The Ortler Ski Tour - Alps Hut To Hut Skiing In Italy

The Ortler Ski Tour, also known as the Ortler Ski Circuit, is one of the best hut to hut ski tours in the Alps for those looking for great ski descents. A bold statement but the combination of endless great ski terrain, multiple skiable peak objectives and comfortable huts with great food you can’t go wrong on the Ortler ski tour. It is one of my favorite Alps hut to hut ski tours that I will always come back to.

SAki touring on the ortler ski tour from Sulden with koenigspitze in the background

The Ortler ski tour is done in many different variations but all of it lies in the Stilfsejoch National Park in far Northern Italy to the West of the Dolomites. The Northern part of the ski tour is in the Sud Tirol region which is a primarily German speaking semi-autonomous region of Italy that was Austria till 1917. The Southern part of the Ortler tour is in full Italian culture so the tour provides a somewhat multi-cultural Alps experience. And as you might guess the front lines of World War One went right through what is now the Ortler ski circuit and you can still see old artillery pieces and other emplacements to this day.  Locals tend to refer to these ruins as “outdoor museums” and keep these artifacts are kept in place. It's one big highlight of the Ortler ski tour in that you are skiing right through history.

Skiing in the Ortler tour and a view of some of the ski terrain from Rfugio branca

The rich history and culture aside, it’s the skiing that makes the Ortler Ski Tour so fantastic. Whether you are looking for ski mountaineering objectives from high summits or simply want some mellow glaciated ski descents there is something for everyone on the Ortler tour. The most classic variation of the Ortler Ski tour begins in Sulden, Italy on the Northern Sud Tirol side in the shadow of the namesake peak the Ortles. It takes a big semi-circle through the Ortler region ending up back in Sulden. Other variations begin and end on the Southern side and start from near the town of Santa Catarina just up valley from the big ski and historic spa resort of Bormio.

Along the Ortler ski tour the huts you visit are second to none. The three main huts are the Refugio Branca, Refugio Pizzini and the Martellerhutte. Each of them have their own culture and feel and and all of them are very comfortable even when compared to other Alps ski huts. All have showers available and great food served family style. There have beer taps, wine lists and of course a full commercial espresso/cappuccino machine (this is Italy after all).  A hot cooked lunch awaits you if the days of skiing ends early or you take a break between runs. Most huts have dorm sleeping arrangements, but the Pizzini hut has the option for private rooms with a shower and bath in the room and there’s even a sauna and foosball table. Having a beer, spritz or cappuccino on the outside deck of the Branca hut on a sunny afternoon after a day of touring can’t be beat. And if you get there on the right day you may experience their famous dance party on the deck with free food and drinks. The Marteller hut, being on what was the Northern side of the front lines, is a more classic and quaint Austrian style hut.

Lunch at a ski hut on the ortler ski tour

A classic way to ski the Ortler tour is to go to the three huts in perhaps 6 or more days and have layover days at the huts. This allows you to pick your ski objectives on the layover days depending on conditions rather than having to just get to the next hut. This is not a point A to B Alps ski tour such as the famous Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt. A good itinerary for the Ortler tour would be to start in Sulden and then visit the Martellerhutte for a night, next day ski up and over the peak Cevedale and down to the Refugio Branca for two nights, then to the Pizzini for two nights before heading up and over Suldenspitze and back to Sulden. If starting from the Bormio side, you could easily get up to the Branca hut and spend 2-3 nights there, 2 nights at Pizzini and then perhaps hop over to the Martellerhutte for a night. At each hut there are many ski touring and ski mountaineering objectives available with many different ski aspects to choose from.

Walking to the ski lifts in Sulden during a powder dump

Some of classic ski mountaineering peaks along the Ortler ski tour are Cevedale, which sits somewhat in the middle of the loop. Cevedale can sometimes be ok for skiing right from the summit but many times crampons and ice axe are required. Tresero and San Matteo are two popular North facing ski peaks out of the Refugio Branca that may require crampons for the last bit to the top but are commonly skied from their summits and if a more South facing aspect is sought there is Palon de la Mare. Then there is the famous Gran Zebru, or Konigsptize (the Italian and German names), near the Refugio Pizzini. The Gran Zebru is an imposing peak that dominates the view on much of the Ortler ski tour and it is technically skiable from its summit in good conditions. However, it is only for those very comfortable skiing very steep terrain as it gets close to 50 degrees in places and is very exposed. A fall would not go well.

Exporling a glacier cave on the Ortler ski tour

Beyond the peaks, the alpine ski touring and mellow glaciated ski descents are also fantastic on the Ortler. There are many lower angle ski touring options for times of higher avalanche risk or for those who aren’t seeking to shred the gnar, especially out of the Pizzini hut. To fully experience the ski tour safely you should be an experienced backcountry skier or split boarder and an advanced level rider.

Fine powder skiing on the Ortler ski tour

Most days ski touring on the Ortler circuit are on glaciated ski terrain so knowledge of safe glacier navigation on skis and crevasse rescue on skis is essential. Most days you will ski wearing a harness with crevasse rescue kit, and an ice axe on your pack. If you plan on attempting the peak summits a lightweight pair of boot crampons in your ski pack is essential for success. A pair of ski crampons is essential as on any Alps ski tour.

asceniding a ridge while skiing back to sudlen

If you are without some of these glaciated skiing skills or are a bit less confident skiing on glaciers there is of course the option to hire a qualified mountain and ski guide who can make good judgment calls and handle all of the logistics for you. International Alpine Guides has been guiding the Ortler ski tour for the past 14 years and we know it well. The season for the Ortler ski tour is best from beginning of March through early April which affords the best chance of good snowpack with good weather but of course having good ski conditions always depends on the particular week you are there.

The Ortler ski tour is one of those Alps ski tours that you could find yourself repeating again and again and having a totally different experience each time, always leaving wanting more. There’s just so much ski terrain and so many route variations you can’t ever get bored.

Check out more information on our Ortler Ski Tour Ski Tour guided trips.

by Dave Miller
IFMGA mountain & Ski Guide, Owner/Director of International Alpine Guides
Dave has been skied the Ortler Ski Tour over 15 times in the past 14 years and considerers it one of his top favorite Alps ski trips