Intro by Theresa Fugger
Winter season 2019/2020 is on. Numerous ski destinations have opened their trails for everyone who can’t wait to get back on skis. Finland, Germany, Norway, Czech Republic, Sweden, Austria, Russia, Switzerland … - everywhere in Europe new ski trails open on a daily basis. Some ski destinations have already hosted the first competitions of the year and also Visma Ski Classics Season X already kicked off the past weekend in Italy with the Pro Team Tempo and Prologue in Livigno.
While ski enthusiasts can already train in Livigno since a few weeks, another Italian ski resort has now opened too: Fiemme Valley. Due to heavy snowfalls within the past few weeks, the cross-country ski center Passo di Lavazè already offers 15km of pure ski pleasure. Amongst other organizations, “Cross Country Ski Holidays” is promoting various ski destinations in Europe and here is a report written by a visiting ski tourist in Fiemme valley.
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For this year’s holidays, my friend Julia and I decided to go and visit the renowned Dolomites. We both have always dreamed about visiting those famous peaks and watch them glow in the evening sun during the Alpenglow. Since we like to spend our winter holidays on cross-country skiing tracks, it had to be a region with a good infrastructure for cross-country skiers. In order to find the perfect destination, we visited the website of “Cross Country Ski Holidays”. They are experts on cross-country skiing in the Alps and thus the perfect platform for some research.
Based on their recommendations, we booked a room in the hotel Jochgrimm. It lies 2000 meters above sea-level, between the peaks of “Weißhorn” and “Schwarzhorn”. Due to the high altitude we can be sure that there will be enough snow for cross-country skiing.
But there is something even more special about this hotel. It is a member of “Cross Country Ski Holidays” . This means that it offers services like lockable ski rooms, a waxing corner and an info corner. In this case the hotel is also only about 200 meters away from the next ski school and rental service. This comes in especially handy when you don’t want to bring your own equipment to your holiday destination
Our first cross-country skiing tour in the Dolomites starts at Passo Lavazè. While our hotel is situated in South Tyrol, the mountain pass already lies in the province Trentino. The high plateau around the mountain pass is a perfect area for cross-country skiing. The breath-taking mountain panorama reaches from the mountain Ortler to the main chain of the Alps and further to the nearby Rosengarten group.
We decide to go for the 8.8 kilometres long “Liegalm” trail. Bluebird weather makes this high altitude track and its surrounding landscapes and views even more exciting. After this tour we are still motivated for another one. So, we decide to go and try the “Auerleger” trail. It has almost the same length as the first track, but there are more meters in altitude we have to master. Due to the beautiful surroundings, the physical exertion is not as exhausting as our bodies try to tell us. However, after those two tracks we need some rest, so we decide to return to our hotel.
Back at the hotel we take advantage of the spa area. There we can choose between sauna, Turkish bath and infrared sauna. While sweating, we discuss tomorrow’s sport programme. We both agree on driving down to the valley in the morning and to skate through the Fiemme Valley. There the temperatures should be a bit warmer.
The next day, we and our cross-country skiing equipment visit the valley. We decide to take the renowned “Marcialonga” trail. The “Marcialonga” is a cross-country ski race and is part of the Visma Ski Classics series. The track runs across the whole bottom of the valley from Predazzo to Molina di Fiemme. We start in the village of Panchià. From there, the track leads uphill to Ziano di Fiemme. Our movements are right on point and each pole push makes us slide faster over the trail. We reach Predazzo, the finish of the ski marathon Marcialonga Light.
After a short break, we decide that we have enough power left to skate to the Fassa Valley. There is a slight uphill section until Moena, the starting point of the marathon. If we would skate on until Canazei, we had the possibility to experience the Dolomites at close quarters. But our muscles are starting to get tired and so we decide to return. This time the trail leads downhill towards Panchià.
After only two days, Julia and I are already astonished by the variety of trails in the Fiemme Valley. It is a true paradise for cross-country skiers. Whether you come here for training or you decide to come with the whole family: there is certainly the right track for you.
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There are many different experiences in Fiemme Valley. Here you can find more information about the Val di Fiemme region and “Cross Country Ski Holidays”.
