The Skiing in depth

Cortina features prepared skiable kilometers enough either on its own, or as part of the super Dolomite ski pass. There is so much that there is no possible way you could cover the whole thing on a weeks' ski vacation. I mean we are talking Big and we are talking Challenge. For the sake of ski description convenience, lets cut Cortina neatly into two halves. One, the Olympic ice rink half, and the other...well the other is not the ice rink side, is it? .

Now that we have got that established let me inform you here and now, that the ice rink side is not for beginners or the faint of heart. Here you will find some of the most challenging skiing in Europe. Here you will find slopes which are guaranteed to tax even the best of you, with some areas not even offering a "breathing spell" area which normally allows you to regain confidence. You get the message? It's hard.

To find the hardest bits take the Col Druscie cable car, and go in the opposite direction to the crowds. To find the easier (relatively speaking) decents, better to follow the majority lead. There is still hope even if you are of limited, but some, talent. There are enough "moderate" trails to allow you to glide back down again without turning your hair grey.

There is some superb skiing for intermediates from Tofana at 3243 M. and here skiers of relatively limited ability should find a place to shine. But beware, even here can be quite challenging when the trails are icy and carved into difficulty by a crowd of skiers.Perhaps the skiing at the Pomedes might be more to your liking.

And here at over 2,000M, dare I say it, is even some pretty easy skiing. The Duca D' Aosta provides both intermediate and easier skiing all the way down to Lacedei just outside the village, and if you do not want to venture up any cable cars in the first place the skiing around Pocol is a beginner's delight.

A little out of the way as the ski flies is the skiing around Lagazuoi. However if you get there you are in for a real treat. Not only is it the entry point to Arabba via the Passo Falzarego, it is also home to some pretty forgiving skiing and some memorable views.

The other side (not the ice rink) is a different matter altogether. Here most of the slopes are of decent intermediate standard, and there are also some areas which are suitable for novices. Here is where you will find a lot of the beautiful people, who, naturally enough, can not do much posing if they are frozen with fear with their skis flapping in the breeze on Col Druscie.

There is an ample amount of red and blue terrain to allow recreational skiers the opportunity to enjoy these dazzling surroundings without being frozen in fear, and Cortina is much the better for it. This however is not to say that there is no challenging terrain on this side of town, there is. You can, if you like take the cable car to Forcella Staunies at just about 2,500m.

This area, accessible from Son Forca, at 2,200M or so is narrow and tricky, but oh, so nice if you are up to it. In the general area of Misurna you will find a host of good intermediate runs in wide open spaces that afford some superb vistas of The Dolomite range. The easiest skiing is around the Col Tondo, Mietres and Pierosa areas at about the 1,700M level. The main skiing at the intermediate and more challenging levels here will be reached by the cable car to Faloria.

Again a little farther afield, but still in the Cortina area is the Monte Agudo area, skiable to around 1,600M. This is an ideal spot for recreational skiers as well and even provides some limited space for beginners. There is also some forgiving terrain around S. Vitto Di Cadore which if conditions prevail will appeal to the less experienced and confident skier.

This whole mountain terrain is peppered with on mountain restaurants and great places to have a break or a meal, and it is this aspect which gives skiing in Italy a lot of its appeal.