Civetta - Alleghe: Ski area guide

Monte Civetta and the longest wall in the Dolomites

Monte Civetta is one of the most imposing mountains in the eastern Veneto. Its north-west face stretches for almost four kilometres and rises 1,200 metres from base to summit, one of the largest vertical rock walls in the Alps. Climbers simply call it ‘the wall’, as if there were no other.

In winter, with snow settling on the ledges and cornices building along the summit ridge, the view from Alleghe and from the slopes is one you will not forget.

The ski area at the foot of the mountain takes its name from the peak, but its base is Alleghe, a small village on the shore of the lake of the same name. Its 80 km of runs, part of the Dolomiti Superski network, lie on true Dolomite terrain, with enough vertical and variety to suit a wide range of skiers.

Lake Alleghe and its history

Alleghe is one of the most photogenic villages in the Belluno Dolomites, partly thanks to the lake in front of it. Lake Alleghe is not a natural lake in the usual sense. It formed in January 1771, when a huge landslide broke away from Monte Piz and dammed the Cordevole river. The water that built up drowned the old village.

The remains of that village still lie on the lake bed. It gives the place a melancholy sense of history, heightened on still days when Monte Civetta is reflected in the water.

In winter the lake partly freezes. A walk along the shore in the evening, with the floodlit slopes in the background, is one of the loveliest things to do here away from the pistes.

Real Dolomite skiing without the crowds

Civetta is part of Dolomiti Superski and shares the ski pass with Alta Badia, Val Gardena, Cortina and the other areas in the network. Unlike the big names, though, it stays much quieter. Lift queues are rare even in high season, you do not have to book the mountain huts, and there are few enough skiers on the slopes to give you real freedom of movement.

That does not mean it lacks challenge. Some of the black runs in the Alleghe sector, especially the steep runs down to the valley, are demanding and need solid technique. Dolomite terrain, with its bumps and changes of gradient, rewards a clean, adaptable style.

Slopes and off-piste

The mix of difficulty is well balanced: plenty of blue runs for beginners and families, a good number of reds for intermediates who want to clock up the kilometres, and a few technical blacks in the highest part of the ski area.

After a big snowfall, tree skiing off-piste, especially around Col dei Baldi and Piani di Pezzè, offers good opportunities for experienced skiers who love untracked powder.

Snowmaking covers the valley sections and the most critical links, so you can ski all the way down even in winters with below-average snowfall.

Getting there

• From Belluno: about an hour up the Cordevole valley on the SS203 and SS203dir.
• From Venice: the A27 motorway to Belluno, then as above, about two hours in total.
• From Cortina d’Ampezzo: 45 minutes on the SS48 over the scenic Falzarego Pass. In winter you need winter tyres or snow chains.
• From Bolzano: about two and a half hours via the Gardena Pass and Arabba.