Summer Skiing in Italy
UPDATED FOR 2020 SEASON:
Now that Covid travel restrictions are past us (and hopefully no need for them to be reinstated). You can ski at Passo Stelvio, which opened to the public on June 13 and Cervinia/Zermatt, which opened to the Italian side on June 20 when the Swiss opened their borders to Italy.
Rather not have your turns get too rusty? There are a couple of spots in Italy where you can keep them fresh this summer. For summer skiing in Italy, snow junkies can head to Breuil-Cervinia. (the Italian side of the Matterhorn, or as the Italians call it, “Il Cervino”). The iconic peak offers summer season turns on Plateau Rosa on the Zermatt Side. Or head up the crazy road with 75 hairpin turns to reach the lifts of Passo Stelvio.
CERVINIA/ZERMATT
Summer access to Plateau Rosa from Cervinia, in Italy’s Valle d’Aosta region, can be purchased for 45.00 euros for a daily ticket. With this you get a chance to ride the Pininfarina designed (designers for Ferrari and Maserati) luxurious (complete with heated leather seats, not that you need them in the summer) Matterhorn Glacier Paradise to Europe’s highest mountain station at 12,739 feet (3,882 meters).
A word of advice, be sure to watch the time for the last lifts up to the Italian side from the Swiss side. Otherwise it could be a costly and time consuming mistake with your options being spending the night in Zermatt (likely with only your ski boots to wear) , a helicopter ride to the Italian side or a long taxi and train or bus ride to work your way back to Cervinia. The Swiss are not known to be overly flexible so be mindful!
PASSO STELVIO
Passo dello Stelvio, which straddles the regions of Lombardia and Trentino, currently has six lifts and 18 km of trails open, a one day pass is 49 euro. Plus they have nordic trails available. Weather and pandemic permitting, they plan to be open through November 1. Check out what it’s like there now with the webcams.
So take a break from getting sand in your shorts and go make some turns, your winter legs will thank you.
image credits:
Valle d’Aosta tourism
www.italia.it
Pirovano
thenounproject- Sergey Demushkin