There are several different ski areas to access from Val Gardena. The Sella Ronda is a world-famous skiing circuit circling the Sella massif. It’s a great fun skiing tour with breathtaking views of the Dolomites, 26km of slopes and great mountain huts – all accessed with a single Skipass. Sella Ronda is accessible via Selva, S. Cristina and Ortisei. The circuit can be easily completed in a day, though it can get busy, so we recommend starting out early.
The Saslong is one of the great legends of alpine skiing. Each year, a few days before Christmas, it provides the setting for one of the world’s most well-known downhill skiing events. Wide, well-groomed pistes invite you to follow in the tracks of skiing legends, such as Bernhard Russi, Hermann Maier and Bode Miller, over the famous “camel humps” and the Ciaslat, ending at the valley station of Santa Cristina. With a total of 3.4 km and an altitude difference of 839 meters, this one is a must – and thanks to well-groomed pistes it’s not just for expert skiers either.
The wide, open pistes of Col Raiser/Seceda (2518 meters) can be reached by cablecar from Ortisei or S. Cristina and boast amazing panoramic views of Val Gardena and the Sassolungo, Sassopiatto and Sella peaks. Grödnerjoch and Dantercepies are part of the Sella Ronda Circuit, but they can also be approached on the Dantercepies cablecar up from Selva to Passo Gardena (2,121 meters).
Good skiing for beginners can be found at Biancaneve, Larciunei, Risaccia, Plan da Tieja, Monte Pana, Palmer and Alpe di Siusi. Intermediates should start off at Col Raiser or Piz Sella, and experts can head straight for Saslong, Seceda and Dantercepies. Snowboarders should avoid Alpe di Siusi and Piz Sella, or at least be aware that there are several flat areas to contend with.
Off-piste in Val Gardena
Val Gardena is not the place for off-piste skiing. Due to the nature of the terrain there are very limited back-country areas and in many places it is strictly prohibited.
Ski passes in Val Gardena
The Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi skipass is valid for a total of 79 lifts and 175km of ski runs in Val Gardena as far as Passo Sella and Passo Gardena, and also on Alpe di Siusi. The Dolomiti Superskipass is the mega-pass for the whole of the Dolomites. This skipass is valid on 450 lifts and cableways, giving access to almost 1220km of slopes, including the famous Sella Ronda and many other Dolomite ski tours. This skipass is sold for 1 to 28 days or for the whole season. Both are discounted by 30% for under 16s and children under 8 go free.
Snow parks in Val Gardena
There are several decent terrain parks in Val Gardena. You’ll find them at Piz Sella, Passo Sella and in Alpe di Siusi.
Ski Schools in Val Gardena
You’ll have no trouble finding a quality ski school in Val Gardena. Ski School Selva is great for kids and has four different age ranges from 4 up to 21. Group sizes and instructors have been reported to be very good in the school’s adult classes also.
