Where to Ski And Snowboard - Metre of snow saved on Italian glacier

Metre of snow saved on Italian glacier

2nd September 2010, by Wendy King

Presena under its duvet

It’s a bit of a sorry sight in September but … Italy’s Presena glacier will unveil its slopes again on 13 September, to prepare for some autumn fun before the main season. The good news is that its protective covering during the warm summer months has saved over a metre of snow melt.

The special protective sheet, used successfully elsewhere in the Alps, was deployed on the Presena this summer. Results reveal that up to five feet / 150cm of snow has been saved during the process – which amounts to 90,000 square meters of slope. And apparently, a good 30-40cm dump of fresh snowfall should allow an October opening – at least for limited skiing. The glacier slopes have retreated quite extensively in recent years, but they still provide a good level of sport with fresh snow.

The Presena holds some of the more challenging runs associated with glacier slopes, and is accessible from Passo Tonale – a small village and good novice skiing area high on the Tonale Pass. It’s location separates the Adamello range of mountains in the Dolomites, from the Ortler Alps. The top of the glacier has two main lifts: ‘Destra’ (meaning ‘Right’) and Sinistra (‘Left’), plus two red and one black main runs. There is another drag and a chairlift.

New for this winter will be a bar and self-service restaurant, at the top of the access gondola for the glacier – at 2585m, Passo Paradiso. This is expected to be ready to open in December, when the rest of the area is due to open as well.