Snowshoeing in the Dolomites with Collett’s

Our snowshoeing adventure began arriving by bus, to the small Italian ski town of Badia, one whirling snowy night. We were here to go snowshoeing in the Dolomites with mountain specialists Collett’s. Fat white flakes were falling fast – clearly plenty of snow. And in the dark it felt like we had travelled to another world entirely.

We had been alone on the bus, having eschewed the usual transfer from Venice (we’d been travelling around Austria the week before) and so had expected no one at the stop; but there one of the mountain leaders was. He was waiting to take us the two minutes to the chalet, where a hot dinner was already being served to our group of about 20.

Welcome to the Dolomites – we were on a mountain timetable now.

It was our first time snowshoeing

an activity we’d only really found out about a few months prior. It was our first time in the Dolomites too, although we know Italy fairly well. AND it our first time up a mountain in winter – our first time in a ski area at all.

We had no idea what it’d be like. But we felt that snowshoeing in the Dolomites would be something magical: a chance to glide through secret forests. Galumph over snow in a whiteout. Experience a wilder side to the mountains.

The first day

Although we figured we’d guide ourselves eventually, for our first day snowshoeing in the Dolomites we joined the guided group. Not everyone in our chalet was doing the same thing – there were guided tours both skiing and snowshoeing every day, and we could go on either (hire costs on top of course). Everything, nothing, something else – there was absolute chill about where and what we wanted to do.

The group hike would be going up over 2,000m and walking around 9km, and we were curious to see how it all went.

Cue first time on a ski lift.

Moving park benches suspended mid-air up a mountain? They’re frankly bizarre. If not wearing skis either, getting off them involves a fair bit of scrabbling around. But we managed it, starting the hike at the top to walk down to Badia.

Our first real view of the Dolomites: they’re peculiarly jagged and that day, cloaked dramatically with heavy snow cloud. We were in an almost whiteout – we thought vaguely of walking around in cotton wool.

What we were given

Collett’s had given us snowshoes, poles and a ski lift pass loaded with points. Our snowshoes were identical and adjusted to fit our different feet. They felt huge at first, and stiff. But unclipping the heel made a world of difference: as we started the hike, we could walk and move our feet normally while the snowshoe drifted along under our feet, spreading our weight imperceptibly.

And it soon become clear: snowshoeing is easy and fun. It allowed us to trip along over deep snowdrifts, and because of its little spikes the shoes also grip the hard, compacted snow too.

One thing we didn’t reckon on: getting surprisingly hot. We had set out wearing ski jackets and trousers, and were soon boiling in -3. Hat off, hat on, gloves off, gloves on, like some overdressed participants in the Hokey Cokey.

That’s because it’s supercharged hiking: walking, with added weight on your feet, which makes it a bit harder work – ie excellent exercise.

If you’re enjoying this you may like:

How to walk in snowshoes: everything you need to know about snowshoeing

Winter walking in Tirol, Austria – 3 day walks

Where to go snowshoeing in Europe: our top 5 destinations

And for more inspiration to visit Italian mountains visit our friends Mark & Paul over at Anywhere We Roam:

10 breath-taking reasons to visit the Italian Alps

After a couple of hours, we stopped at a rifugio (a refuge) for lunch. They’re dotted all over the Dolomites, and are picture-perfect cabins in the woods. Warm and cosy inside, goulash soup and mountains of chips come well-earned at this point.

Although we were part of a group, people walked at their own pace and our guide was there to direct when necessary and make sure everyone was still present and correct. We chatted to him for a bit; he was supremely interested in our Via Francigena walk – as you’re reading this, you would be too probably.

By 4pm, we were all back at the chalet for tea and cake – a peculiarly British idea of what should happen up a mountain in winter. But being cake fiends (or at least Nell is), we enthusiastically concurred.

After our first day we felt bold enough go out alone, armed with a map and a good weather forecast.

And it was sublime. Over the coming days we ranged all over the mountains, catching buses to nearby valleys, gliding on trails through untouched snow, stopping in refuges for coffees, and racing the fading winter light back home for dinner.

Here are our favourite hikes that we would highly recommend:

The best day hikes snowshoeing in the Dolomites

Up-and-back through the Fanes Valley
Distance: 6.8km (map)
Start: straight from the bus stop in Sarè (line 465)

Our favourite, but probably the hardest in terms of ascent. It’s a steady 3.5km uphill through beautiful snow-covered meadows and forest, with a final 400m of steeeeep (hanging on to the handrail kinda steep) to arrive on a mountain plateau 2,050m up.

If you can hack that you’re rewarded the whole way with dramatic sheer cliffside either side of you, undisturbed nature knee deep in snow, and a spectacular view of the valley below when you reach the top.

Stops: none, expect a rifugio near the beginning/end.

High up on the Pralongia Plateau
Distance: 9.9km (map)
Start: Ski lift from La Villa to Piz La Villa

It’s a gondola ride up to walk the Marmotta Trail over the high Pralongia Plateau. Tippy-top mountain peaks are everywhere, as are skiiers – there were a few pistes to cross with this one. But it’s more than worth it for these views, the ride up, and discovering the cute rifugios along the way.

Stops: plenty of places to eat, due to all the skiers. Our favourite was Rifugio Marmotta with its quirky décor, including mountains trolls and traditional snowshoeing gear bedecking the walls.

Between giants on the Cinque Torri
Distance: 6.3km (map)
Start: Ski lift from the car park to the towers

One of the must-see destinations of the Dolomites, the Cinque Torri are five huge rocks that you can hike through. It’s also the site of WW1 fighting and history.

As a trail it’s narrow, and potentially the most awkward for snowshoes depending on the level of snow between the rocks. But of all we’ve encountered, this landscape might’ve been the most awe-inspiring. I mean, just look:

Stops: we hiked up the ski slope first away from the Cinque Torri for coffee at Rifugio Averau and then came back down to where we started for lunch, before heading off through the rocks. This gave us great views of the Cinque Torri before descending into them.

There is a restaurant/café right at the bottom when you finish the hike down too.

At the end of our week snowshoeing in the Dolomites with Collett’s

we’d had an intense week of adventures. The whole place feels like a hiker’s playground, run wholly on the timetable of when and where to walk and ski. Our lives had revolved around trail summits and snowfall and cake – a pretty incredible schedule.

‘Back to reality,’ one of our fellow guests said as we made the three-hour journey back own to Venice. And outside the wonderful wintry snowglobe that’s how it felt.

Note: we were guests of Collett’s Mountain Holidays for our snowshoeing trip. We approached the company about this ourselves so of course our views are entirely our own.

Find out more about Collet’s snowshoeing holidays in the Dolomites here

Keep up with our slow adventures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And why not Pin the post if you’ve enjoyed it or found it helpful?

Pin it: