Ortler Ski Traverse

Known as more of a “skier’s traverse” than a “ski touring” traverse because of the abundance of good ski descents and the fact that we start out quite high on a gondola in the quaint town of Sulden / Solda. This town is both our start and ending point and is situated right below the mighty Ortler Peak which gave the range its name. The Ortler Range boasts some of the largest glaciers in the Eastern Alps with peaks rising to 3900 meters (12,800 ft). The trip is also of interest from a cultural and historical view, as we travel both through the German speaking South Tirol and the Italian speaking Trentino and Lombardia Provinces. The front lines of WW1 ran straight across the highest ridgelines with remnants from the war still visible high on the glaciers today.

What also puts this trip ahead of many ski traverses in the Western Alps is the high standard of the huts. While located well above tree line next to the glaciers, the huts always offer excellent food, beer on tab and often double or 4 bed rooms with showers / toilets down the hall. Of course the landscape is breathtaking and the descents are long. Most runs are northerly aspects which preserves powder well into May.

Custom Booking

Custom Dates Available

Just let us know what dates will work for you and we'll put together a custom package.

Fine Print:

A $1500 deposit is due upon booking
The final payment due 60 days prior to the trip
Trips subject to 5% GST
We highly recommend Travel & Medical insurance
Be sure to look over our Booking Policies
Participants will be required to sign a Waiver

Itinerary

April 16: Meet in Munich (still finalizing the details here), review equipment before hitting a beer garden or exploring town and working on our jet-lag

April 17: Travel to our hotel in Sulden / Solda, Bolzano, reachable by train from Munich in about a half day.

April 18: Breakfast at the hotel before taking a Gondola ride to the Schaubach Hut, then a chairlift to the Madrtischjoch at just over 3,100 m. It is a short climb to the Hintere Schoentaufspitze followed by a descent to the Zufall Hut (Rifugio Nino Corsi, 2,265 m) for a short break. From there, a well-trodden track leads in about 1½ hrs to the higher Marteller Hut (2,600m). Time and fitness allowing an ascent of the Cima Marmotta (3,330 m) followed by a fun, north-facing run back down to the hut for lodging and dinner is an option.

April 19: Climb the Monte Cevedale (3,760 m) and descend the Cedec Glacier, then re-ascend steeply to the Monte Pasquale Col (and take a short side trip to the summit) and descend straight down to the Branca Hut which is famous for its great food and ambiance, one of the reasons why we will stay there for three nights.

April 20 & 21: Day trips from the Branca Hut, which offers many excellent options including ascents of Pizzo Tresero (3,550 m), Punta San Matteo (3,680 m), Monte Cevedale (3,760 m) or Palon del Mar (3,690 m). The Branca Hut is one of the very best bases for day trips in glaciated terrain in the eastern Alps, offering plenty of northerly-aspect skiing, which tends to preserve good powder snow well into the spring.

April 22: Move to the Pizzini Hut (2,700 meters) via a steep climb to the Cevedale / Pasquale Col (3,430 m) followed by a climb of Monte Pasquale (3,553 m). We can choose between a rewarding descent down the north-facing Cedec Glacier or take more mellow terrain in the Cedec Valley. The latter would give us the option for afternoon skiing around the hut. The Pizzini Hut has a great sauna – towels provided!

April 23: Climb via Casati Hut (with the option to ascend Monte Cevedale (3,780 m)), then to the Sulden Spitze (3,200 m) and descend (eventually on the ski runs of the resort) all the way to Sulden to our hotel.

April 24: Breakfast at the hotel before heading our separate ways. I plan to catch a train to Venice and fly home from there.