Our Adamello Ski Tour is a magnificent journey into the very heart of the Adamello mountain range, traversing the largest glacier system in Italy. The tour is also a great technical skills development week for skiers looking to gain some ski mountaineering experience, in preparation for more technical tours such as the Haute Route. Based in Ponte di Legno, one of Italy’s hidden gems, this is a fantastic area for high altitude skiing.

Tour Info

The week starts with a couple of valley based days, warm up skiing and day touring at Passo del Tonale, before setting off on a 4 day hut to hut tour around the Adamello Massif.   The area boasts excellent high altitude glacier skiing, with technical ski mountaineering sections, great huts, warm hospitality and wonderful Italian food.

In addition to the ski touring journey, this trip will also focus on specific skills training sessions, to help you become a well rounded ski mountaineer. Therefore, this trip is an excellent stepping stone for those who have done some day touring, or an introductory level hut tour/skills course, and wish to progress onto higher and more demanding alpine hut tours. Skills covered will include: refinement of skinning technique and kick turns for steeper/exposed slopes, using the rope for protection on steep terrain, building snow/ice anchors and crevasse rescue, using ice axe and crampons, avalanche safety and rescue drills, planning and hazard evaluation, off piste ski technique – tips for coping with difficult snow, pacing for longer/high altitude hut tours, hut etiquette etc.

Your guide for the week is Cain Olsen – originally from the Uk, Cain moved to Italy at the age of 10 and has lived and worked in the Adamello region for over 20 years.  He knows the area intimately and loves to guide in his home mountains.  Due to the uplift available at the start of the week, there is considerably more skiing down than skinning up on this tour – including a massive 2000m descent on the final day!

NB To make travel a little easier for this tour, we include a transfer pickup and dropoff at Bergamo Airport at the start and end of the trip.

Suitability

This is an intermediate level trip. To take part you should be at Fitness Level 2-3 and Tech Level 3 (see our Fitness/Experience guidelines). You need previous ski touring experience in order to join this tour.  For reference, Ski Club of GB Purple/Gold off piste ski standard is required for this trip.  As this is a multi day tour, if you haven’t skied with us before, then we may ask for a reference to confirm your experience/ski ability for the trip. Typically there will be 400-900m of climb a day, with options to take in extra summits along the way, so you can expect to be skinning for 3-4 hours a day. Type of ascent: we use 45% uplift and 55% skinning – approx 3500m skinning up, and 6600m skiing down, plus off piste skiing on day 1.

Guiding ratio

One IFMGA guide skiing with 6 clients.

Included in price

• 6 days of guiding
• All guides expenses
• 4 nights accommodation in Ponte di Legno, including breakfast and evening meals
• 3 nights accommodation in mountain huts, including breakfast and evening meals
• Return transfers from Bergamo airport to Ponte di Legno

Excluded from price (see course factsheet for cost estimates)

• Uplift
• Lunches and drinks
• Flights
• Insurance
• Equipment hire

Valley Accommodation

We spend valley nights in the first half of the week, and also the final night at the excellent Chalet Olsen in Ponte di Legno, run by your guide Cain and his wife Alice – its a lovely spot, perfectly set up for skiers, with great food and hospitality. Rooms are provided on a twin and triple sharing basis, with breakfast and evening meals included. Any extra luggage not required on the tour can be left until the end of the week. Accommodation details can be found on our Accommodation page.

Huts

For overnights in the high mountains we will use mountain huts. For more info please read the Using Alpine Huts article which provides an overview of typical hut facilities, average costs to help you budget for lunches/drinks and general info on hut etiquette. Also, our Ski Touring FAQs page answers some of the most common questions we are asked about multi day ski touring and logistics etc.

ABTOT Protected

This trip is protected by ABTOT – Alpine Guides Ltd, Membership Number 5394.  For further information, please visit our Financial Protection page.

Subject to weather and snow conditions, the plan is as follows. Please note that this is a sample itinerary only – on trips like this, itineraries are always subject to change as the current snow, weather and avalanche conditions need to be taken into account. This is an essential part of safety planning for all backcountry skiing, so please be ready for changes as part of your trip.

Saturday

You should arrange outward travel to Bergamo Airport on Saturday, to arrive in time for the private taxi transfer (see travel section below for recommended flights to Bergamo and meeting time).  Meet at the arrivals hall, transfer to Ponte di Legno (2 hr drive).  Check in at Chalet Olsen in Ponte di Legno.

Evening Briefing – your guide will run through kit checks and safety routines, as well as hand out any rental equipment, before going on to discuss the current weather and mountain conditions and how these affect our plans. We’ll have maps of the area to show you, so if you’ve any further questions or last minute requests, then this is the ideal time to bring them up.

Overnight at Chalet Olsen.

Sunday

Warm up day – Passo del Tonale

Off piste skiing and skills coaching at Passo del Tonale ski resort.  This is an opportunity for some quality acclimatization and warm up runs, plus some essential skills training and refreshment before setting off on the weeks’ touring.

PM Return to Chalet Olsen.

Monday

Day Tour – Passo del Tonale

On Day 2 we’ll enjoy a quality day tour, using some uplift through the resort to start the day. There are a number of different possibilities – Pisganino, Calotta etc – so we’ll choose the best option for the group and current snow conditions.

↑3-500 m ↓2000 m – 4-5 hrs.

PM Return to Chalet Olsen.

Tuesday

Passo del Tonale – Rifugio Mandrone (2500m) 

From Passo Tonale (1800m), we reach Passo Presena (2997m) with the gondola, before skiing down to Rifugio Mandrone (2500m). After a break to leave our overnight gear (and an espresso, of course) we then skin 400m up to Passo Tre Denti where we will do some more skills (boot packing, ice ace arrest, crevasse rescue) and enjoy a great ski back down to the hut before dinner. This hut has some of the best food in the Alps!

↑400 m ↓900 m – 4-5 hrs.

Wednesday

Rifugio Mandrone – Rifugio Lobbia (3000m)

Today we skin up to Cresta Croce (3300m) and visit the nearby First Word War cannon, called 149G or Hippopotamus – if the snow is firm, we may need crampons for the final section.  From the ridge, we enjoy an exceptional panorama of the Adamello Glacier before skiing back down to the main glacier, where a short climb leads to the Rifugio Lobbia (3040m) where we spend the night.

↑900 m ↓400 m – 5-6 hrs.

Thursday

Day Tour – Monte Adamello / Colle di Lares / Dosson di Genova

Rifugio Lobbia is an Italian national landmark; it was totally renovated in 2005 and is located in an amazing position right in the centre of the Adamello Glacier. There are several day tours we can do, depending on the weather/snow conditions and on the team’s fitness and motivation.

 ↑500-1100 m ↓500-1100 m – 5-8 hrs.

Friday

Final Day – Passo Valletta – Monte Venezia

From the hut, we head out across the glacier and climb up to the Passo Valletta (3200m). If the conditions are good, we can summit Monte Venezia (3290m) that sits just above the col. We now have 13km and 1900m of north facing skiing all the way down to the bar!

↑600 m ↓2200 m – 5-6 hrs.

PM Return to Chalet Olsen for final night.

Skills Sessions

Training sessions covering core ski mountaineering skills will be delivered throughout the week, to work around the journey, weather and conditions. Skills covered will include: refinement of skinning technique and kick turns for steeper/exposed slopes, using the rope for protection on steep terrain, building snow/ice anchors and crevasse rescue, using ice axe and crampons, avalanche safety and rescue drills, planning and hazard evaluation, off piste ski technique – tips for coping with difficult snow, pacing for longer/high altitude hut tours, hut etiquette etc.

Saturday

AM Mid day transfer to Bergamo Airport for afternoon flights home (14.00 drop off at the airport).

Your trip meeting point is at 16.00 – 17.30 in arrivals at Bergamo Airport (BGY), before onward travel to Ponte di Legno.

Fly to Bergamo. Ryanair offer direct flights from Stansted (arr Bergamo 15.55 or 16.45), and from Manchester (arriving 15.10) and Edinburgh (with one change on the way out, arriving at a similar time).  If you plan to arrive via another route, then please make sure you arrive in plenty of time for the pickup.

In 2027 we are offering the Adamello Tour on 2 dates, departing on the 13th March, and the 3rd April

Sat 13th March 2027 Tour

We will arrange a private taxi transfer from the airport, departing at 17.30 on Sat 13th March (TBC – depending on team arrival times) – please do not book flights arriving later than 16.45, to avoid the rest of the team having to wait.  The transfer to Ponte di Legno takes approx. 2 hours.

We will arrange a return transfer departing Ponte di Legno at 09.30 and  arriving Bergamo airport 11.30 on Sat 20th March in time for flights departing from 14.35. Ryanair have return flights to Stansted, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Sat 3rd April 2027 Tour

We will arrange a private taxi transfer from the airport, departing at 17.30 on Sat 3rd April (TBC – depending on team arrival times) – please do not book flights arriving later than 16.45, to avoid the rest of the team having to wait.  The transfer to Ponte di Legno takes approx. 2 hours.

We will arrange a return transfer departing Ponte di Legno at 09.30 and  arriving Bergamo airport 11.30 on Sat 10th April in time for flights departing from 14.35. Ryanair have return flights to Stansted, Manchester and Edinburgh.

If you are not able to meet the pick-up, or want to coordinate alternative transport (eg car hire with other team members), then please let us know and we will put you in touch.

There are also 3 buses a day running between Bergamo Airport and Ponte di Legno – see details on the airport website: https://bergamo.arriva.it/milanoorio-al-serio-ponte-di-legno/

For flights and other travel options, including train, coach and driving, visit our Travel Planning page.

To enjoy this trip you should be comfortable operating at Fitness Level 2/3, and Ski Tech Level 3:

Fitness Level 2
You do 2-3 hours cv training/sport per week. At this level you should be happy doing either a 3-4 hr hillwalk, cycling 30-40 miles or mountain biking 2-3 hours without being exhausted. On foot: you should be able to walk from Ogwen Cottage in North Wales up Glyder Fach – Glyder Fawr – Y Garn – Ogwen in ~5hrs. Or in the Lake District Langdale – Bowfell – Esk Pike – Angle Tarn – Langdale in ~ 6hrs. On skis: you are capable of off piste skiing all day or doing a couple of hours skinning with out finishing up exhausted – ie you can do this for a number of days without taking a rest day.

Fitness Level 3
You do 3-4 hours cv training/sport per week. At this level you are happy doing a 5-6 hr hillwalk, 40-50ml cycle or 3-4hr mountain bike ride without being totally exhausted. If you are into challenges – then the thought of doing a road sportive, or training to do a 1/2 (or maybe even a full) marathon, wouldn’t seem too ridiculous. On foot: you should be able to do the full Langdale Horseshoe: Langdale – Pike of Stickle – Angle Tarn – Bow Fell – Crinkle Crags – Pike of Blisco – Langdale in a day without finishing up exhausted. On skis: you can skin uphill at 300-400m/hr for 3-4 hrs a day (ie 8-1200m of ascent each day)

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Tech Level 3
Confirmed Off Piste Skier. You can put down a reasonable set of tracks in powder, but difficult snow types – eg heavy wet snow, crusts, poor visibility or 40dg slopes – can all cause problems (though you can cope with them safely, if not elegantly!) *Equivalent to Ski Club of GB Off Piste Level: Purple – Advanced*
Likely to say: ‘I’d like to handle difficult snow/steep slopes more confidently in better style’
Our Advice: Off piste coaching still useful. Intermediate off piste weeks are at your level too. If you want to get into ski touring, try a touring course or intro level ski tour. If you’re an established ski mountaineer, then intermediate level tours are generally suitable.

To view all of our Ski Fitness Levels and Off Piste Technical Levels, please visit our Ski Ability page.

If you need to top up your fitness for this trip, please see our Ski Touring Training Advice page.

Off Piste Ski Ability Levels

To join this trip, you need to be skiing at Tech Level 3 or higher on our 5 point scale. Use the descriptions above and the following video to help work out your current off piste ski ability level.

Hut to Hut Touring Equipment List

Just remember, every extra kilo on your back knocks 10% off your enjoyment on the descents – so try and keep the weight down!

Technical Clothing

• Waterproof Jacket – preferably lightweight and breathable
• Overtrousers/ski pants – preferably with side zips
• Fleece mid layer – or equivalent
• Socks – specialist ski socks or a warm loop lined pair of mountain socks
• Wicking thermal top – not cotton please…
• Thermal leggings or ski pants
• Thin inner gloves
• Warm ski gloves or mittens, if you suffer from cold hands
• Warm hat
• Spare fleece/lightweight duvet jacket

Personal Items

• Water container – at least 1 litre
• Personal medications and blister kit – regular meds, zinc oxide tape, compeed and painkillers etc
• Lightweight head torch
• Ski goggles
• Sun glasses – CE rated 3 or 4 with side protection
• Sun and lip cream – factor 30+
• Wallet, passport, Alpine Club/BMC card (hut discount) and insurance docs

Hut Overnight Items

• Small wash kit
• Spare lightweight t-shirt/socks/pants
• Silk sheet liner
• Ear plugs
• (Hut slippers for indoor use, blankets/duvets and pillows are provided by the huts)

Technical Equipment

• Rucsac 35/45l – try and avoid ones covered in too many features, just ski and ice axe attachments required
• Ski mountaineering boots
• Skis with touring bindings – lightweight pin binding setup required. Heavy freeride setups not suitable. Older style bar/rail bindings (Fritschi Freeride, Marker Duke etc) not allowed – please update your kit!
• Ski strap – to keep skis together on your rucksack if we need to carry them
• Ski poles – with good size 5cm+ baskets (telescopic poles are not needed)
• Climbing skins – they come with the skis if you hire your kit
• Harscheisen (ski crampons) – they come with the skis if you hire your kit
• Metal snow shovel – must be a full metal shovel (plastic blades don’t work in real avalanche debris!)
• Avalanche probe
• Avalanche transceiver – must be a modern digital model (older analogue models are now obsolete)
• Harness, with 120cm sling and locking karabiner
• Crampons – lightweight model
• Ice Axe – lightweight model
• Ski Helmet – lightweight ski touring or backcountry model preferred.  Wearing a helmet is compulsory on descents and may be needed on other parts of the route depending on conditions

Your guide will have all other safety kit, first aid and survival equipment.

Recommendations and Advice
Visit the Knowledge Base section of our website, where we publish an annual review of the years best new skis, boots and touring equipment, plus a range of other interesting tips and recommendations. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please get in touch!

Purchasing Equipment
Backcountry UK in Otley offer an excellent ski touring boot fitting service, one of the best ranges of ski mountaineering equipment in the UK and top notch advice.

Hiring Equipment
Please visit our Equipment Hire page for recommended hire shops in your resort, and Alpine Guides hire equipment price list (safety equipment is provided free of charge on certain courses – please consult price inclusions).

For this trip you must have specialist travel insurance providing medical, emergency search/rescue and repatriation cover for off piste skiing and ski touring, as outlined in the trip itinerary. We also strongly recommend that you purchase cancellation cover, in case you’re unable to attend your trip due to personal circumstances or injury. Please arrange your insurance as soon as your trip is confirmed to run.

Further details can be found on our insurance info page.