The head ski guides day off, and

instead of doing his washing, hes

skiing the Sella Group with its
62 /ITALY/DOLOMITES dramatic Dolomites backdrop.
63

Between rock
faces and
beautiful places
The first thing you notice IN CONTRAST TO THE CRAGGY PEAKS and
sharp ridges of the European Alps or the Rocky
marble, and so when skiing amongst it its not
unusual to see fossilised molluscs and the like
about the Dolomites Mountains, the Dolomites present a rugged, protruding from fragmented rock faces.
Mountains of northern haphazard array of monolithic blocks, fractured
faces, blunt spires and high, snow-laden valleys
As a long-time visitor and part-time ski guide
for Sydney-based Dolomites Ski Tours Ive
Italy is that theyre like no and chutes. In 2009 the region was listed as a
witnessed many Australian skiers and boarders
UNESCO World Heritage site.
other alpine destination. This mountain chain represents one of the come to this part of Italy for the first time. Most
worlds largest exposures of dolomite rock; the are hardened campaigners with many seasons
calcium-carbonate-based rock from which it of Colorado, Canada, France, Austria and Japan
words & photos: PHIL DOYLE derives its name, dolomite thats been heaved under their skiing belts. Typical descriptors
from ancient seabeds by major geological events. that fall out of their mouths upon arrival are
Dolomite is a cousin of both limestone and spectacular, stunning and beautiful.

Sunrise from Lagazuoi peak, an overnight safari stop for Dolomites Ski Tours.

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Downtown Whistler.
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/ITALY/DOLOMITES
< The sometimes-crumbling faces
of the Dolomites add a touch of
intimidationto that chute youre
eyeing off.
< Glorious Alta Badia ski area; the
mountains in the distance mark
the border with Austria.
Many skiers arrive in the Dolomites Mountains
late on a Saturday afternoon, so they often
witness the late-afternoon sun weave its
colourful magic on the sleepy peaks. The mostly
grey and ochered peaks of the Dolomites are
suddenly red, orange and even purple.
As a ski guide, its satisfying to observe the
looks on skiers faces the following morning
as we rise the 1000 vertical metres from
the village of Campitello (in our 120-person
gondola) to the top of Col Rodella (2440m).
When you clip into your skis, you quickly
discover the tall, breathtaking Sassolungo
(long rock) to your left and gaze across
seemingly endless strings of ski runs, ski lifts
and mountains.
This vantage point is just one of the many
spillways into the world-famous Sella Ronda
Atop Belvedere ski area, with the distinctive
<
Sassolungo mountain across the valley
ski circuit, a mouth-watering tour of as much
as 75 kilometres. Its also the entry point to
the Dolomites 450 ski lifts, 45 resorts, 12
valleys and 1200km of groomed trails.
But theres a lot more to the Italian Dolomites
than geological curiosities. Sydney-based
Dolomites Ski Tours has been running tours
to the area for 32 years and has clients who
claim eight to 12 consecutive years visiting
the region.
They says its the long runs, the ultra-modern
lift system, the spectacular alpine scenery, the
quaint villages, the delectable food, the local
wines and remarkable value-for-money the
Dolomites offers that keeps them coming back.
Want to know more? dolomitesskitours.com.au
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