UNFAIRLY UNKNOWN: CIVETTA SKI RESORT – DOLOMITI SUPERSKI
The Dolomiti Superski consists of twelve ski areas (which sometimes also consist of a number of small areas). In this series I highlight the most unknown of those areas. Not because I find them pathetic, but because they deserve attention.
More.
Ski Civetta is located on the east side of the Dolomiti Superski. Not very easy to reach from the highway, and therefore perhaps less frequently visited. It is not because of the ski area, I think. The ski area has 80 kilometers of mainly blue and red slopes. It is draped on the flanks of Monte Civetta.
However, this mountain is not the only thing that determines the panorama. Monte Elmo is in constant view of approximately half of the slopes. On the other side, where the long valley descent view beneath the steep walls of Monte Civetta swing through the trees to the village of Alleghe, you have a view of Lake Alleghe. A beautiful picture.
Slow down.
Rest is the magic word in this area. Not that there are only flat slopes or something. In fact, the mainly red valley runs to all sides invite you to good speeds. Broad and well-prepared, long and well-arranged. There are indeed wonderful blue “cruise” slopes, which give you time to enjoy those beautiful views.
That peace is mainly due to the lack of people on the slopes. This is partly due to the many tow lifts in the area. The capacity is just not that big, so not many people can be transported to the slopes. Empty beautiful slopes so. You can go ahead in peace. Even the villages of Zoldo and Pecol, which lie on the nevertheless lively valley of Selva di Cadore, do not cause crowds.
All sides.
The ski area extends to all sides. To the west the descents above Alleghe (with the impressive Civetta and the lake in the background). To the east the delightful red racing tracks to Pecol. If you take the connecting blue slopes to the south, you will come to the quiet side of Zoldo. Especially drag lifts and an old, charming two-seater. But here again great slopes. You have the idea that you are somewhere else. The only one in the world sometimes.
You will also find skiers in this area. Not that snowboarders are actively excluded, but the many drag lifts and the fairly flat connecting slopes do not invite boarders (so flat that you as skier do not have to make turns and sometimes need some jabs with your poles).
Although the area “only” has 80 kilometers of slopes, it looks much larger because it really consists of that different part (which are nevertheless well connected, within a maximum of two lifts and descents you are in another part).
Actually quite central
If you do not think about “how the hell do I get there from the Netherlands” but take the area of Civetta as a starting point, then you soon notice that you are very quickly in a number of other Dolomites areas. From an Alleghe, a charming village on the lake, taking the car, you are quickly in Malga Ciapela (access to the Marmolada), Arabba (and Sella Ronda), Cinque Torri, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Falcade (Passo San Pellegrino). So actually quite centrally located between those other beautiful ski areas.
Civetta itself, I think, offers more than enough variety, adrenaline, tranquility, space, views. But if you still get greedy and want more, there is everything beautiful in the neighborhood. If you manage to pull away from the complete package that Ski Civetta actually is.