Cortina d'Ampezzo picture Credit - D G Bandion
A decision by the people of Cortina d'Ampezzo at the weekend will open the way for one of the longest, and most unusual ski trips in the world – staying on piste and ascending with ski lifts.
Attendees of a public debate and vote on whether or not to connect two of Cortina d'Ampezzo's three main, separate ski areas, voted in favour of installing lifts to join the Tofana ski sector above the famous ski town to the more distant Lagazuoi-5 Torri sector, currently linked by a ski bus service.
The connection will be internationally significant for several reasons, but for skiers and boarders staying in Cortina it opens up the enticing possibility of being able to ski for many miles from the resort centre as far as Val di Fassa and Val Gardena without needing to take their skis off, except to cross the odd road or ride up in a cable car to make connections.
That's because Lagazuoi lies at the start of one of Europe's great ski runs, the 'Hidden Valley' descent, an 8.5km groomed red-blue grade run that descends towards Val Badia and the Sella Ronda, a giant circuit of lifts and runs around the Sella Massif stretching for nearly 40km/25 miles and linking the ski areas of Alta Badia, Val Gardena, Arabba and Val di Fassa among others. Altogether some estimate there are around 500km of linked runs in the region – second only to the 3 Valleys in France.
Another unusual fact is that the final connection between the bottom of the Hidden Valley run and the Sella Ronda at Armentarola is made by a unique horse powered 'drag lift' available at a 2 Euro supplement to your lift pass.
Altogether connecting the two areas may make an area of some 580km, all included (along with as much again in other sectors) on the Dolomiti Superski pass. It will be a one way trip from Cortina however, as there's no lift back up the Hidden Valley route, a bus or shared taxi (6 Euros each) service is available for that.
The decision is so new that the timetable for lift construction has not yet been agreed or the longest trip possible on the route measured, but a Cortina Tourist Office spokesperson said that given a fair wind, the lifts could be operational by next winter.