Best Off-piste Skiing in Italy | Ski Insurance

The Aosta Valley (Valle d'Aosta)

This place is a freeride paradise with huge glaciers and big mountains.

Courmayeur: You can get right to some of the most famous off-piste in the world here.

The Skyway Monte Bianco cable car takes you to Punta Helbronner for epic descents like the Toula Glacier, and you can even connect to the famous Vallée Blanche route that goes into Chamonix, France.

Monterosa Ski (Champoluc, Gressoney, and Alagna Valsesia): They call this the "Freeride Paradise" for a reason.

Alagna Valsesia is a small, old-school village with lift access to some of the biggest vertical descents in the Alps. The off-piste here is massive and varied, from open bowls to tight couloirs.

Champoluc and Gressoney have a bigger network of off-piste routes, with awesome tree skiing and powder fields that stay fresh for days after it snows.

Cervinia: It's super high up and links to Zermatt, Switzerland, so it always has good snow. Plus, there are endless high-alpine freeride options on and around glaciers. The off-piste on the Italian side usually isn't as tracked out as Zermatt's.

The Dolomites (Dolomiti Superski)

These UNESCO-listed mountains are stunning and offer unique freeride challenges, especially in their steep couloirs.

Sella Group: This whole area is a hotspot for off-piste lovers.

The Sass Pordoi cable car is a popular starting point for tons of different descents.

The Val Mesdì, also known as the "Vallée Blanche of the Dolomites," is a famous and super-long descent through an amazing valley.

Arabba-Marmolada: Arabba is perfectly located for getting to some of the gnarliest off-piste in the Dolomites.

It's the way to the Marmolada Glacier, the highest peak in the Dolomites, which has long, wild descents.

The areas around Tofana di Rozes and Cristallo mountains have incredible couloirs and faces.

The Bus de Tofana is a particularly famous and challenging run.

Cortina d'Ampezzo: It's fancy, but Cortina also has some of the best off-piste in the region.

Other Regions:

Livigno: This high-altitude, duty-free spot near the Swiss border is great for freeride. It's known for having reliable snow and wide-open, ungroomed terrain, making it a perfect place to find fresh powder.

Via Lattea (Milky Way): This huge ski area, connecting Italian resorts like Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx, plus a French one, has a ton of terrain.

Sestriere is known for its high-altitude, open bowls and tree runs.

Sauze d'Oulx is a great place for intermediate skiers to try their first off-piste runs in the tree-lined powder fields.

The Val Mesdì. ( the Vallee Blanche of the Dolomites ) 

Heads Up!

Important Note: While these resorts offer fantastic freeride opportunities, it's crucial to remember the new Italian law regarding off-piste skiing. 

You must have avalanche safety equipment (transceiver, probe, and shovel) and third-party liability insurance that covers off-piste activities.