Powdery Snow and fun Ski-Slopes
The skiing areas belonging to South Tyrol are, in fact, well-known for being somewhat easy-going and idyllic. But you won’t merely find wide, highly prepared ski-runs for easy swinging and agreeable carving. If you prefer something steeper and sportier, and love extreme slopes and terrific deep-snow variants, you’ll be in the right place. Where? We’ve filled out a list for you. Demanding descents and delightful off-slope stretches. Classics and secret tip-offs.
The Southern Tyrol’s Sportiest Descents
- Trametsch (Brixen) At 9km and an altitude of 1400 metres, the valley descent from the Plose is the longest ski-run in the Southern Tyrol. There may well be steeper and more spectacular ones, but its many curves require so much technique and stamina, that you could easily miss the marvellous view of the Eisack Valley. –Valley Station: St. Andrä near Brixen.
- Herrnegg (Kronplatz) Once upon a time, it was the neighbouring Sylvester Descent that was the Kronplatz’s top ski slope. These days it is the relatively new Herrnegg, that was part designed by former skiing star Bernhard Russi. Really steep with passages with a max. 68% gradient. After 5km and an altitude of 1320 metres, even experts’ thighs start to tremble. Valley Station: Reischach
- Rotwand Meadows (Sexten) The Holzwiese descent in the Rotwandwiesen skiing area near Sexten is a real tip-off. And it’s a test of courage, for it includes the steepest descent in the Southern Tyrol, with a gradient of a proud 71%. Altogether, the Holzwiese is 700m long at an altitude of 300m. Valley Station: Moos near Sexten
- Raut Slope on the Helm (Sexten) This stupendous descent on the north side of the Helm skiing area near Sexten in the Hochpuster Valley, is still fairly new. Perfect, demanding carving slopes that, after 1.9km and an altitude of 560 metres, end up at the Valley Station in Vierschach. Valley Station: Vierschach.
- Gran Risa (Alta Badia) The famous World Cup slope in La Villa is a classic. Where the pros battle out the Super-G in December, you can swing down on the trail of Maier and Miller. Steep and generally extremely well-prepared. I.5km, altitude difference 644m. Valley Station: La Villa.
- Mittags/Mezdi Valley (Dolomites) The ultimate free-ride and tour-descent. From the mountain station of the Pordoi cable car, you go up a little way on foot until you are swinging down through the narrow valley at an altitude of 1300 metres as far as Kolfuschg. – Valley Station: Pordoipass
- Pordoischarte (Dolomites) Undoubtedly the most spectacular free-ride descent in the Dolomites, it begins quite harmlessly. For the first few metres, you are swinging down a gentle slope from the cable car mountain station to the entrance, then it gets super-steep down to the Pordoijoch, situated at 700 metres below – Valley Station: Pordoipass
- Saslong (Gröden) One of the great classic world cup downhill runs. From Ciampinoi, you go up 3.5km and 840 metres in altitude as far as St. Christina. What is impressive, is not only the max. 57% gradient, but especially the famous camel’s hump and the Ciaslat Meadows, that are a real challenge, even for the best downhill skiers. – Valley Station: St. Christina
- Schmugglerabfahrt “Smugglers’ Run” (Schnals Valley) Just as the slopes up in the glacier area of Schnals are easy-going, so is the 8km long valley descent tough, with a great number of varied and highly demanding passages. For the altitude of 1200 metres to Kurzras, you really need to conserve your strength. Valley Station: Kurzras
