3 Zinnen Dolomites in brief

Visit 3 Zinnen Dolomites for relaxation, super steep runs, the Giro delle Cime tour and ice stick shooting.

Skiing in 3 Zinnen Dolomites

3 Zinnen Dolomites is the destination to head to if you want a quiet, relaxing ski holiday in the popular South Tyrol region. The resort is the gateway to the Sesto Dolomites (also known as the Sextner Dolomites), a less frequented part of the Dolomites that is something of a secret among skiers in the know.

With 93 km of piste (120 km taking turns into account), there’s more than enough skiing to satisfy skiers of all abilities. The ski areas of Monte Elmo and Croda Rossa were recently linked by two new lifts for the first time via the Orto del Toro mountain to make it easier for skiers to enjoy as many pistes as possible.

Monte Elmo is a family-friendly ski area that can be accessed from Sesto and Versciaco via a panoramic cable car. It has over 20 km of ski runs including the longest run in Alta Pusteria, Monte Elmo-Versciaco, which is 4.8 km long. The newer Rautpiste run is 3.8 km and takes skiers to the Lärchenhütte refuge.

Croda Rossa has 17 km of piste and 3 lifts and is accessible via two funiculars from Bagni di Moso. The ski area is popular with families thanks to a 5 km adventure toboggan run and a fun park for both skiers and snowboarders.

One of the main highlights, however, is the black Holzriese run, which is Italy’s steepest piste with a gradient of 71% - so it’s most definitely not for the faint-hearted! There are plenty of great runs for less experienced skiers, too, ensuring groups of skiers with mixed abilities can all have the best possible ski holiday in the Sesto Dolomites.

Orto del Toro is a relatively new addition to the ski region and offers amazing panoramic views of the Sesto Dolomites from an altitude of 2,100 m, including a fantastic vista of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

The Orto del Toro cable car on the Elmo-Sesto slope lets skiers either go to the slopes of Mount Elmo or head to Croda Rossa. The Orto del Toro slope has a gradient of 27% and a width of nearly 37 m.

The Monte Baranci ski area has 8 km of slopes, mainly blue and red runs, which are at an altitude of between 1,175 m and 1,610 m.

There’s a 2 km long run that travels down into the valley and a children’s playground, snow park and tobogganing facilities. Cross-country skiing enthusiasts can enjoy 6 km of well-groomed trails.

The small village of Sexten has two ski areas, Helm (the biggest) and Rotwand, incorporating 2.5 km of two blue and two red runs. A dog sledding race takes place in the area each year and there are special events for New Year’s Eve. This area is ideal for a quiet family skiing holiday.

The Dobbiaco/Toblach ski area at 1,256 m has 4 km of blue and red runs, with the longest being 1.5 km and the most popular being the Trenker piste. Cross-country skiers can follow trails that take them through a scenic lakeside setting and the children’s park is handy for families.

In the Braies ski area, there are three runs totalling more than 3 km in length, including 1 blue and 2 red runs. The area gets good amounts of sunshine during the day and is particularly suitable for families and groups thanks to its easy skiing.

Val Comelico has around 11 km of runs and is ideal for expert skiers. The pistes comprise 2 blue, 1 red and 3 black runs, with the longest being the 4.4 km blue Campo run. Skiers can enjoy amazing views of the Cadore Valley and can easily get to the ski area from Croda Rossa via the Passo di Monte Croce.

If you fancy exploring the Dolomites on skis, it’s worth looking into the Giro delle Cime tour, which takes skiers on a 34 km journey around the region from Versciaco to Val Comelico and back again via a circular route. You can also hop on a train to the Plan de Corones ski area for access to 200 km more pistes.

Photo credit © DSS/Christian Tschurtschenthaler