Skiing at Alpe Cermis, Ski Resort Review

Alpe Cermis is one of the 3 ski resorts in Val di Fiemme; together with Obereggen-Latemar and Alpe Lusia, it forms a ski area boasting over 100 km of slopes.
We visited the resort, and here is our report.

The Alpe Cermis ski resort sits right in the heart of Val di Fiemme, one of the most important valleys in Trentino and the Dolomites as a whole. The Cermis ski lifts depart directly from the town of Cavalese—the main center of Val di Fiemme, at 1,000 meters above sea level—and climb to 2,250 meters, with the highest point located at Rifugio Paion.

Our day began right in Cavalese where the gondola departs; here there is a free parking lot where you can leave your car and walk straight into the departure station heading up to the slopes. The first section of the gondola leaves from the town center—where no ski runs descend—and serves as a link to the valley-floor base station, where a much larger parking lot accommodates skiers arriving along the main valley highway.
Without having to get off, you ride the gondola up to Dosso Larici, where you board the second gondola up to 2,000 meters above sea level; down to Dosso Larici, the only run available is Olimpia 3, a red slope that also opens for night skiing thanks to floodlighting.
Once at Dosso Larici, you can either ski down to the valley floor on a blue run or continue up to the summit of the ski area at an altitude of 2,250 meters. We headed straight to the top, where the various runs branch out toward the valley or connect to the other side of Alpe Cermis. In fact, from Rifugio Paion you can ski across to another face served by two chairlifts and several scenic runs surrounded by nature.
Given the early hour (around 8:40 a.m.) and the immaculate corduroy on the slopes, we decided to ski straight down to the valley along the 3 runs that make Cermis famous: Olimpia 1, 2, and 3.

Olimpia 1 is the first section you tackle: a 1,700-meter black run descending with views over the valley down to the Costabella lifts, where it connects directly into Olimpia 2—another black run stretching an impressive 3,000 meters… A thrilling high-speed descent on pristine snow with great visibility; the piste is wide enough to ski safely, and we found an excellent snowpack, with only a short icy patch near a steep pitch that posed no problem for experienced skiers.
At the end of Olimpia 2, you can continue all the way to the valley floor along Olimpia 3, which unlike the upper two sections is a red run rather than black—a lovely 2,500-meter trail winding through the woods of Val di Fiemme.

After riding back up via the gondolas and chairlift, we moved over to the right-hand sector of Alpe Cermis, where a four-seater chairlift serves two red runs; there is no mountain hut on this side, but the slopes connect seamlessly with the rest of the ski area via the Costabella-Prafiori link and the Via del Bosco blue run. Even though there are only two runs here, both are wide and served by a fast, modern chairlift.

Via del Bosco

Alongside the Olimpia runs and the other red pistes, there is also a blue run that is ideal above all for families with children. Called Via del Bosco (Forest Trail), as its name suggests it winds gently down through the woods for 4,500 meters; the unhurried descent lets you soak in the beauty of nature and the magnificent views over Val di Fiemme, while along the entire trail you can spot woodland animals such as the Capercaillie, Lynx, Fox, and Roe Deer, all depicted with life-size wooden sculptures and educational signs…
Via del Bosco is not just a ski slope, but a wonderful, gentle trail to enjoy with children, bringing them into close contact with the surrounding nature before finishing near Baita Dosso Larici, where there is also a snow kinderpark.

Our verdict

Thumbs up for Alpe Cermis: despite it being late in the season, we found the slopes in excellent condition (as guaranteed by Dolomiti Superski) and ski lifts capable of handling large crowds even at peak times. Apart from the gondola linking the town with the valley station, all the lifts are brand-new, with fast, comfortable chairlifts and 5 mountain huts/lodges where you can stop for a break—the most captivating being Rifugio Paion at the summit, featuring a spacious sun terrace and a modern Alpine-style building, though it is a slight shame there is no hut on the right-hand sector.
While the ski area is certainly more compact than some neighboring resorts, that does not detract from our positive rating: within its footprint it caters to every type of skier, from experts carving down the Olimpia runs to families with children enjoying charming blue trails like Via del Bosco.

We had a fantastic day and are sure you will have a great time at Alpe Cermis too!

Alpe Cermis Photos