Mountain Layout — Skiing

For larger map click here.

Here is the interactive trail map.

Four different ski areas surround the town allow skiing and snow-boarding during both winter and summer. The Bormio trails are the most convenient. The Santa Caterina Valfurva trails are around the mountain and down the valley. The Valdidentro/Colombano trails are across the valley from Bormio, visible from the Bormio trails. Stelvio is glacier skiing and used only in the summer.

The trails directly above Bormio are the most challenging in the region and they have the best lift systems and the longest cruising trails. Stick with the modern lifts and your day of skiing and riding will go much faster. Be advised that on weekends with the crowds from Milan, trails can get packed.

Most skiers and snowboarders tend to stay in the section directly above Bormio. This is home to one of the longest continuous vertical drops in Italy, 5,879 feet. A modern lift system takes skiers from the base area altitude of about 4,000 feet up to almost 9,789 feet. The higher trails above Bormio 2000 tend to be above treeline. Those dropping down to the town are cut through trees, almost like in New England.

The marked trails are, for the most part, intermediate and advanced at the top half of the mountain and intermediate and beginner near the top of the Bormio 2000 gondola. In fact, this is the home of Bormio’s learning center. The wide-open beginner trails make up almost half of the resort’s marked trails.

Intermediates will love the very long (14 km./9 miles), heavenly trails that trace about a mile of vertical drop. This is an intermediate’s playground with plenty of sun and wonderful visuals. All trails eventually glide down to the base area, so there is little concern for carefully mapping out your route from the top of the mountain. Let yourself fly.

That said, skiing and snowboarding off-piste is acceptable in fresh snow. A guide can take skiers down into the surrounding valleys. What you can see, you can ski or ride. The marked expert trails tend towards advanced but provide some good continuous high-speed cruising. Those looking for the steep and deep should go elsewhere.

For snowboarders — try the Bormio Snowpark.

The other areas of Santa Caterina and Valdidentro/San Colombano are mainly for families and those looking for easier runs through the forests. Neither section is particularly easy to reach from town. However, there are buses. Both areas have some above-treeline skiing, but most is through the trees. Don’t look for tree skiing. In Europe that has not been developed as it has been in the U.S.A. and Canada.

Passo Stelvio is glacier skiing and riding and is Italy’s largest summer skiing area; however, it is not accessible in winter.

Livigno, about an hour by free bus from Bormio is right next to the Swiss border in a duty-free zone. It has excellent, sunny intermediate skiing. Anyone staying in Bormio should plan a day or two at Livigno.