Dive into the winter silence of lake Garda. For skiing with lake view, similar to fjords
Partner
A beautiful suggestion for Monte Baldo in winter is ski mountaineering which allows you to ski the virgin pistes that you can’t reach with traditional lifts.
There are plenty of itineraries for every level of ability that you can do all along the Monte Baldo chain, from Nago’s Monte Altissimo to Costabella in Prada.
Climbing to the magnificent peaks of Baldo, you go from easy tours on your skis to steep and challenging peaks and gullies which require ice axes and crampons.
There are skiable areas to both west and east of the range so you can choose the best snow conditions related to the sun. It goes without saying that on the west side you will have one of the best views ever.
Any itinerary using the cable car will have a shorter season (usually the cable car closes a month before Easter, for maintenance).
The beauty of ski mountaineering is found in the freedom of movement you have without needing any ski lift or ski resort, immersing yourself in the wild and natural environment instead.
More than once, at the end of April, after a walk in the woods where it was already spring, we climbed the snow-covered valleys and then skied on beautiful spring snow and finished the day with a beer by the lake.
Apart from the refreshment station of the cable car which open all winter season long, you can reach more remote refuges such as Refuge Graziani, located at the foot of Monte Altissimo and open all year round, the Refuge Damiano Chiesa, on the top of Monte Altissimo and open at weekends if the weather is good, and Refuge Chierego, next to Costabella’s apex and open on the same basis as the Damiano Chiesa.
Refuge Damiano Chiesa and Refuge Telegrafo Gaetano Barana have winter bivouacs with blankets making it possible to do more alpine winter crossings of the summit of Monte Baldo.
We recommend that you always have a transceiver ,a shovel and a probe for avalanche recovery and consult avalanche bulletins and weather reports before each excursion. Ask about the equipment needed for various Alpine ski trips. If you would like to have lunch or sleep at the refuge, you had better call them to make sure they are open.
And remember: always respect the mountain and the beautiful environment you are in.
