Cima Piazzi - San Colombano Ski Resort Italy
A little beauty near the well-known town of Bormio in Italy, Cima Piazzi - San Colombano ski resort combines two small skiing areas in the Valdidentro & Valdisotto. It provides all the tradition of a quiet 'local ski hill' with the skiable vertical & piste trails of something a whole lot larger. The skiable vertical & piste trails are in many ways the equal in quality (if not quantity) of nearby Bormio, but without the crowds. Several mountain huts & some fun high alpine off-piste touring add to the resort's appeal.
Pros & Cons for Cima Piazzi - San Colombano
Pros
- Long skiable vertical.
- Uncrowded.
- Great ski-touring & backcountry terrain in the alpine zone.
- Quiet, treelined ski trails are perfect on poor visibility days.
- Good range, length & diversity of intermediate piste trails.
- Cheap lift pass.
- Interesting range of food & drink on the mountain.
- 'Ski in' accommodation available.
- Excellent free bus links to all nearby ski areas including Bormio & Livigno.
- Free parking for day trippers on the main road between Bormio & Livigno.
Cons
- Lift infrastructure is generally dated & key lifts in the upper alpine are no longer functioning (at least in the season we visited!).
- Limited novice/beginner & advanced piste trails.
- Limited inbounds off-piste terrain.
- Some flat linking trails in the San Colombano zone may be awkward for snowboarders.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Villages are very quiet after-hours, but Bormio is nearby for shopping & other distractions!
- Nightlife is relatively limited (as per above).
- Ski area is only big enough for a day or two (unless ski touring the high alpine backcountry) & should be visited as part of an exploration of the entire region.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Super quiet, even on a weekend, the piste trails (though a touch icy down low) stay in premium condition simply due to low skier & snowboarder numbers. The Cima Piazzi gondola departs from the shaded Valdidentro near the town of Isolaccia at 1,335m elevation, rising 600m vertical. From there two surface tows get one up to a small alpine peak at 2,360m. The 1,025m skiable vertical from top to bottom is a real treat & as good as any piste trails the world over.
The San Colombano side of the ski resort is a veritable maze of trails predominantly below the treeline. Fantastic fast rolling pistes twist & turn down the full vertical to the simple base area at Le Motte. Some of the linking trails have flat sections that may impede snowboarders, but they are relatively minor in the greater scheme of things. Several of the intermediate rated runs would be skiable for progressing beginners. At the Le Motte base, a novice conveyor lift is located on an unattractive slope under high voltage power lines. Novices are better off up at the top of the Cima Piazzi gondola. The 900m (ish) skiable vertical on this side of the resort is probably more fun than the Cima Piazzi side, simply due to its greater diversity.
When we visited during season 2019/20, two of the upper surface tows were not functioning, allegedly due to certification issues (reflective of a general aging infrastructure). It is now known that they are no longer running and have disappeared off the ski trail map. Regardless, the upper alpine zone previously served by them is pure joy for ski-tourers looking for easy, uncrowded powder turns! There are options to extend into the backcountry further by ascending the luscious slopes of the nearby 3,022m Corno di San Colombano.
Check out the ski trail map for Cima Piazzi - San Colombano below.
Lift Passes
Three types of lift passes are valid in Cima Piazzi - San Colombano: local lift pass, the Bormio SkiPass & Alta Valtellina Ski Pass. The local lift pass is somewhat cheaper and is only valid for up to 1 day; however the Bormio Skipass is also valid in the fantastic nearby resorts of Bormio & Santa Caterina providing a combined 110km of varied piste trail served by 31 lifts. All 3 resorts are linked by a free ski bus. It is possible to ski more than one resort in a day!
See the Bormio SkiPass resorts map.
The Alta Valtellina Ski Pass is another lift ticket option. It is available for 3 or more days and as well as being valid in Bormio, Santa Caterina & Cima Piazzi- - San Colombano, includes Livigno. It is of dubious financial value unless basing oneself in the higher priced resort of Livigno. Worth doing your sums before purchase!
Where is Valdidentro Italy?
The Cima Piazzi - San Colombano ski resort is in the Valdidentro of the Alta Valtellina, Lombardy, northern Italy. The resort’s main base village of Isolaccia is located only 44km north of the transport hub & intriguing town of Tirano & only 8.5km by road west of delightful Bormio. The Valdidentro is accessible by a combination of train & bus/taxi from Milan & St Moritz!
Milan Malpensa (MXP) is the closest major international airport, 220km away (3hr drive). Though slightly closer, the Milan Bergamo (BGY) airport (also known as Orio al Serio International Airport) only serves flights from the UK, Europe & Middle East, & may not be convenient for many international travellers.
Trains from Milano Centrale station to Tirano take around 2.5hr & make an interesting, climate friendly journey to the mountains - POW (Protect Our Winters). Buses (the route 070) & taxis are ready & waiting at the Tirano stazione to transfer you to Bormio & Valdidentro. The combination train & bus/taxi is the recommended mode of transport to the region.
If lacking time but have the euro, a private transfer from Milan or Tirano can be sought. Search & book private transfers to Bormio & the Valdidentro.
Driving to the region gives one ultimate freedom but beware of car rentals from Milan. Ensure your rental car is winterised (winter tyres, AWD, snow chains, windscreen washer fluid etc). Note also that the drive from Lecco to Tirano can get very busy, so patience is a virtue!
For hints, tips & warnings about travel to Italian ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Italy page.
Cima Piazzi San Colombano Accommodation
The Valdidentro comprises numerous small villages, but chief among them is the town of Isolaccia near the base of the Cima Piazzi gondola & on the road to Livigno. The prime position for anyone staying here is the Hotel Cima Piazzi, in as near a ski-in location as one can get, just across the road from the gondola base. A better-quality local hotel is the Alpen Hotel Chalet a short distance away toward Bormio on the edge of Pradelle village. Its modern rooms, suites & apartments are far superior to its paltry 3-stars. On the San Colombano side of the resort, the base area of Le Motte is closest to the town of Oga. Oga has numerous apartments, guesthouses & BnBs in a quiet hillside setting.
Search & book Valdidentro accommodation.
A free ski bus links the resort directly to nearby Bormio, which provides the most obvious alternative (& arguably better) lodging options. Bormio's central location, gorgeous old town centre, vibrant bars & plethora of accommodation options makes alot of sense as a base to ski the entire Alta Valtellina region.
Search & book
Bormio ski accommodation.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Cima Piazzi - San Colombano in the Valdidentro during January 2020 & had a fine time riding the long winding piste trails, exploring the alpine off-piste & enjoying the hospitality of the upper mountain rifugi. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.
See how Cima Piazzi - San Colombano compares to the rest of the Italian ski resorts on the Italy ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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