Skiing? A Treat for All the Senses! Ten ski lodges worth a visit

Skiing? A Treat for All the Senses

In the skiing areas Gitschberg Jochtal and Plose, skiing is just the tip of the iceberg – there’s plenty to enjoy off piste as well! We show you ten ski lodges worth a visit

1

Rossalm lodge

A night on the mountain

As the final visitors put on their skis in preparation for their descent into the valley, we’re leaning ours up against the lodge wall. We won’t be needing them again tonight because we’re staying up here – in the heart of the Plose skiing area. Wrapped in fluffy bathrobes, we make our way across the snow to the hot tub. Lying back in the water heated to 40 degrees sipping on a glass of Franciacorta Rosé, we enjoy the sensation of the evening sun’s rays on our face, surrounded by the unfamiliar yet pleasant silence of the mountain. We move into the sauna cabin, where we gaze out through the window at the white Alpine landscape gleaming in the twilight. For dinner, we are served a five-course meal accompanied by a selection of South Tyrolean wine. After the last mouthful of mint panna cotta, we roll into bed fit to burst and stare out at the night sky for a while, before falling into the kind of deep sleep only possible in the mountains. The next morning, we step onto the deserted terrace cradling a cappuccino, breathe in the crisp winter air and look forward to being the first to speed down the slope.

Altitude: 2,180 m

Skiing area: Plose Valley station: Plose gondola lift, Seilbahnstraße 17, 39042 St. Andrä/S. Andrea (Brixen/Bressanone) Slopes: Pfannspitz, Familienabfahrt (Family Slope)

2

Gitschhütte lodge

A paradise for foodies

3

Trametschhütte lodge

Fun for all the family

Whether on skis, on foot or even by toboggan, there are many ways to reach Trametschhütte. The RudiRun toboggan run ends almost on the lodge’s doorstep, and sleds occupied by parents concentrating intently on the route ahead sat behind children screeching excitedly can be seen whooshing out of the forest. Small children spring off their sleds, rushing towards the giant wooden elk guarding the play area. Our little ones, who are already proficient skiers, watch the children with an air of superiority about them as they slickly remove their skis – proud of having made it all the way down the nine kilometre Trametsch slope. It’s not long, however, before they too are drawn in by the magnetic pull of the adventure playground. And when our food arrives, we have trouble tearing them away from the climbing tree and Flocki the lodge dog. One glance at their chips and burgers –

As we enter Gitschhütte, we are greeted by an understated, modern wooden interior with carefully folded napkins and elegant wine glasses arranged on the tables. Manager and head chef Meinrad Unterkircher deliberately chose to break away from what you would traditionally expect from a South Tyrolean lodge. Instead, the focus is on gourmet cuisine featuring lots of high-quality local produce. Back in the 1970s, the lodge only served sandwiches and hot dogs but today something much more refined awaits us. We are offered spicy black polenta dumplings, a creamy risotto with local grey cheese and spaghetti allo scoglio. Seafood pasta at an altitude of 2,200 metres? That’s virtually unheard of! For dessert, the waitress presents us with a mild crème pâtissière with a raspberry sauce and a deliciously moist apple strudel. To round off our meal, Meinrad pours us the traditional complimentary shot of schnapps – he may have a penchant for fine dining but he’s still a South Tyrolean at heart!

Altitude: 2,210 m Skiing area: Gitschberg Valley station: Gitschberg gondola lift, Mitterecker Straße 16, 39037 Meransen/ Maranza (Mühlbach/Rio di Pusteria) Slopes: Gitsch, Breiteben, Kanonenrohr

www.gitschhuette.com

made with meat sourced from the lodge’s own farm – and they forget what all the fuss was about. Our tender beef tagliata also gives us no cause to complain, but, with our stomachs full of delicious food, it does give us the perfect excuse to retreat to the natural wooden loungers on the terrace. The children have long since reclaimed the climbing tree and can be heard shrieking happily.

Altitude: 1,110 m

Skiing area: Plose Valley station: Plose gondola lift, Seilbahnstraße 17, 39042 St. Andrä/S. Andrea (Brixen/Bressanone) Slope: Trametsch, RudiRun toboggan run www.trametsch-huette.com

4

Anratterhütte lodge

A dumpling marathon

We first spot the Anratterhütte’s wood shingle roof from afar as we ski along a wide, winding slope on the mountainside. As we knock the snow off our ski boots, the heat from the wood-fired stove beckons us in. By a stroke of luck we manage to secure the table right next to it, its white dome soon warming us up. We don’t even need to look at the menu to know that we’ll be eating Knödel, the traditional South Tyrolean bread dumplings. What else could we possibly choose in a restaurant that proudly serves 15 varieties of them? We order a classic combination of speck, cheese and spinach dumplings and – prompted by the food envy we feel when we catch a whiff of the delicious aroma coming from the neighbouring table – a few nougat dumplings for dessert. We hardly say a word to each other once the lodge manager has

Altitude: 1,824 m Skiing area: Jochtal Valley station: Jochtal gondola lift, Jochtalstraße 1, 39037 Vals/Valles (Mühlbach/Rio di Pusteria) Slopes: Hinterberg, Seepiste

www.anratterhof.info served us our dumplings. As is so often the case when eating delicious food, the silence speaks for itself. After wiping the crumbs from the nougat dumplings from the corners of our mouth, we wonder if we would be allowed to lay down flat on our backs next to the stove, to rest our stuffed bellies for a moment before returning to the slopes.

5

Jochtal mountain restaurant

For night owls

Altitude: 2,008 m Skiing area: Jochtal Valley station: Jochtal gondola lift, Jochtalstraße 1, 39037 Vals/Valles (Mühlbach/Rio di Pusteria) Slopes: Talabfahrt, Mitterling, Jöchl Website: www.jochtal.info

It may seem counterproductive to walk up a slope instead of racing down one. But it’s no coincidence that so many locals pack their touring skis into the car and drive into the mountains after a long day in the office – and we too can’t imagine a better way of gaining some all-important work/life balance. With the daytime skiers already settling into an evening of relaxing in the sauna, hotel bar or on the couch, as dusk falls we start heading straight up the slope. Like every Tuesday evening, the almost four kilometre downhill run is reserved for ski tourers and snowshoe walkers. There are no snow groomers in operation and we don’t need to venture off-piste, which means we are perfectly safe here. Sticking to the edge of the slope, we place one foot in front of the other and soon break into a sweat despite the chilly evening. The climbing skins under our skis lend us grip as we continue our way upwards. Surrounded by the dark forest, we feel a sense of calm wash over us, a stillness that can only be found on the mountains on a winter’s night. As we continue, we can’t wait for our efforts to be rewarded with a large beer and fried eggs with speck and potatoes in Bergrestaurant Jochtal. We might even get into the spirit of things at the Dance of the Vampires party with rotating DJs all the way through to 11:30pm. And then – to top off the evening – we’ll enjoy our descent, guided only by the cone of light shining from our headlamps.

6

La Finestra mountain restaurant

Aperitivo at 2,000 metres

We were planning to make the most of the mild winter weather by carving a few turns in the snow, but when we hop off the gondola lift, our gaze is drawn not only to the striking “Plose” lettering with the gigantic “O”, but also to the popular La Finestra terrace bar with its tempting bottles of sparkling wine in brightly polished ice buckets. Aperol spritz glasses glisten in the bright sunshine and speck sits alongside marinated artichokes, blurring the boundaries between the Alpine and the Mediterranean at 2,050 metres above sea level. Locals greet each other, the bartender pops another cork and, as the first lunchtime guests clack their way across the terrace, their faces red from the wind, we give in to temptation and order a trio of dumplings with coleslaw or, as the menu says, “a Fenschter volla Knödl” or “a window of dumplings”. As it arrives, served attractively on a small wooden board resembling a window, we find that almost all thoughts of skiing have slipped our minds.

Altitude: 2,050 m Skiing area: Plose Valley station: Plose gondola lift, Seilbahnstraße 17, 39042 St. Andrä/S. Andrea (Brixen/Bressanone) Slopes: Plose, Trametsch

www.lafinestra-plose.com

7

P3 lodge

Party! Party! Party!

As we carve our last turns in the snow on the Trametsch slope late in the afternoon, we can already hear from afar why the “P” in P3 stands not only for “Plose” but above all for “party”. We take off our skis and order a well-deserved Hugo – an elderflower and prosecco spritz popular in these parts. Skiers gather cheerily under the dark beams of the wooden lodge and even the odd ski instructor can be found taking some time out to chat off-piste. Billie Eilish plays through the speakers and a few people are already breaking into a dance. The DJ looks down at us from the decoratively carved balcony, his powerful beats causing the old wooden skis displayed on the wall to shake. We’ve now moved on to an excellently mixed gin and tonic. Tired from dancing, we’re happy that we’ve finished skiing for the day. Tomorrow’s session on the slopes awaits us – as does the next party.

Altitude: 1,067 m Skiing area: Plose Valley station: Plose gondola lift, Seilbahnstraße 17, 39042 St. Andrä/S. Andrea (Brixen/Bressanone) Slope: Trametsch, Randötsch

www.plose.org

An après-ski classic

Forget about beer, wine or mixed drinks! Called Bombardino in Italian and Schneewittchen (“Snow White”) in German, it is the undisputed king of après-ski drinks in South Tyrol. This sweet concoction is perfect for warming up after a long day on the slopes and is very easy to make at home:

· 3 parts Advocaat/eggnog · 1 part brandy or rum · Whipped cream · Cinnamon or cocoa powder

Heat the Advocaat/eggnog without letting it boil. Then stir in the brandy and pour into a thick, heatproof glass. Top with plenty of whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon or cocoa powder. Serve hot.

8

Plosehütte lodge

High above the clouds

It’s the most beautiful view in the world! Every time we hop off the ski lift and glide the last few metres to Plosehütte, the vista never fails to take our breath away. Behind us is Pfannspitze peak, where a short while ago we were practising carving turns in the snow. The imposing Peitlerkofel and Geisler peaks in Villnöss/Funes, which form part of the mighty Dolomites, lie immediately in front of us and look almost close enough to touch. We turn around slowly, mesmerised by the all-around panoramic view of the Ötztal Alps, the Zillertal and Stubai Alps and the Ortles, Brenta and Adamello mountain groups. Tearing our eyes away, we look beneath us and see snowcapped Brixen sparkling in the winter sun. Up here, we’re unaffected by the few harmless clouds casting a shadow over an otherwise magnificent winter’s day. At almost 2,450 metres above sea level, we feel detached from reality. But the chill in the air soon breaks the spell and we realise that we’re not only cold, but hungry too. Then, as if by magic, the welcoming scent of food lures us towards the door of the lodge. Inside, we are greeted by a comforting warmth, coffee-drinking Carabinieri slope patrol officers and the laughter of locals playing cards. All we need now is a glass of wine.

Altitude: 2,447 m Skiing area: Plose Valley station: Plose gondola lift, Seilbahnstraße 17, 39042 St. Andrä/S. Andrea (Brixen/Bressanone) Slopes: Plose, Plose Ost, CAI

www.plosehuette.com

9

Pichlerhütte lodge

Feel like tobogganing today?

We race each other around bend after bend, our runners whipping up the snow – until the friend out in front comes to an abrupt stop. “Dumpling break!” he cries. The Brimi Winter Run, the new six kilometre toboggan run on the Gitschberg mountain, passes, after all, straight by the

Pichlerhütte. The small panoramic terrace is already brimming with people. We pause briefly to take a few snaps of the valley stretched out beneath us, before hanging up our helmets next to all the others on the gutters of the sun-drenched wooden lodge. After we’ve dined on homemade fresh egg tagliatelle and spinach-stuffed pasta – and our frontrunner has had his dumplings, of course – we share a plate of scrumptious poppy seed Krapfen, sweet fried pastries, for dessert. The owner of the lodge Matthias Hofer Grünfelder then shows us some photos of his Pichlerhof farm, which supplies the kitchen with a variety of produce, speck, milk and herbs. You can’t get much more locally sourced than that! We, on the other hand, still have a fair distance to travel. We’ve only completed half of the toboggan run and there’s still all to race for...

For tobogganing fans Turn to page 56, where two luge pros talk about their life in the fast lane

Altitude: 1,918 m

Skiing area: Gitschberg

Valley station: Gitschberg gondola lift, Mitterecker Straße 16, 39037 Meransen/Maranza (Mühlbach/Rio di Pusteria) Slopes: Nesselwiese, Mitterwiese, Brimi Winter Run toboggan run

www.pichlerhuette.com

10

Linderalm lodge

Cheese enthusiasts rejoice!

We’re out and about with our kids today, so it’s good that, as soon as they start to complain that they’re hungry, we simply have to head down the easy Seepiste slope and we’re right at Linderalm. Surrounded by mountains and forests blanketed in a dusting of snow, the lodge is known for Ewald Mair’s award-winning Graukäse Tyrolean grey cheese, a local delicacy. Granted, our children turn up their noses as soon as they hear the cheese’s name and would rather munch on some Kaiserschmarrn pancakes, but we listen attentively to the lodge manager as he explains how Graukäse is a sour milk cheese that is very low in fat and has an intense, spicy flavour. The more mature the cheese, the stronger its characteristic bitterness. We sample a semi-mature cheese with brown bread and butter – a classic combination. Our rapturous response sparks our children’s curiosity and they decide that they actually do want to try some. Perhaps they’ll become grey cheese connoisseurs after all!

Altitude: 1,862 m Skiing area: Jochtal Valley station: Jochtal gondola lift, Jochtalstraße 1, 39037 Vals/Valles (Mühlbach/Rio di Pusteria) Slopes: Sonnenhang, Seepiste

www.gitschberg-jochtal.com