3 Cime Dolomiti: Ski area guide

A ski area built around an icon

Few ski destinations in the world have such a recognisable backdrop. The 3 Cime Dolomiti ski area, spread between Sesto, San Candido and Monte Elmo in the upper Puster Valley, has the rare privilege of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo as a permanent backdrop to its runs.

Cima Grande (2,999 m), Cima Ovest (2,973 m) and Cima Piccola (2,857 m), perhaps the most photographed Dolomite towers in the world, can be seen in full from many points in the ski area. This view has made the area famous among climbers, photographers and skiers worldwide.

The area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, as part of the listing of the Dolomites as a whole. Skiing here means moving through a landscape with the highest international recognition for its natural and geological value, and many skiers feel that clearly once they are here.

The sectors

The 90 km of runs are spread across several distinct areas linked by the lift system.

• Monte Elmo, above San Candido, is the main sector and the easiest way in. From its high plateau there is a 360° view over the surrounding valleys and the Sesto Dolomites.
• Croda Rossa-Baranci, reached from Sesto, adds variety with some good black runs for experienced skiers.
• Versciaco-Prato Piazza completes the system with slopes suited to families and intermediate skiers.

The runs are generally well groomed and managed, with snowmaking on the links between sectors. The mix of difficulty is balanced: a good number of blue runs for beginners, mostly reds for intermediates and a few technical blacks for those who want steep gradients.

The link with Austria

One of the most interesting things about this ski area is the cross-border link with Sillian, in Austria’s East Tyrol (Osttirol). This is not just a commercial deal between neighbouring ski passes: you can ski from the Italian runs to the Austrian ones, which makes 3 Cime Dolomiti one of the few ski areas with an international link you can use directly on the slopes. If you like the idea of skiing in two countries in one day, here you really can.

The ski area’s pass includes Sillian, and the operators on both sides of the border work together to keep the link open when snow conditions allow.

The upper Puster Valley and Tyrolean culture

The ski area lies in South Tyrol (Alto Adige), a region with a strong cultural identity, mainly German-speaking, with well-preserved Tyrolean food and architecture. The villages of the upper Puster Valley, San Candido (Innichen), Sesto (Sexten) and Dobbiaco (Toblach), feel different from the ski areas further south in Trentino. The mountain huts serve Kässpatzen and Schlutzkrapfen, medieval Romanesque churches dot the valleys and daily life runs with the quiet order typical of Austrian-rooted alpine communities.

San Candido has a railway station, reached from the Brenner line via Fortezza and Dobbiaco, so you can get here without a car. That is a real advantage on busy weekends, when traffic in the Puster Valley can be heavy.

Getting there

From Bolzano, the A22 motorway takes you into the Puster Valley, with the exit for San Candido about an hour away. From Innsbruck the journey takes about two hours via the A12 and the Brenner Pass.

By train, the Brenner railway (changing at Fortezza for the Puster Valley) links San Candido with Bolzano, Trento, Verona and, to the north, Innsbruck. SAD buses connect the villages of the ski area with the lift stations throughout the winter season.