Merano and surroundings offer many opportunities for those who love winter sports. There are five ski areasOrtler Ski Arena which crown the city: Merano2000, Schwemmalm, Plan, Monte San Vigilio and Val Senales. Each ski area has its own Ski School with qualified masters who with great professionalism teach the techniques of the various styles along the snowy kilometres. And since nobody knows the ski instructors better than the ski instructors who work daily, in this post 5 masters tell their favorite track and the characteristics that make it unforgettable.
Hannes Laterner, Ski Master in Val Senales
Hannes Laterner, for 24 years Master and Director of the Ski School of Val Senales, when he can, descends from the "Angolo del Devi", the Taufelsegg, reachable with the chairlift Rotenkofel.
"The track layout is very beautiful and varied but above all wide, so that you can descend following different trajectories; moreover it is possible to choose whether to make very steep traits (marked in black) or to descend on the less steep ones marked in red. Depending on the gradient and degree of difficulty, the length of the track varies from 1,900 to 2.270 meters. I only recommend it to test skiers. The Taufelsegg slope, a bit like the whole Val Senales ski area, is never crowded and offers an extraordinary panorama".
The Val Senales ski area has slopes up to 3.212 meters, a large freestyler snow park, a 3.3 km toboggan run and the glacier that guarantees snow throughout the year.
Gottfried Paris, Coach and Director of the Ski School
Val d’Ultimo, National instructor and ski instructor "I usually like to start from the Mutegg track and then continue on the Asmol: it is a very sunny track that allows to descend to the rhythm and speed you prefer. The bottom is very varied and the slopes allow to reach high speeds over 2,8 kilometers of track. I recommend it to experienced skiers, who for the entire season will find a perfect snow and a unique panorama, ranging from the Dolomites to the Ortles group".
The ski area Schwemmalm, in Val d’Ultimo, is always well snowed and the ski lifts reach a maximum altitude of 2.625 meters. From this year there will be a great news: The Bagjump, a huge inflatable to safely experience acrobatic jumps with skis, snowboards, bigfoot and plastic slides.
Herbert Ennemoser, Ski Master, Director of the Ski and Snowboard School Plan
"Our ski area is small and family-friendly. When I have to deal with first-armed skiers I bring them gladly on the Gampen track, because there are no steep traits and therefore it is ideal for beginners, children and unexperienced skiers. Apart from some slightly undulating stretches, the bottom of the track is generally flat and perfect for practicing with the first curves. The track is 400 meters long and is located on the side of the valley exposed to the sun".
The Plan ski area is the ideal destination for families. Small compared to other resorts, it has the advantage of having very beautiful and sunny slopes and being a country that has chosen sweet mobility; also for this is one of the Alpine Pearls.
Lucas Kuntner, Ski Master of Lana, Monte San Vigilio
"My favorite is the Seehof, a very easy blue track that for its characteristics is ideal for families, children and inexperienced skiers. It is less than a kilometer long and thanks to its poor slope it is suitable for those who want to learn the technique of skiing. With the ski lift you will soon return to the top and in a day you can do many descents in peace and quiet, as well as on the other slopes of the area. Our area, in fact, is never crowded, so Monte San Vigilio represents the right place for a family who wants to spend a day on the snow".
Another area ideal for families is Monte San Vigilio. With four lifts and a total of 5 kilometres of slopes, you can ski immersed in nature, in an idyllic atmosphere.
Irma Hölzl Alber, Ski Master in Merano 2000
"I really like the Sant’Osvaldo track, of average difficulty (marked in red) suitable for everyone because it is neither steep nor wavy. It is wide and divided into two trunks, so you can choose between two variants. The new four-seat chairlift with a protective dome allows you to comfortably reach the track, very sunny and with a splendid view of the Dolomites and the chapel of Sant’Osvaldo".
The Merano 2000 ski area boasts a beautiful cable car, built in 2010, able to move 120 people simultaneously. Many refreshments that, together with the happy sun exposure, make it a favourite place for those who do not ski but want to spend a day on the snow.
