Ortler Ski Traverse: The Skiers Traverse
Types: Ski and Snowboarding, Touring, Traverse
Region: International
A skier’s traverse more than a “ski touring” traverse because of the abundance of good ski descents and, even better, high quality lodges with great food, coffee and beer on tap.
Ortler Ski Traverse: The Skiers Traverse
The Ortler Ski Traverse is known as more of a “skier’s traverse” than a “ski touring” traverse because of the abundance of good ski descents and the great snow that can often be found in the area. The route, and the mountain range traversed, is named after the mighty Ortler Peak which towers over the town of Suldan/Solda, one of the stops on the traverse.
The Ortler Range boasts some of the largest glaciers in the Eastern Alps with peaks rising to 3900 meters (12,800 ft) though the route itself traverses many of these glaciers none of the passes are overly high in elevation making it a bit more friendly to people not acclimatized than other traverses in the Alps. What also puts this trip ahead of many ski traverses in the Western Alps is the high standard of the huts. While located well above tree line next to the glaciers, the huts always offer excellent food, beer on tab and often double or 4 bed rooms with showers / toilets down the hall. Of course the landscape is breathtaking and the descents are long. Most runs are northerly aspects which preserves powder well into May.
The Ortler Ski Traverse is also of interest from a cultural and historical view, as we travel both through the German speaking South Tirol and the Italian speaking Trentino and Lombardia Provinces. The front lines of WW1 ran straight across the highest ridgelines with remnants from the war still visible high on the glaciers today. We will visit some of these relics including old gun installations, trenches and fortifications.
From a logistics standpoint we've got you covered. You'll get a package that will include information on flights, hotels and transportation to/from the start of the traverse. It will also provide detail on everything that you will need to pack and prepare for the trip from plug adapters and chargers to hut boots and ski crampons. Then, once you meet your IFMGA certified guide, they will walk you through the program, the weather forecast and snowpack summary before you clip into your skis for an amazing trip.
Waiver & Risk Management:
As you know, outdoor activities involve numerous hazards including, but not limited to, avalanches, crevasses, rockfall, slips and falls, equipment failure, poor weather, etc. And while we do our best to anticipate and mitigate these hazards we cannot completely eliminate them. So, as with anything fun, you will be required to sign our Participant Release to take part in one of our courses or trips.
Typical Itinerary:
Day 0: Fly to Milan and stay at a local hotel or continue on to Bormio / Santa Caterina Valfurva (shuttle available upon request)
Day 1: Breakfast at the hotel in Santa Caterina Valfurva before driving up to the trail head. From there we ski into the Pizzini Hut (2,700 meters) which has a sauna and showers! After checking in and having lunch there are a number of great options for skiing in the afternoon around the hut offering amazing lines including a circuit through Passo Zebru, Cima del Forno (3240m) or, if time allows, a trip up Monte Pasquale (3550m).
Day 2: Depart the Pizzini hut after a great breakfast and climb up past the old Casati Hut, going right by some trenches and barbed wire fortifications from WW1 to reach the ridge above the Suldan valley and then ski down to the Marteller hut at 2,600m. If the weather is good we can also ski down to Suldan for lunch and then take a series of lifts up to about 3,100 m. From there it’s a short climb to the Hintere Schoentaufspitze followed by a descent to the Zufall Hut at 2,265 m before climbing up to the Marteller for the night.
Day 3: We stay put at the Marteller hut and ski some of the amazing terrain to be found right behind the hut. There are numerous options for ski mountaineering peaks or lapping snow on the north facing glaciers below Cima Venezia, Cima Veneziaspitze, Cima Marmotta and more.
Day 4: After another great breakfast at the hands of our hosts at the Marteller we depart for the Branca Hut. There are a few different route options but we typically reach it by climbing up towards Monte Cevedale (3,760 m) as it allows us to check out some old WW1 gun installations and summit one of the more iconic peaks in the area. That’s followed by a ski down the Cedec Glacier before climbing back up again to the Monte Pasquale Col. for a short ski down to the Hut and our home base for a few days.
Day 5: This Perched at the mouth of an amazing glaciated cirque, Branca boasts some of the best skiing in the area with plenty of long, north facing runs with snow that’s generally cold and well preserved well into the spring. As we don’t have to move huts this day we can spend the time exploring the area, tagging some summits and of course tackling some amazing ski descents.
Day 6: The last ski day of the trip. But, as the trail head is not too far away, we will have the opportunity to ski most of the day before gliding down to the parking lot. Once there we will drive back down to Santa Caterina Valfurva for a great meal at a local restaurant to celebrate the conclusion of the trip.
Day 7: Breakfast at the hotel before starting the journey home.
Book Ortler Ski Traverse: The Skiers Traverse
Upcoming Dates:
- ✓ March 3rd, 2026 (6 Days)
- ✓ April 2nd, 2026 (6 Days)
- ✓ April 9th, 2026 (6 Days)
Fine Print:
- Lifetime deposits (deposits never expire)
- Canadian trip prices are in CAD
- International trip prices are in USD
- Canadian trips subject to 5% GST (tax)
- Payments made by credit card are subject to a 2.5% credit card fee
- Be sure to look over our Booking Policies
- Participants will be required to sign a BlackSheep Participant Release
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