Italy, Europe
Alta Badia
Alta Badia: 130km slopes across six Ladin villages. Gran Risa World Cup slope, Sellaronda circuit access. UNESCO Dolomites, 53 lifts.
Season 2025-2026
Opens
4 Dec 2025
Closes
6 Apr 2026
Days open
123
Annual snow
4m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Alta Badia delivers 130 kilometres of meticulously groomed slopes across a spectacular section of the Dolomites, where dramatic limestone peaks tower above six authentic Ladin villages. With elevations spanning 1,324 to 2,778 metres, the resort combines reliable snow conditions with exceptional intermediate terrain featuring long, flowing descents across sun-drenched plateaus. The area forms a crucial section of the famous Sellaronda circuit whilst serving as a regular World Cup venue, hosting the challenging Gran Risa giant slalom course each December.
Approximately 90% of the local population still speaks Ladin as their first language, creating an authentic cultural atmosphere rarely found in such highly developed ski destinations. The UNESCO-protected Dolomite landscape provides a breathtaking backdrop to world-class ski infrastructure serving all ability levels.
1454m
Vertical
114
Runs
130 km
Piste
4m
Annual snow
Watch
See Alta Badia in motion
The Terrain
114 runs across 130 km of piste
Alta Badia spreads 114 runs across 130 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 57%, with 65 beginner runs to find your feet and 8 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
114
runs
114 runs across 4 grades
Beginner65 runs · 57%
Intermediate41 runs · 36%
Advanced8 runs · 7%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Alta Badia
The winter season in Alta Badia typically operates from early December through mid-April, with optimal conditions prevailing from late December through March. The resort receives approximately 3.5 metres of natural snowfall annually, complemented by an extensive snowmaking system covering nearly 100% of marked runs.
The predominantly high-altitude terrain above 1,800 metres ensures cold temperatures throughout winter, maintaining excellent snow quality even when lower resorts struggle. Most slopes benefit from quality sunshine exposure whilst the north-facing Gran Risa preserves icy race conditions throughout the season. December brings the annual World Cup races attracting thousands of spectators, whilst March offers classic spring skiing with extended daylight hours and consistently reliable coverage on upper elevation sectors.
Season 2025-2026
4 Dec 2025
Opens
6 Apr 2026
Closes
123
Days open
4 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Alta Badia, and where to stay
Situated in South Tyrol's Val Badia, Alta Badia spans approximately 16 kilometres across six villages—Corvara, Colfosco, La Villa, San Cassiano, Badia, and La Val—each retaining distinctive Ladin heritage through architecture, cuisine, and daily life. The valley sits 75 kilometres east of Bolzano and 200 kilometres north of Venice, occupying a sheltered position that protects against harsh weather systems whilst maintaining exceptional snow preservation.
International access is convenient via airports in Innsbruck (135 kilometres, 2 hours), Venice (175 kilometres, 2.5 hours), and Verona (250 kilometres, 3 hours), with efficient shuttle services and generous parking facilities for self-drive visitors. The area's position within the Dolomiti Superski network provides seamless connections to neighbouring valleys, whilst bus services link all villages efficiently throughout winter.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Alta Badia, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
Unstable Glacier Above Randa Puts Zermatt-Area Village on Alert
A hanging glacier above the Swiss village of Randa, just south of Zermatt, has been shedding large chunks of ice for weeks, with authorities warning more break-offs are likely. A danger zone has been closed off since June, though officials say the village's 479 residents aren't at risk. It's a familiar pattern for this glacier - it's done this before, in 1819, 1972 and 1973 - but a reminder of how closely Alpine authorities now watch terrain once considered stable.
26 Aug 2026
Alta Badia Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 4 Sept 2026
2778m
summit
+0cm
new snow · last 24 hours
Clear11°C / 21°C · S 8km/h
Snowfall
24 hours
0cm
48 hours
0cm
7 days
0cm
Base depth
0cm
Season total
0cm
Total lifts61
Live open status isn’t available right now.
4 Dec 2025 - 6 Apr 2026
Hour by Hour
Next 48 hours· Updated Sep 4, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
2,778 mUpdated Sep 4, 2026 at 6:02 PMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0cm
Days 8–14
13cm
Fri, Sept 4
Overcast
Temp21° / 11°°C
Snow0.0cm
Wind8 km/h S
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Alta Badia snow report
Planning a day at Alta Badia? Our snow report combines official mountain data with live weather so you know exactly what conditions look like right now, from the 1324m base to the 2778m summit.
Snow measurements
Our snow reports measure snowfall in centimeters over multiple time windows — last 24 hours, last 7 days, and the season total. Base depth reflects accumulation at the 1324m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 1454m higher at 2778m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Weather conditions
Wind and temperature swings matter as much as fresh snowfall. Cold, calm conditions hold snow quality well, while wind-loading or a warm-up can change things quickly — especially given the elevation spread between Alta Badia's base and summit.
Data sources
Alta Badia snow data is collected through a combination of on-mountain reports and weather forecasting services, giving you both official resort updates and independent forecast data in one place. The mountain is served by 61 lifts, including an aerial tram and 10 8-person chairlifts.
When to check
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Alta Badia's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.