guided mountain adventure
One of the most interesting and memorable ski tours through the dramatic Dolomite mountains. Ski touring amidst truly spectacular limestone scenery!
Renowned as one of the most stunningly beautiful mountain ranges, and the location of the line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces during the First World War, the Dolomites also offer dramatic ski touring to match. This tour includes many of the best descents in the area: long runs down remote valleys, dominated by the towering limestone cliffs that characterise the region.
In the Dolomites the ski touring is just part of the fun - a holiday here would not be complete without making the most of the wonderful local cuisine and culture! We chosen a mix of charming small hotels and huts, specially selected with this in mind to ensure a fantastic trip.
What our clients say about our Dolomites Circuit Ski Tour
"Fantastic time, I love ski touring now. Guido and Olly looked after us really well & the rest of the gang were good company although am sure Kirsty & I annoyed them with our constant chatter. We are already talking about our next trip! No complaints except it went too quickly."
"The trip was fantastic. Guido and Olly were very professional and good fun. We always felt safe as well as being given great skiing and ski touring experiences."
"I am now hooked on ski touring and for that matter Mountain Tracks. If in the future I want my kids to stretch themselves and their skiing or for that matter take up climbing you will be my first port of call."
| Dates | Accommodation | Price | Availability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sat 08 Feb 14 - Sat 15 Feb 14 |
7 nights |
£1,145 |
Day 1
Arrive in Cortina. Meet up in the early evening with the guides and the rest of the group and stay overnight in Cortina.
Day 2
Warm-up day using the lift systems around Cortina. Transfer to the Rifugio Lagazuoi by cable car.
Day 3
The group will ski down to the Capanna Alpina and from there skin up to the Rifugio Fanes where you spend the night.
Day 4
From the Rifugio Fanes we do one of the most spectacular day ski tours in the region up to Castelletto, one of the towers that make up the Tofana di Rozes. We return via a similar route to the Rifugio Fanes and ski down until the Rif Pederù. From there the Sennes hut is a couple of hours away.
Day 5
After a short climb ski down until the Val di Braies Vecchia. 2 hour skin to the Rifugio Pratopiazza.
Day 6
Another classic day ski tour to the Picco di Vallandro. We return via a similar route to the Rifugio Pratopiazza where we stay for a second night.
Day 7
Leaving the hut we ski over the Monte Specie and enjoy a long ski down until Carbonin. From here we get the bus back to Cortina where you return to your first hotel for the final night.
Day 8
Departure after breakfast.
We will make every endeavour to carry out the above itinerary but alternations may have to be made owing to weather and snow conditions.
The price includes 6 full days guiding fees & expenses, 2 nights B&B hotel accommodation in Cortina and 5 nights half-board during the tour.
The price does not include equipment hire, personal insurance, uplift costs, local transfers, travel to/from Cortina, 2 evening meals, lunches and beverages
On this tour we will ski one day around the Cortina ski area and there will be 2 bus journeys during the week. We estimate these will total approx. 40 Euros per person. These expenses are not included in the cost of the trip and will need to be paid for locally.
All our ski tours are led by our team of IFMGA Mountain Guides. The team is led by Olly Allen, Matt Dickinson and Nick Parks. The maximum ratio for this tour is 6 skiers with 1 guide. The minimum group size is 4. The maximum is 12 with 2 guides.
Accommodation will be a mix of mountain hotels and traditional alpine rifugios with some nights in twin rooms and other nights in dormitories. Food is always excellent and the huts serve wine and beer.
It is possible to leave your luggage in Cortina whilst you are in the mountain huts as you will return there for the final night.
You should aim to arrive in Cortina sometime in the afternoon on the first day. There will be an initial briefing with your Mountain Tracks guide on the first evening around 7pm. This is an opportunity to meet the guide and the rest of the party, to discuss the plans and objectives for the trip and to ask any questions you may have relating to the itinerary.
The nearest airport is Venice. Easyjet fly there from Gatwick. The transfer time to Cortina is approximately 3 hours. There are train and bus options for the transfer to Cortina and if there are 4 of 5 of you arriving in Venice at a similar time you may want to hire a car as this is usually cheaper and more convenient.
What our clients say about our Dolomites Circuit ski tour
"Fantastic time, I love ski touring now. Guido and Olly looked after us really well & the rest of the gang were good company although am sure Kirsty & I annoyed them with our constant chatter. We are already talking about our next trip! No complaints except it went too quickly."
"The trip was fantastic. Guido and Olly were very professional and good fun. We always felt safe as well as being given great skiing and ski touring experiences."
"I am now hooked on ski touring and for that matter Mountain Tracks. If in the future I want my kids to stretch themselves and their skiing or for that matter take up climbing you will be my first port of call."
I can ski red and black runs on piste without a problem. I am new to off piste skiing or maybe I have skied a little on the sides of the piste, or even attended a previous off piste specific course. I would like to ski powder snow with confidence and learn to link turns off piste. Learning to vary turn radius and control speed is an important goal. Gaining confidence in a variety of terrain would move my skiing to the next level.
I have at least a couple of weeks off piste skiing experience and/or received some previous instruction on an off piste specific course. I can link at least 8 – 10 turns together in reasonable control, speed and style, following the fall line in most snow conditions. I would like to improve my skiing in deep powder, heavy crusty snow uneven terrain and trees. I am happy to hike or ski tour for short distances to get to the best snow and terrain. I aspire to ski fluidly off piste and to ski steeper slopes. At this level all ski tourers must have some previous experience of using a touring set up, skinning and kick-turns.
I am confident skiing challenging terrain and steeper slopes. I can sideslip forward and backwards, side-step up and downhill and traverse steep slopes with no problems. I am happy to ski tour and hike for 1 – 2 hrs to reach the best snow and terrain. I aspire to ski the best snow available, push myself to ski steeper slopes and extend my ski touring experience. At this level all ski tourers must have some previous experience of using a touring set up, skinning and kick-turns.
I can ski fluidly and autonomously on all terrain. I often ski couloirs and gullies and seek out steep slopes to ski. I can jump turn in narrow couloirs and have experience of abseiling and side-slipping on steep terrain. I dream of skiing powder snow, I can ski fast, fluid “freeride” style turns, I can jump off small rocks, ski trees and challenging terrain with no fear or problems. I will often hike and ski tour to reach the best snow and terrain. I am familiar with using ice axe and crampons and some basic rope techniques. My aim is to push my skills and challenge myself further.
This is an extensive list of the recommended clothing and equipment you will need if you are coming on one of our Alpine Ski Tours.
During the tour you will be staying most nights in catered high mountain huts and will need to carry all the equipment and clothing you require for the duration of the tour. The huts are comfortable but basic with limited facilities – running cold water, European-style toilets, dormitory-style accommodation. All the huts provide ‘hut slippers’ – these days they are usually crocs - and so you will not need to carry additional footwear.
Any clothing or other items not required on the tour can be left in a travel bag at your first hotel ready for your return on the final night.
We recommend keeping the weight of your pack as light as possible. If you are new to alpine multi-day ski touring, try taking your pack out on the slopes before the tour to see how it feels. You quickly realise the benefit of ‘skiing light’.
If you are uncertain or need further information, don't hesitate to contact us.
When choosing clothing for ski touring you want to think lightweight, comfortable and versatile. During the trip weather conditions will change and you’re likely to go from icy-cold mornings when you’re wearing everything to keep out the chill to warm afternoons where you’ll be carrying most of your gear in your rucsac. Getting hold of the best and lightest kit available is always worth it and most of the major brands have suitable clothing for backcountry skiing.
to include warm hat and sun-cap or wide-brim hat for extra protection from the sun. Although we do recommend helmets for off-piste skiing, for ski touring they are not essential and actually can be a hindrance – they are hot, heavy and you can’t hear very well when wearing it
a light, stretchable tube. Excellent despite the name!
made of breathable material (Gore-tex or equivalent) with an excellent hood. The lighter the better and so a shell is recommended rather than a padded jacket and you supplement this with some good quality thermal base and mid layer tops following the principle of layering – i.e. allowing you to easily add/remove layers depending on the temperature and the activity
For the lower half it’s essential that you have a pair of thermal base layer pants (longjohns). These can then be combined with either
in a goretex fabric (such as the Berghaus Couloir pant) or
together with a pair of lightweight, breathable overtrousers with long side zips
Very popular at the moment are the wool based layers from companies such as Icebreaker and Smartwool. They are comfy, breathable and warm when needed and can be worn for days without your friends catching a whiff!
2-3 thin fleeces rather than fewer thick layers between your skin and the outer shell
an approach which gives better heat retention and good flexibility
good quality goretex gloves or mitts and a thin pair of softshell gloves for when it is hot and for skinning in
if you feel the cold
Investing in good quality ski socks will improve fit, warmth and feel when skiing for long periods. Bring along a few pairs
a light and comfortable shirt to change into once you get to the huts. Most huts sell their own t-shirts, so save weight and have a souvenir at the same time!
For our alpine ski tours we recommend an all-mountain touring ski that isn’t too heavy. A really lightweight ski comes at a cost to performance on the descents so are only recommended for really good off-piste skiers with a strong interest in ski touring.
There are plenty of great skis to choose from and here are 4 recommendations
a light touring ski which skis well in all conditions, 80mm underfoot
very easy to ski, lightweight for the uphills! 80mm underfoot
a very light uphill ski for expert ski tourers, 75mm underfoot
a good all round touring ski, 88mm underfoot
If you are planning on buying skis for ski touring and general skiing then these are great recommendations. If you are going to be renting skis then these models are not always available in every shop but you will be able to rent something similar by another manufacturer that will work just as well.
Garmont and Scarpa lead the field in touring boots and we recommend
Lightweight Touring Boots (ideal for good skiers)
both 3 buckle boots which are light but good to ski in
very light, great to walk in but you lose a bit of performance - dedicated tourers only!
top choice! Awesome performance for skiing and pretty light. Particularly suitable for a narrow foot
this is the very light, 3 buckle version and is equally good to ski in but 400g lighter
Heavier Ski Tourers
both great downhill performers but not that light – ideal for fit but less adept skiers!
again both great downhill but rather heavy for the uphills
These days many manufacturers offer ‘thermo-fit¹ liners as standard equipment. You may also want to consider a custom liner. Heated and moulded to your foot and boot for a perfect fit, they can make all the difference especially if you have trouble finding really comfortable ‘off-the-shelf¹ boots. Zipfit liners are a great option for anyone seeking total customisation in fit and comfort. They will replace the original liner.
Fritschi lead the way here with their Diamir bindings, Marker have produced 2 touring bindings the Duke and the Barron which both work very well but are quite heavy. Many more people are seeing the advantage of the Dynafit “pin” binding system; they are very light, offer excellent security despite their minimalist looks!
We recommend telescopic poles. They must have wide powder baskets (4-5 inches/100-120mm diameter) otherwise you’ll be up to your armpits on the ascents. Go for an alloy rather than carbon poles which are lighter but have a nasty habit of snapping near the basket due to ski edge nicks.
cut to fit exactly to your skis. Bring some duct tape in case of sticking problems
general lightweight mountaineering / alpine pick, keep it short (50cm)
lightweight aluminum alloy crampons are suitable for this tour and are a great weight saver compared to steel crampons
most ski touring bindings have ski crampons specifically designed for the binding.
a simple lightweight harness. The key feature should be that it has fully adjustable leg loops for putting on over ski boots and crampons
most of our guides use and recommend the BCA Tracker although other digital models are entirely suitable
now compulsory in most huts
good quality with a lens for low light is essential in the event of snow and poor visibility
good quality with 100% UV protection
35-40 litre (2100-2400 cubic inches) with straps for carrying skis
we don’t recommend hydration systems (e.g. camelbak) in winter as they have a tendency to freeze
with small personal first aid items ie any medications, wet wipes, blister kit. The guide will carry comprehensive set for all other needs
Most huts have limited washing facilites
lightweight and carry spare batteries
optional. Your guide will have these
with a large capacity memory card
most hotels, shops and restaurants accept credit cards, but not the alpine huts. You should allow about 25-30 Swiss francs or €15-20 per day for lunch and drinks
for gear that is not required on the tour – can be left in your first hotel and collected on return
Please note that your guide will have a few “spares” and other saftey items that he or she will ask the group to carry between them; so leave a small space in your sack for an item e.g. spare skin, spare ski pole, emergency shelter
The Dolomites are a part of the Italian Alps. They are located in equal parts in the provinces of South Tyrol, Belluno and Trentino (all in northern Italy) and extend from the Adige river in the west to the Pieve valley (Pieve di Cadore) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Pustertal (valley of the Rienz) and the Valsugana.
The region is commonly divided into the Western and Eastern Dolomites, separated by a line following the Badia valley - Campolongo pass - Cordevole valley (Agordino) axis. The range includes more than forty glaciers.
The Dolomites are particularly renowned for climbing and the main centres include Auronzo, Cortina d'Ampezzo and San Martino di Castrozza.
The name "Dolomites" is derived from the famous French mineralogist Deodat de Dolomieu (1750 -1801) who was the first to describe the rock, Dolomite, a form of limestone which is responsible for the characteristic shapes of these great mountains.
250 York Road, London
SW11 3SJ, United Kingdom
info@mountaintracks.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8123 2978
Fax: +44 (0)20 7905 0921
