bay,” John added. Beginners and intermediates will find numerous runs here; advanced skiers will want to head to the Socrepes area, where more challenging terrain awaits. Cinque Torri, while a bit smaller than its counterparts, tends to have the lightest crowds.
Lagazuoi is at the end of the valley, and is home to one of Cortina’s signature trails—the Hidden Valley run. A cable car takes you along a cliff face, where observant eyes will spy windows—entries to a series of tunnels leading to observation posts and gun stations from World War I. (At the time of the war, Cortina was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; the village was abandoned by the Austrians when Italy joined the conflict in 1915, but battles ensued in the mountains through 1918.) The trail itself rolls five miles through a quiet valley far removed from the hubbub of Cortina proper, past towering cliffs and sparkling frozen waterfalls, en route to the village of Armentarola. Near the midway point, you may opt to stop for lunch at Rifugio Scottoni. (The mountains around Cortina are dotted with fifty such chalet-style shelters—rifugi—where meals and simple lodging are available. Meals here almost universally exceed the overcooked and overpriced fare found at many resorts.) You’ll need to hop a bus to get back to town at the run’s conclusion.
For something a bit different, visitors have the option to combine downhill skiing with a little history on the Great War Ski Tour, which takes you on an eighty-kilometer journey (via bus, lift, and slopes) through the old battle zone. The tour includes the Hidden Valley Run.
JOHN FRASCA is the president of World on Skis (www.worldonskis.com), a full-service ski vacation planner offering domestic and international ski vacation packages, as well as customized ski packages that encompass all the elements of your dream ski vacation.
If You Go
Getting There: Most visitors to Cortina will fly into Venice, which is served by many international carriers. It’s a two-hour drive from Venice to Cortina.
Season: Cortina is open from late November through mid-April.
Lift Tickets: Day tickets begin at 38 euros; multi-day tickets are available. Details are available at www.cortina.dolomiti.org. Many making the trek to Cortina will purchase the Dolomiti Superski Pass (www.dolomitisuperski.com), which gives you access to twelve areas in the region. Cortina is geared toward more-casual skiers/riders. Terrain is rated as 50 percent beginner; 35 percent intermediate; 15 percent advanced.
Accommodations: The Cortina tourism website (www.cortina.dolomiti.org) lists a variety of lodging options in this popular Italian resort area.
