Let me guess- you have the Ikon pass? We already have so much in common. This February I ventured out to Italy to ski the newest addition to the Ikon family. I couldn't find the comprehensive guide I wanted before my trip, so consider this a gift to my past self. Where shall we begin?
the resorts
The Dolomites Super Ski area is comprised of 12 resorts that are ALL CONNECTED. Somehow this information was lost on us as we planned our trip and we thought we would have to drive to different resorts. You will, however, want a car to get here. Unlike Zermatt, there are no nearby train stations. If you're not super skilled in manual cars, pay the premium for an automatic rental because the roads to get here are curvy as a hot girl.
We stayed at the Alta Badia resort, specifically Hotel Serena, which was absolutely adorable but a bit out of the way for technical skiing. I would recommend Alta Badia if you have children/beginners in your midst. When I come back, I will stay in one of the resorts located along the Sellaronda.
What's the Sellaronda you ask? A 40km ski circuit that loops around the center of the Dolomite ski area. It's an all-day adventure but any competent skier can (and should) accomplish it. Staying in Val Gardena or Corvara will put you right on the route and save you an hour of taking gondolas from the outside resorts.
Once you've gotten the Sellaronda out of the way, you can spend the rest of your ski days relaxing. Well, actually, you'll also need to go to the Marmolada side. As far as groomed terrain goes, this area was more technical than others. It's home to the highest, and longest ski run in the Dolomites. Unfortunately, we had poor snow conditions for our visit, but word on the street is that the Marmolada/Arabba side gets the best powder and has incredible off-piste areas. And as an added bonus for my fellow history nerds- the Marmolada glaciers were used in WW1 to host hundreds of soldiers inside ice tunnels.
Now that you know where to ski, it's time we discuss what to eat.
the apres-ski scene
As a Utah-trained skier, apres-ski is not my specialty, I'll admit it. But it's hard to avoid drinking an Aperol Spritz on every corner, nor should you. We were amazed by how affordable the food was compared to our Utah resorts.
We booked a place that included breakfast and highly suggest you do the same. We had a whole buffet of fresh fruits, meats, cheeses, and the sorts.
Now that you're all full, how shall we spend the evening?
NIGHTLIFE
If you want to party, go to Zermatt. That town is always alive and there are so many other young tourists and workers willing to drink the night away. Alta Badia, on the other hand, was not the scene for nightlife. We spent our evenings in the hotel sauna and drinking wine on our deck. With a view like this, we didn't miss the nightlife:
You've done it. You've earned it. You are ready to go! Enjoy your trip and drink as much Aperol as your body will allow.
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