The South Tyrolean border resort: Alta Pusteria/Hochpustertal (South Tyrol region)

A South Tyrolean masterpiece tucked up near the Austrian border but still in the Dolomites.

There are seven mountain villages here with their own ski fields above, and there is also bus access to Cortina and the rest of the Superski region.

The biggest linked area is above the two largest villages, San Candido and Sesto. You’ll be heading for Monte Elmo to get the widest spread of runs, and using the gondolas to hook up with other areas to search out runs up to 5 kilometres long.

There is a downhill run from Monte Elmo (or Helm – don’t forge this is bilingual land), dropping a vigorous 500
metres in just 1.5 kilometres on the way to Versciaco. The other villages have their own small areas, which beginners will get straight to grips with. Stepping up a notch are the wooded trails running down from the
Rotwand Wiesen area above Sesto. If the snow’s called, get those legs pounding and head up above the Monte Elmo top station to find an extra couple of hundred metres and, over the back, a rack of north-facing runs into Austria.

Exploring around the Tre Cime will produce worthwhile returns though you’ll be hiking hard to get them. And if you’re into the flat stuff, then there’s more than 200 kilometres of crosscountry skiing
to be had.

www.altapusteria.info