"Great War" Ski Tour

The "Great War" ski route is one of the most spectacular you can do among the Dolomites and takes its name from the fact that it crosses the places where both Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers fought during the First World War. Its nerve center is the mountain symbol of this conflict '15 - '18, the "Col di Lana", which it circles around. During this ski route it is possible to glimpse the positions, the trench lines and various relics belonging to the soldiers.

The route runs on a path that can be done entirely in one day in winter: skibus, pistes and lifts create a loop touching Passo Giau, Passo Falzarego, Val Badia, Arabba, and Alleghe.

Nowhere does this route concentrate as many memories as in the area between "Lagazuoi" and the 5 Torri, where the Great War Open-Air Museum extends. At the 5 Torri you can see the Italian trenches while from the refuge terraces, you can admire the splendid views of Col di Lana, Tofana di Rozes, Castelletto, and "Col dei Bos".

At Passo Falzarego you take the cable car to mount "Lagazuoi", which allows you to reach the highest point of the route, almost 2800 meters. During the ascent, from the cabin, more attentive eyes will surely notice the slots of the Italian mine gallery and the "Forte Tre Sassi" on the road to Passo Valparola. On the ridge of "Piccolo Lagazuoi" is the Austrian position "Feldwache 4", the only one on the front line reachable by skis (upon entering the slope at the arrival of the Lagazuoi Cable Car, turn right following the signs).

This position is carved into the ridge called "Muraglia Rocciosa", a rock wall fortified by the Austro-Hungarians to defend Forcella "Lagazuoi", composed of two machine gun bunkers and two observer slits facing "Col dei Bos" and "Castelletto". Today it hosts a reproduction of the "Schwarzlose" machine gun. On the west side of the ridge you can see the niches carved in the rock which housed the Austro-Hungarian barracks.

Then you descend along the "Armentarola" slope, one of the most loved in the Dolomites. At the bottom, a horse-drawn tow (for a fee) takes skiers to the pistes of Val Badia where you continue to Arabba, "Padon", and Marmolada.

The route can be done either clockwise or counterclockwise.

To find out the times of ski bus connections (for a fee) between Malga Ciapela - Alleghe and Selva di Cadore - Fedare (Passo Giau) click here.