Good things come in small packages, but as usual for Europe, the small package skis a lot longer than most. Cima Piazzi-San Colombano (Valdidentro) is one such good thing & can be a wonderfully quiet alternative for a day or two away from the pistes of Bormio or Livigno.

The least knwon of the local ski areas, the Valdidentro is super quiet, even on a weekend, leaving the piste trails (though a touch icy down low) in premium condition simply due to low skier numbers. The Cima Piazzi gondola departs from the shaded Valdidentro near the town of Isolaccia at 1335m elevation, rising 600m vertical. From there, two surface tows get one up to a small alpine peak at 2360m. The 1025m skiable vertical from top to bottom is a real treat. We were however let down by the closure of the top two lifts which provide access to the 2550m Dosso le Pone and its extensive off-piste alpine terrain. Apparently, they had been closed all season due to certification issues. The upper alpine zone now makes an excellent off-piste touring area, but one hopes the lifts are restored for following seasons. Aging lift infrastructure is obvious in the resort area which does not bode well for the future.

The two upper mountain restaurants are excellent. The Alpe di San Colombano bar/restaurant is a substantial alpine lodge at 2280m elevation which gets full sun. It allows for scoping of freeride lines toward the 3022m Corno di San Colombano & the Dosso le Pone zone. Slightly lower, a more rustic shepherd’s hut, the Ristoro San Colombano oozes charm. Both have splendid mountain views across to Bormio & are worthy of a long lunch finished off with a Bombardino or Calimero. I did! The other main on-mountain restaurant options are the Conca Bianca hut at the top of the Cima Piazzi gondola & the Albergo La Forte near the base of the Forte Tade double chair. The Conca Bianca mountain hut is actually a large bar & self-serve restaurant that comes complete with a fun children’s playground & is perfectly sited for massive views and proximity to the resort’s best novice terrain.

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 Le Motte – the simple base area. Some of the linking trails have flat sections that may impede snowboarders, but they are relatively minor. Several of the intermediate rated runs would be ok 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.

Interestingly, even for someone like me that is used to navigating strange new ski areas at speed, it is easy to make a wrong turn in the San Colombano sector. Missing a lift or trail will be a common occurrence for new visitors. I suppose you can go super slow & stop to read all the signage, but where is the fun in that? With no people on the slopes, it doesn’t matter. Enjoy the peace & quiet, the slow chairlift rides up & the chance to relax.

We recommend staying in Bormio if skiing Cima Piazzi-San Colombano. It is a lively town with everything for a great stay, aside from its low elevation – which may mean no snow in town. Staying closer is possible if after something a little quieter. We stayed two nights near the gondola base at Hotel Cima Piazzi. The hosts were lovely, breakfast & dinner superb & everything else was as expected from a family run traditional Italian hotel. The gondola was a one minute stroll from the hotel. We could ski down to directly across the road from the hotel.

Whilst by no means a destination ski resort on its own, Cima Piazzi – San Colombano is a worthy addition to any ski trip to Alta Valtellina. On a powder day, the upper alpine has some fun terrain for ski touring (or off the lifts if they get them fixed!).

You can see our thoughts on the pros & cons of Valdidentro on the overview page and also see our Europe ski resort ratings regarding how we score it against other ski areas.