Sheila's Blog: Skiing in the Dolomites: Nature's Greatest Masterpiece

Due to an air traffic control strike planned to start at Verona Airport at 1 p.m. Tui brought forward our flight from a reasonable hour to a 5.55 a.m. departure! Well done Tui you arranged for us not to miss a day of our skiing holiday.

The drive from Verona Airport to Selva Val Gardena made up for the very early start. Road tripping through Northern Italy is a bucket list experience. From vineyard-lined lanes to winding mountain-top passes, a road trip from Verona to the Dolomites is one of the most scenic drives in Europe. Especially if you go via Lake Garda.

Located in the eastern Italian Alps the Dolomites span from South Tyrol to Trentino - a place where Italian and Austrian culture blend effortlessly. You'll see signs in both languages, menus with gnocci and schnitzel, and people speaking German, Italian and Ladin.

But the real story? These cliffs were once ancient coral reefs, millions of years ago, submerged under the sea. The sea retreated, the Earth shifted, and now we get to ski on the remnants of prehistoric ocean floors, high in the sky. Amazing.

Our hotel for the week was the Serena. A great hotel in a perfect location. It's a small, quaint, traditional family run hotel with comfy rooms, friendly service, good food and is immediately adjacent to the slopes making for a terrific, good value holiday. It is ski in and ski out which was a criteria for me and close to the town and buses for Tina who wasn't skiing due to a knee replacement. The Mussner family and their daughter, Mikaela were amazing, helping with all enquiries and nothing was too much trouble. We particularly liked the carved wood ceilings and traditional furnishings along with the personal service. Excellent ski boot room literally five metres from the slopes! And the skiing is brilliant with direct access to the Sella Ronda. The jacuzzi, steam room and sauna were great after a hard day's skiing.

And the view from our balcony

And the view from Stuart and Tina's superior room

Skiing is living. Regardless of age, skill, style, and background, the simple act of skiing down the hill brings joy. But in my 70s I am not going to ski the way I did at 20 or 30. I'm not going to go as steep, or as deep, or as big. I'm not even going to ski as fast, or as long. But at my advanced age just being out there is remarkable. But I love to watch the unbelievably strong skiers who appear to be on average somewhere between puberty and drinking age! My body remembers millions of turns - decades of deep powder, slushy spring moguls, miserable ice, and bruising crashes. I suppose my eyes and my feet are becoming limiting factors, my vision on low visibility is a challenge and my feet have gnarly bunions and I've gone from twinkle toes to crinkle toes. But all skiing is good skiing. I LOVE sunny days. I started skiing at age 12 and am now 73. I have had the joy of teaching my children and then my grandchildren. I used to be "sweeper" skiing last in the line to help the little ones.

The aging process does weird things to the mind. Today, in my dotage, when confronted with a steep pitch full of knee-high, well-rounded moguls, I go around. The mind is willing but the body says "Hell no". However, I find myself taking in the vistas around me. There's not a photograph that does justice to the majesty of snow-covered mountains. There's nothing like breathing in the cold, crisp air while giving your thighs a breather and admiring the work of Mother Nature.

However, Stuart and Phil are still up for double-diamond expert terrain. They had some great skiing.

Stuff the bus pass, Stuart and Phil take the ski lift.

The famous Black Saslong men's downhill was their first run of the day with valley cloud.

Then the James Bond long run. Also called "La Longia". The queen of the tracks in Val Gardena. From Seceda at 2,511 metres to Ortisei at 1,236 metres. It stretches for over ten kilometres and 1,275 metres of elevation, marking the longest path in the entire Dolomites. It's a white marathon that starts in the open field, with wide and sunny slopes where the Sassolungo dominates the horizon. The terrain is perfect for making wide and fast turns. Then the track changes its character, enters the forest, followed by one of the most scenic features the Dolomites have to offer, a narrow canyon carved into rock where icy streams cascade. Then crossing the cabins, passing by the wooden houses of the inhabitants of Ortisei, the track descends into the valley. It's an extraordinary track, one of those that stays in the heart.

Sassolungo.........che spettacolo.

Then after a lunch break the steepest run in Val Gardena called Paprika. Stuart loved it, Phil took the more sedate adjoining red run.

In Italy, the first days of February bring a special celebration know as Candlemas, which takes place eyery year on February 2nd. For many Italians, this holiday marks an important moment in the seasonal transition from winter to spring. But beyond its religious significance, Candelora also carries rich cultural traditions that are reflected in the way Italians celebrate, including a quirky custom that many people continue to observe: leaving their Christmas decorations up until the feast.

A popular saying goes. "Se piove o tira vento, dell'inverno siamo dentro", which translates to: "If it rains or the wind blows, winter is over, but if it's sunny or clear, winter is still here." Essentially, it's a weather predictor, based on the idea that Candelora signals the midpoint between the darkest days of the winter and the onset of spring. Similar to ground hog day in America. Well it was a glorious sunny day and the next day it snowed! A day wrapped in white and plenty more snow on the way.

In the coldest months of the year, Selva Val Gardena and Ortisei turn into open-air museums, where snow and ice become artistic materials. The theme for this year was "Winter Games", a tribute to the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralmpic Games.