Val Senales: ski mountaineering in Italy
by Alberto Boscolo and Gianluca Bellin
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Glacier skiing in the South Tyrol and the Ötzi mummy are the first two things which spring to mind when thinking about the Val Senales. Summer skiing takes place on part of the glacier that descends from Croda delle Cornacchie and a fast cable car from Maso Corto whisks people up in minutes.
The pistes, in all honesty, are somewhat short, but the vast and grandiose environment more than make up for the quick descents. Much has been written about the Ötzi mummy and although he is now kept in nearby Bolzano, a museum has been created in the valley below and a series of panels and signposts valourise even the remotest corners of this glacier.
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But when we think about Val Senales, we think not about this summer glacier skiing or the Ötzi, but about the fantastic ski mountaineering itineraries on offer. What springs to mind are the memories of the century old huts and the smell of the larch forests which cling to the lateral valleys. Ski mountaineering here is characterised by these wooden huts, small bridges, majestic pine forests, gentle slopes and arid summits, great glacial basins but above all a silence which reigns supreme.
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Val Senales offers a large number of itineraries which face either south or north and is therefore an ideal destination from November all the way through to June. The following itineraries are a selection of classic routes combined with some demanding circular outings. All tend to have a significant height gain and therefore require a good level of general fitness.
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