Dolomiti Superski Turns 50 – The Celebrations Begin
Now it's 50 - happy birthday, Dolomiti Superski! Half a century ago, one of the largest ski carousels in the world was born, a driving force for the mountain economy and a fertile ground for technological innovation. Celebrations are planned for this autumn in all 12 member resorts.
"The 50th anniversary of Dolomiti Superski is an important milestone that fills us with joy and pride, because it is a success achieved thanks to the great commitment of several generations of entrepreneurs and many people who love the mountains and live them every day," explains Andy Varallo, current President of Dolomiti Superski.
It was on November 14, 1974 when the six representatives of the existing cable car consortia of the areas of Cortina d'Ampezzo, Kronplatz, Alta Badia, Val Gardena-Alpe di Siusi, Val di Fassa-Carezza and Arabba signed the official founding document of the then "Superski Dolomiti Association" before a notary in Brunico (BZ). This marked the beginning of an entrepreneurial success story, an Italian excellence that is considered a model for the cable car and tourism sector worldwide and that, half a century later, plays an important role in the mountain society of the provinces of Trento, Bolzano and Belluno.
First steps
It all began with an idea by Erich Kostner, a cable car pioneer from Corvara in Alta Badia, which he soon shared with his colleagues in the neighboring valleys and which fell on fertile ground there. Fiorenzo Perathoner, President of Dolomiti Superski from 2000 to 2008, recalls: "Erich Kostner called me and suggested that we meet to discuss his idea. We met a few days later at the Hotel Post in Corvara. At the meeting, Erich Kostner, Ing. Ugo Illing, Erich Kastlunger, Gottfried Declara, Paolo Fosco, Dr. Franz Perathoner and myself were present. Mr. Kostner told us that it was time to find a solution for the visitors to the Sellaronda, who were forced to take out their wallets at each lift to pay for their tickets. He explained his idea, which was to agree on a single ski pass for the lifts in the five central valleys of the Dolomites. The meeting was successful and even those who were not involved in the Sellaronda were in favor of it, and so the ambitious project was started." It began with six Dolomite valleys and reached its current size in 2000, when the Marmolada was added. The first president of Superski Dolomiti was Gianni Marzola, a Milanese businessman who had moved to Val Gardena, who led the consortium for 26 years and was assisted from 1979 by Franz Perathoner, the first general director, who remained in office until 2012.
To celebrate the anniversary of Dolomiti Superski, an internal organizing committee has prepared a rich program of events in all 12 member valleys, both with ad hoc events and with "Dolomiti Superski Moments" that will be integrated into existing events to further underline the link between the 50-year-old ski pass association and the municipalities of the area. It will start in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the first headquarters of "Superski Dolomiti", on 24 August, where the 100th anniversary of the opening of the first ski lift in the "Queen of the Dolomites" will also be celebrated.
It was on November 14, 1974 when the six representatives of the existing cable car consortia of the areas of Cortina d'Ampezzo, Kronplatz, Alta Badia, Val Gardena-Alpe di Siusi, Val di Fassa-Carezza and Arabba signed the official founding document of the then "Superski Dolomiti Association" before a notary in Brunico (BZ). This marked the beginning of an entrepreneurial success story, an Italian excellence that is considered a model for the cable car and tourism sector worldwide and that, half a century later, plays an important role in the mountain society of the provinces of Trento, Bolzano and Belluno.
First steps
It all began with an idea by Erich Kostner, a cable car pioneer from Corvara in Alta Badia, which he soon shared with his colleagues in the neighboring valleys and which fell on fertile ground there. Fiorenzo Perathoner, President of Dolomiti Superski from 2000 to 2008, recalls: "Erich Kostner called me and suggested that we meet to discuss his idea. We met a few days later at the Hotel Post in Corvara. At the meeting, Erich Kostner, Ing. Ugo Illing, Erich Kastlunger, Gottfried Declara, Paolo Fosco, Dr. Franz Perathoner and myself were present. Mr. Kostner told us that it was time to find a solution for the visitors to the Sellaronda, who were forced to take out their wallets at each lift to pay for their tickets. He explained his idea, which was to agree on a single ski pass for the lifts in the five central valleys of the Dolomites. The meeting was successful and even those who were not involved in the Sellaronda were in favor of it, and so the ambitious project was started." It began with six Dolomite valleys and reached its current size in 2000, when the Marmolada was added. The first president of Superski Dolomiti was Gianni Marzola, a Milanese businessman who had moved to Val Gardena, who led the consortium for 26 years and was assisted from 1979 by Franz Perathoner, the first general director, who remained in office until 2012.
To celebrate the anniversary of Dolomiti Superski, an internal organizing committee has prepared a rich program of events in all 12 member valleys, both with ad hoc events and with "Dolomiti Superski Moments" that will be integrated into existing events to further underline the link between the 50-year-old ski pass association and the municipalities of the area. It will start in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the first headquarters of "Superski Dolomiti", on 24 August, where the 100th anniversary of the opening of the first ski lift in the "Queen of the Dolomites" will also be celebrated.
In addition to the local authorities, the representatives of the "Cortina Skiworld" cable car consortium and Dolomiti Superski, the local population will also be involved as much as possible. In Cortina, as in all the towns that are part of it today, they have played a very important role in the creation and development of winter tourism in the first place and summer tourism a little later, both as shareholders and, above all, as collaborators in various areas of the organization. For several years now, more than 3,000 people have worked in the 130 cable car companies affiliated to Dolomiti Superski, in the 12 valley associations and in the headquarters, either seasonally or permanently.
This anniversary is on the one hand an important milestone achieved thanks to the hard work of many people over the years, and on the other hand a new starting point for the future, which will still hold many challenges for those who will continue to run this great organization in the second or third generation.
"The quality of services will continue to guarantee the future of Dolomiti Superski. Added to this is an ever greater attention to the points of contact between our professional environment and the challenges of sustainability. The cable car operators of the Dolomites have always been distinguished by their penchant for innovation, especially technological innovation. Thanks to this ability, the technology available today is at an optimal level in terms of emissions, consumption and performance. And this benefits both our companies and the environment. Living in our valleys, we are the first to have an interest in keeping the landscape and everything around us intact. Our guests appreciate not only what we offer, but also the landscape in which they can spend wonderful days of vacation and relaxation," says Andy Varallo, President of Dolomiti Superski since 2020.
The Enrosadira as a landmark
As a lasting symbol of this 50th anniversary, the Piedmontese artist Daniele Basso, who has already created important sculptures such as the "Gabriel" of the "Theater of Silence" in Tuscany and the "Giant" on the Gran Risa World Cup slope in Alta Badia, created the "Enrosadira".
The Enrosadira as a landmark
As a lasting symbol of this 50th anniversary, the Piedmontese artist Daniele Basso, who has already created important sculptures such as the "Gabriel" of the "Theater of Silence" in Tuscany and the "Giant" on the Gran Risa World Cup slope in Alta Badia, created the "Enrosadira".
The sculpture consists of 12 three-dimensional triangles in polished steel, all different from each other but joined together to form a single body. It represents the unity of 12 different valleys, but with a great common goal - the creation of prosperity for the mountain inhabitants as a guarantee of a dignified life in a fundamentally harsh and poor environment, such as the Dolomites were until a few decades ago. The Enrosadira, a natural phenomenon that makes the rocks of the Dolomites shine a fiery red at sunrise and sunset, is a common treasure of the entire Dolomite region and has, over the centuries, inspired people's imagination and given rise to countless interpretations and legends.
The "Enrosadira" work will be exhibited in all 12 Dolomiti Superski valleys during the celebrations, while a smaller "blue copy" will be given to the municipalities as a token of gratitude for half a century of fruitful collaboration. At all local events, deserving people who have contributed to the development of Dolomiti Superski and its valleys over the years will be honoured.
The "Enrosadira" work will be exhibited in all 12 Dolomiti Superski valleys during the celebrations, while a smaller "blue copy" will be given to the municipalities as a token of gratitude for half a century of fruitful collaboration. At all local events, deserving people who have contributed to the development of Dolomiti Superski and its valleys over the years will be honoured.
To bring continuity to the long series of events, a miniature Enrosadira has been created in the shape of an Olympic torch, which will be taken from valley to valley before the various local events and passed on from the representatives of the previous area to the representatives of the next. During the autumn and next winter seasons there will also be a travelling exhibition with interesting photographic documents from the Dolomiti Superski archives and above all from the individual member valleys, offering unpublished, curious and nostalgic insights into the events of the last five decades.
https://www.dolomitisuperski.com/
https://www.dolomitisuperski.com/
