Skiing The Sella Ronda

A Guided Tour of The Sella Ronda Ski Circuit

The Sella Ronda is a circuit of trails in The Dolomites region of South Tyrol which forms part of the border between Austria and Italy. Originally, not much more than muddy tracks which the locals used to travel between four valleys, it is now a well-known circuit of ski trails linked by lifts which ambitious skiers attempt to complete in a single day.

This is the picture postcard village of Colfosco in the Dolomites with the Sella massif as its backdrop. This beautiful image can be purchased as a poster from Allposters

Diary Extract

Day 1

“Sunday February 7, 1988. Venice.

We left reasonably early and hit the road to the Dolomiti. For much of the way it was raining and misty but even so as we got closer to the mountains the scenery became more and more spectacular. We stopped for lunch inside the car due to the rain and then continued on. As we travelled further north the villages became more and more Austrian in appearance with wide rooves and painted house fronts. We found the road that travels alongside the autobahn okay and travelled along it via Bolzen to the turn-off for Ortisei or St Ulrich. In this area not only are all the town names and shop signs in two languages but the street names as well. After the turn-off we had 13 kilometres of steep winding road until St Ulrich and the amount of snow on the ground was increasing but it still didn’t look promising. We arrived in St Ulrich and had just asked our way in a petrol station when a big Merc pulled in and blocked our way. We had found our relatives.”

The Sella Ronda Area

Val Gardena and the Sella Ronda are located in the North of Italy near the Austrian border within the region of The Alps known as The Dolomites. Use the navigation buttons to zoom out and locate the region within Italy, or zoom in to get a closer look at individual villages.

Arriving in Val Gardena

Rifugio Franz Kostner – Südtirol, Italy
by AdventureTravelArt

See more Vintage Skiing Posters

We were fortunate enough to be invited to stay as guests in a pensione in St Ulrich, which is also known as Ortisei, by relatives who were there on a ski holiday from Germany. We were the only guests in a picture postcard setting and were immediately welcomed like a family member by the hostel owners. The guesthouse was warm and bright and situated only a short drive from our skiing. We returned at the end of each day to lovely hot showers, home-cooked meals and snug beds. This is where we first encountered Tiramisu!

Click Here to see a great selection of Dolomites Accomodation

Accommodation in The Dolomites

Everything on Offer is Like a Picture Postcard

This is just one of the delightful Dolomites Chalets available
as accommodation in the Dolomites area.

Diary Extract

Day 3

“Tuesday February 9, 1988. St Ulrich.

We awoke to blue sky and sun. The view from the pension is superb. Firstly we went in to town to buy a few things before heading for the snow. In town (and others that we went through later) there are snow sculptures and ice formations. Apparently this is an annual competition held in December and January. After judging the sculptures remain until the weather gets the better of them. We have never seen anything like them before. One was of figures on bicycles! We parked at the base of a gondola at a place called Wolkenstein. If yesterday’s scenery could in any way be improved on it was here today. At one point we traversed an area called Steinstadt (stone city) where the landscape was covered in weird mounds. In some places the tops of huge boulders showed through the snow. The enormous rocky peaks are always above and around as you ski. On some lifts as you ascend it seems impossible that there will be a way down, but on reaching the top all of a sudden there opens before you a beautiful run leading to another lift. For lunch we skiied down to a small hut perched on the edge of a saddle that dropped away into a beautiful valley with more spectacular sun-drenched mountains in the distance. We had “Spiegeleier and Speck mit Bratkartoffel” for lunch. The girls had hot Advokaat and milk to drink while the men downed Schnapps.”

Starting The Sella Ronda

Several Choices for Starting Points

Alta Badia Meadows by AdventureTravelArt
Find more small canvas prints at zazzle.com

You can join the Sella Ronda at one of the four villages in its path: Selva di Val Gardena, Corvara, Canazei, Arabba. You can choose to traverse it clockwise or counter-clockwise. The circuit is approximately 40 kilometres in total including lifts and trails and can be easily completed in a day provided the weather is fair, you are relatively fit and you ensure that you reach the last lift by 3:30pm.

We would be starting at Selva di Val Gardena, the closest village to our accommodation and had decided to take the anti-clockwise route for no particular reason. If time allowed, we could do the opposite run another day!

Essential Skiing Guide Books

Also Make a Great Keepsake Reminder

The Linde Werdelin Ski Guide Italy (Linde Werdelin Ski Guides)

Skiing Europe: Tread Your Own Path (Footprint Handbooks)

Along The Trail

Dolomiti mountains, the Alps by beautifulclicks
See other Dolomiti Posters

We awoke that morning to bright blue skies and warmer temperatures than the last few days. The air was still and crisp and we knew that today was the day we would ski the Sella Ronda.

We reached the first lift, Ciampinoi cable car, early and had only a short wait to get on. We had been told to start before 10:00am to give ourselves plenty of time to complete the circuit. It is estimated that the runs going counter-clockwise usually take around one and a half hours but we allowed ourselves longer. The lifts in total take around two hours.

We were unprepared for the simply breathtaking scenery we encountered while traversing the circuit. At times the feeling is literally of being on top of the world looking across a sea of white, broken by massive chunks of grey stone. As we descended the mountain this was replaced by alternating forest scenes and vistas above picturesque villages.

Useful Sites For More Information

Click Here to see the Val Gardena Ski Tracks map.

Click Here to see the complete Sella Ronda Diagram

Click Here to see more information on the two circuit options.

A Camera Is A Must For The Sella Ronda

The panoramas experienced on the Sella Ronda will take your breath away and the photo opportunities abound. You'll want to capture every detail.

Nikon COOLPIX L24 14 MP Digital Camera

Sony W800/B 20 MP Digital Camera (Black)

Sustenance and Refreshments

Scattered across the mountain there is an abundance of bars, restaurants and cafes collectively known as “Rifugi” These range from simple rustic inns to top-notch restaurants but they all have one thing in common: good food. They are also a welcome break from the rigourous challenge of the circuit.

Check out the amazing Baite Saslonch Hütte overlooking the Ciampinoi alpine pasture.

Another interesting experience was encountering, out in the middle of the piste, a man selling shots of Williams, a pear schnapps, from a wooden fruit crate.

Protect Your Eyes From Extreme Conditions

From Blinding Glare Reflection to Bitter Cold Winds

It might be fine, clear and sunny down in the valley when you start out but conditions can change rapidly. Having a good pair of ski goggles with you will be the difference between endurance and misery if the weather turns ugly.

Oakley Ambush Snow Goggles

Giro Station Goggle

 

Where Is Your Favourite Winter Destination?

What is your most memorable winter vacation?

I would dearly love to return one day. Sadly, as I get older and my body starts to complain more it is looking less and less likely but the memory of this is experience is certainly one I will treasure.

He Hails From Snowy River

We were loaded up and ready to hit the road by 8:30. The road from Talbingo to the Selwyn Skifields begins with a sudden, steep and winding climb ascending rapidly from 400 to 1000 metres above sea level in just a few kilometres. The next 500 metres in altitude are gained in a far more leisurely 30 kilometres or so through open expanses of scrubby landscape. We begin to see patches of snow by the side of the road gradually increasing to full cover the higher we climb.

The roadside signs warn not only of kangaroos, emus and wombats, but of horses as well. Of course, the Snowy Mountains brumbies are legendary and there has been debate in recent years over their future. Some environmentalists are concerned about the impact these much loved animals are having on fragile eco-systems. Others have a more sentimental view of their presence, seeing them as inextricably linked to our colonial heritage. Of course, we weren't expecting to see any. Our experience has always been that we never see the wildlife indicated by the warning signs. And then there they were! Dots in the distance. First one. Then three more. By the time we pulled over to the side of the road we could see two small herds about 200 metres away. A truly memorable start to the day.

Wild Brumbies along the Snowy Mountains Highway

Next stop the skifields!

Submerged

It's school holidays and we had nothing planned. The girls are quite happy just to hang out at home being very lazy or catch up with some friends watching movies. And then it snowed. It didn't snow near us but close enough that we could get there in a day. We hadn't taken a snow holiday in many years and the girls had only been on skis once before. So we decided to book a short break.

We had no particular destination in mind. The ski season had started late this year. The opening weekend saw no snow at all and the resorts were beginning to get a bit desperate four weeks later when a sudden change in weather coincided with the beginning of the school holidays. I jumped online and literally grabbed the first available accommodation that fitted our price range.

Talbingo is about five hours drive from our place and an easy 40 minutes from Selwyn Skifields in southern New South Wales. The town is little more than a tourist park, some cabins, a small country club, half a dozen shops and Talbingo Lodge where we would base ourselves for the next three nights. The original town lies beneath the lake that flooded the valley during construction of the Snowy Hydro-Electric Scheme. This old photo shows the original pub which now lies submerged beneath the lake. Another historic building lost to progress was the Lampe Homestead, the birthplace of acclaimed Australian author Miles Franklin.

Our accommodation consisted of a single room for the four of us with bunk beds. The bathroom facilities were shared and meals were taken in the downstairs bar and bistro. Most of the staff at the lodge at the time we stayed were young travelers. We met a mixture of English, Canadian and French nationals during our stay. Our host, Dave is very friendly and the atmosphere at the lodge is warm and welcoming. One word of warning, the bar and bistro serve the entire town so on busy nights it's a really good idea to get your dinner order in ahead of the rush. Our order went missing one night but the staff were extremely apologetic and presented us with a complimentary bottle of wine to make up for it.

Our short stay in The Snowy Mountains continues here.

Awesome Vacation Ideas

A World Of Vacation Ideas!

With so many amazing destinations on this incredible planet of ours, it can be difficult deciding where to spend your next vacation. Will you laze on a beach somewhere? Take a cruise? Base it around an activity like skiing? Or golf? Yes but where? Travel organisations around the globe have wised up to our more discerning requirements for travel stimulation and packages abound devoted to a miasma of micro interests.

It would be difficult for me to drill down to just one favourite destination. I have had some awesome travel experiences in many different places. Carnevale in Venice in a freezing cold February, a ski holiday in Czechoslovakia (before the division) when there was no snow resulted in a trip into Prague on the day that the Czech people reclaimed their democracy. But I have a very soft spot for France and Provence in particular 

This image of the old University mill on the Fyris River in central Uppsala, Sweden is used under a Creative Commons licence from Wikimedia Commons

Stonehenge Over-rated? Grand Canyon Over-crowded?

Alternative Attractions That Are Off The Beaten Tourist Trail

 Off the Tourist Trail: 1,000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives
If you are looking for alternatives to the well-known and often over-rated "tourist traps" this book takes 1000 popular sites and offers alternatives based on popular themes such as Ancient & Historical Sights; Festivals & Parties; Great Journeys; Natural Wonders; Beaches; Sports & Activities; Art & Culture; and Cities. Accompanied by beautiful photography this beautiful book will have your bucket list filled in no time

Travel News

The latest news from the world of travel. 

 

Take An Invigorating Short Break Or A Life-Changing Excursion 

Destinations

Deciding Where To Go

What kind of traveller are you? You will more than likely fall into one of the following travel categories. Cheap As Chips. The budget traveller is no longer an over-looked consumer in the travel market. Marketers now recognise their value as a significant component of a country's export economy. They choose to stay in down market digs but they spend a far greater time in a country than the majority of package tourists thereby contributing more to the local economy. This beautiful photo of sunrise in Fiji can be purchased as a poster from Zazzle

Fraser Island Airways Mousepad by ElleDeeEsse
Browse more Fraser island Mousepads

Two Weeks A Year. Whether due to demands of your job, time restrictions around family commitments or financial limitations, having only a limited time in which to take a vacation means careful consideration of how to make the most of that time. You may enjoy the simple life and return each year to a favourite camp-site or tourist park where you can be sure of seeing the same familiar faces. Many will have pored over tourist brochures for the past year and be ready to hop on a plane to an anticipated resort with nothing to do except get to meals on time. Two weeks is a perfect time to take that adventure holiday you've always wanted to - skiing in Japan, golf in Florida, scuba diving in The Seychelles. Or just packing the car and taking a road trip. Options are endless even if time isn't.

The Once In A Lifetime Grand Trip. Whether it's a gap year, after retirement or somewhere in between this is probably the most exciting of all travel experiences. It's never a single experience but a whole lot of experiences strung together like pearls on a beautiful necklace. From planning to budgeting, deciding on destinations, style of accommodation and how to get around the opportunities for disasters are numerous. This type of trip can be minutely organised by a tour operator or taken as a freestyle DIY excursion. Lay It On Me And Spare No Expense. For the fortunate few for whom money is no object, there are some extraordinary travel experiences to be had. The creativity surrounding the luxury end of the travel market is expanding constantly with new opportunities being added all the time.

 

KimGiancaterino -

"Just finding time to travel is hard any more. My husband and I sneak in a few road trips, but someday we hope to take a proper vacation again."

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Let You Boast About Your Travels 

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Understand And Respect Local Etiquette

Getting Along With The Natives

To really make the most of your travel experience you should try and get involved with the local people. Don't just be a sightseer. Immerse yourself in the culture as well. There's nothing more rewarding than an invitation to share a meal in a family home. But things can go bad very quickly if a gesture or comment is regarded as an insult.

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Modesty And Gender interaction In Egypt

It is very important to understand how to dress and interact with members of both the same and opposite sex when in Egypt. Know when to cover your head or remove your shoes, when to shake hands or offer a kiss.

Alcohol And Social Customs In The United Arab Emirates

The UAE is a Muslim country but on the whole, very tolerant recognising the wants and needs of its tourists as well as its large expat community. There are still, however, a number of rules and customs which should be observed to avoid mishap while travelling in this part of the world.

Destinations

Deciding Where To Go

Summer Palace, Beijing, China

If you are a budget traveller then typically you will have a swathe of destinations in mind. There are ways to narrow down your list by ascertaining what kind of traveller you are. What are your interests? What kind of food do you love? Or hate? You'd probably want to think twice about going to India if you're not a fan of curries. Consider countries where your funds will go farthest. Think about the exchange rate from your local currency. There may be times when it is better to avoid a region if the exchange rate is particularly poor. How well do you cope in stressful situations? How would you manage if faced with a dangerous situation? Find out the political situation before you go. How well do you know the language and if not, how well can you manage with a phrase book? Will you manage in a situation where there is no possibility of language translation?

Image credit: this is one of my own photos from my trip to China

Interesting And Unusual

If You're Looking For Something A Little Out Of The Ordinary

Just because a location is well travelled shouldn't put it on the crossed off list but there are certainly some destinations which have appeal simply because of their uniqueness. Take for example, Jellyfish Lake in Palau, one of the truly unique and amazing wonders of the world and swimming with its harmless inhabitants is an awesome experience. Palau is an island nation located in the Western Pacific surrounded by The Phillipines to its west, Guam to its North East, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Find out more about Jellyfish Lake

Find out more about Palau

Interesting and Unusual

Brand New Travel Experience For The More Discerning Adventure Traveller

Due to open in early 2010, this Fijian resort offers a whole new travel experience for elite travellers. Located 40 feet underwater, the world's first seafloor resort offers guests incredible luxury combined with an amazing water world experience. As if the accommodation experience isn't enough, there is also a range of unique activites to choose from such as pilotting a personal Triton submarine, or kitting out in a hi-tech diving helmet with surface supplied air and walk along the lagoon floor. Posidon Underwater Resorts will begin taking reservations on September 15.

Find out more about Poseidon Underwater Resorts

Get Ready To Trek

Grab Some Great Travel Gear And Get Packing 

When choosing luggage consider the type of vacation you will most likely use it for as well as how you will get around. These two-piece sets consist of a medium size suitcase and a carry-on bag.

 U.S. Traveler Fashion Zebra 2 Piece Carry-On Luggage Set (Purple Zebra) American Flyer Quattro 2 Piece Luggage Set - Black US Traveler Rio Two Piece Expandable Carry-On Luggage Set, Green, One Size

Top Travel Tips

Useful Sites For Travel Advice

The Times: 50 Essential Travel Tips

This is a must read. Broken down into the sub-categories of Planning, Booking, Flying, Lodging, Cruising and On The Ground. Topics include negotiating discounts on room rates, how to make your flight more comfortable and checking for bedbugs.

How-To Handbook

More great tips - research is everything!

Funding Your Trip

Ideas For Working Overseas

There are many ways to earn money as you travel. It pays to check on the rules concerning working in the country you are visiting before you go. Visit or contact the consulate and find out about work visas. Many working abroad programs will arrange the visa for you once you have been accepted into their program. If you have teaching, nursing or secretarial skills your qualifications will be well regarded in many countries. One idea is to teach English as a foreign language.

In Praise Of The City Of Angels

One Of My Favourite Places

Los Angeles is a city that often divides people - they either love it or hate it. I have to admit I rather like L.A. The first time I was there I had broken my ankle two days before arriving, on the road trip down from San Francisco. It was the seventies and I fell of my platform shoes. What struck me was the friendliness of everyone we encountered. I was seventeen and travelling with my parents on our first trip overseas. We visited all the usual haunts, Disneyland, Universal Studios. one of Los Angeles's hospitals to get my cast put on, you know, standard tourist places. I met my childhood penpal for the first time. The second time I visited was with my husband on his first visit to the US. We flew in from London and this time, twenty years after my first trip Disneyland had much better attractions. No that's not the only reason to go to Los Angeles but you have to admit, if you are going to go it's hard to ignore going. My penfriend was now married as well and living in a granny flat in her parents backyard with her husband and his two kids. Not only did they welcome us into their home, they gave us the use of their car as well. Los Angeles is not a city of beauty but it is a city of colour. The best way to learn her secrets is with the help of a local and if you can do that you will discover a warm and friendly city, not the one most visitors first encounter.

RubyHRose - "I love California, and L.A. does have some awesome tourist attractions, but it isn't my favorite Cali destination. I keep going back there to find one, I love them all so far. Mount Shasta I love in the Summer, Malibu in the Spring and Lake Tahoe in the Winter. Thanks, this (page) got me planning a sunny Cali vacation again."

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