robertdeeley

I am interested in picking up a rental car in Bolzano and driving to Cortina for a few days of skiing the end of this month. Can you tell me the driving time from Bolzano to Cortina.

Thank You

dln

Go to www.mappy.com. You will get toll information, gas costs, mileage, driving time, etc. It's a very handy site to know about.

Steve_James

Robert - It depends which route you take.

The quickest in winter will normally be the Val Pusteria route via Dobbiaco. I think that would take about 2.5 hours if there's no snow.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

frankdaddy

Steve

You seem to know a lot about Cortina. Can I ask you some questions about Cortina. Do I need to get a guide to do the Sella Ronda? I asked about the cost of a guide and it is 70EUR per person. Is that necessary? I will need to get back from the trip. What refugi's do you recommend for lunch? What other day ski trips should I take with my family. We are intermediate and novice skiiers. Are the slopes rated the same in Cortina as they are in the states. Is intermediate really intermediate or is it more challenging in Italy for the reds or Intermediate slopes? I would like to go to Val Gardena do you recommend. Please let me know how I can pick your brain about Cortina

Dayle

Buona Sera Frankdaddy,

I'll butt in here since I am a die hard skier who lives in Park City, UT. We skied Cortina few years ago and had a great time. Here are my opinions.

No, you don't need a guide to ski the Sella Ronda. The route is well marked, orange signs in direction and green ones in the opposite. You can go either way. We started/finished in Arabba. Can't say why, that's where our chartered tour bus (ski club trip) took us. The route goes through Val Gardena and you do ride the "antica" single chair!

Only go if it's a beautiful day. The main reason is the scenery! Awesome!

Your family should be intermediate skiers, able to ski varied conditions on ungroomed slopes. I don't know what month you plan to go. We went in mid-March (end of their season). Conditions varied (during the week) from snowing at the highest areas to slushy, big moguls, to icy in spots, to mud in Cortina. The route takes all day, so your family should also have some staying power. If they can't last all day at a US resort, they may not last on this route.

Another route we loved was the Paso Val Zarrego, about 17 miles down valley and you can take a taxi home. Fantastic.

Hopefully Steve has more info for you.

Buon viaggio!

Steve_James

Frank - I usually stay in the Val Gardena or Val Badia areas rather than Cortina - so Dayle can give you better tips than me on Cortina, I think. He can give you better ski info too - I'm not a skier.

I don't believe there is a ski-bus service from Cortina to the Sella Ronda circuit - so you might need to join a ski-club organised excursion to Arabba (or Corvara) like Dayle did - or go by taxi.

As for refuges for lunch on the Sella Ronda tour, the ones I know are on the Val Gardena side above Selva - DANTERCEPIES and CIAMPINOI.

As I recall the food is similar (- don't expect cordon bleu ).
Both have great views - Dantercepies is more panoramic, Ciampinoi gives you a close-up of the Sasso Lungo.
There's also an awesome view from the top of the SASS PORDOI lift.

.....

Besides the Sella Ronda, I would certainly recommend a day in the Val Gardena/ Siusi area ... IF you can get there.
But that could be a problem as there's no DIRECT skibus service.
(And it's 50 km each way - so maybe further than you want to go for a day-trip.

The Val Badia is closer and just as scenic, so that would be a good alternative. Head for the CORVARA area.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Dayle

Hi again Frankdaddy,

I believe there are regular buses that could get you to the smaller towns to ski both routes. We took a regular bus from Cortina to Paso Falzarrego. When we got tired of skiing, several of our group shared a taxi back to Cortina. It was a breeze.

Have fun!