Off-piste & heliskiing Italy: An In Depth Guide to Alagna

Posted October 02, 2021 under Blog, Heliskiing, Italy

A three stage cableway takes you quickly to a height of 3,250m from where the vast off-piste area of the Monte Rosa opens up 360 degrees all around. Traversing from the top of the lifts gives access to a range of side valleys with everything from steep pitches and couloirs to wide open powder bowls on offer. Beautiful long valley runs then often end up at a welcoming Refugio for a well earned Italian lunch. Throw in the most extensive heli-skiing in the alps, expert local mountain guides, an unspoilt alpine village and all within two hours of Milan and you have all the ingredients for a perfect long weekend off-piste and heli-skiing.

Off-piste terrain in Alagna

Sitting beneath the mighty Monte Rosa, which at 4,634m is the second highest peak in the Alps, Alagna is the gateway to a ‘freeride paradise’. From the village, a telecabine transports you quickly to the half way station at Pianalunga where the true extent of Alagna’s off-piste terrain becomes apparent. The cableway then ascends rapidly to Passo Salati at 2971m and the first off-piste runs of the Olen Valley and Balma. The Olen valley is also the start of the one piste back to Alagna, a thigh burning, uninterrupted decent of nearly 2000m!

The final stage of the cableway runs from Passo Salti to Punta Indren at 3,260m where the off-piste proper begins with multiple options in every direction. Head left down a varied 1000m decent to Gabiet where you can either pick up the lift system from Gressoney to take you back to the top of the Olen Valley or if you prefer something more intrepid take a short hike to Passo Zube and descend the Giachetti Couloir back to Piana Lunga. Alternatively, from Gabiet continue on the pistes and lifts of Gressoney to Colle Bettaforca where more off-piste runs can be accessed down to Champoluc or back to Stafal.

Traversing right from Indren and the off-piste glories of Alagna really begin to open up with runs funnelling back to Balma or, after dropping into the legendary Malfatta Couloir, steep pitches give way to open powder bowls, followed by a long sweeping decent back to the village.

In terms of scale and variety the terrain in Alagna is hard to beat. Whether you are looking for steep couloirs and challenging pitches or more gentle powder bowls and long sweeping glacier runs our experienced local mountain guides will find your perfect terrain.

Heli-skiing in Alagna

Alagna has some of the most extensive heli-skiing in Europe with more heli-ski drop points than anywhere else in the Alps. Multiple runs descend on all sides of the Monte Rosa Massif some of which cross over the border into Switzerland ending up in Zermatt.

The helicopter in use is The Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil (Squirrel) known in North America as an AStar. This versatile, single engine helicopter is well used to high altitude flight. The B3 version of the same helicopter landed on the summit of Everest in 2005 so the highest landings from Alagna at 4000m, are well within its capability.

There are two seats in the front, used by the pilot and mountain guide, and four forward facing seats in the back for guests. So when planning a heli-ski trip to Alagna, ideally, try and make up a party of four. However, we do arrange group trips of 12 people suitable for single and couples to join.

The helicopter uses two main pick up points above Alagna and Gressoney. Typically two flights will provide a full day of skiing or boarding with a first decent of approximately 1000m while the second drop will provide a longer run of nearly 2000m back to the valley bottom. That’s the equivalent of around 10,000 vertical feet of skiing in one day.

While the terrain is similar to the lift accessed off-piste, the advantage of the helicopter is you can quickly access higher elevations and more remote areas that would otherwise be hard to reach.

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Mountain Guides 

With the growing interest in alpinism from the nineteenth century onwards, Alagna became a gateway to the Monte Rosa Massif establishing a Corp of Mountain Guides that is now one of the oldest in the alps. Today it is nearly 40 members strong, many are locals and all UIAGM qualified. We work with a small team of hand selected guides whose detailed knowledge of the area and experience will ensure you have the best and safest time possible whatever the conditions.

The Village of Alagna

Alagna is home to a population of less than 500 people. Originally established in the 13th Century by the Walsers, a Germanic people who migrated south over the alps, bringing with them a distinctive culture and architectural style. Still much in evidence to this day, this unique local style prompted UNESCO to confer World Heritage Status to Alagna in 2013. 

A stone paved main street winds down through the village where most of the bars, hotels and restaurants are located. Above the village small agricultural hamlets cluster together, before petering out as the incline of the Monte Rosa becomes too severe for habitation. With many in the community still relying on traditional farming practices for a living, the provenance of local meats and cheeses is beyond question.

Despite its unique location and culture, Alagna has resisted wholesale development and still operates as traditional alpine community providing the perfect escape and antidote to the pressures of 21st century living

Hotels & Accommodation

Part of Alagna’s charm is its size (or lack of it) and with only around 500 hotel beds that means not many people can stay there and there is little competition on powder days.

Most of the hotels are boutique and these are three of the best…

Hotel Cristallo 

Situated in the centre of the village, Alagna’s most elegant hotel is a mere 300m from the ski lifts. Recently refurbished and with carefully chosen decoration and modern furnishings throughout, the hotel has 17 bedrooms and two suites. Facilities include a sauna, turkish bath, pool and gym. The hotel’s Restaurant Pressmel, serves a delicious selection of local and international dishes.

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Tre Alberi Liberi

This eight bedroom property is located in the small hamlet of Riva Valdobia just before you reach the main village. Family run, each bedroom is furnished in a slightly different style all with ensuite bathrooms. Breakfast is taken in an elegant dining room in front of a roaring log fire. Home made pastries and local meats and cheeses will set you up for a day of in the mountains while the spa area and out-door hot tub, will help to ease aching muscles at the end of the day. Dinner is not served in the evening but the owners will recommend and make restaurant reservations.

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Hotel Montagna di Luce

Located in the characteristic Walser hamlet of Pedemonte, a short distance above the main village, Hotel Montagna di Luce is a recent renovation of a 19th century house. The hotel has eight bedrooms, all with shower or jacuzzi, private balcony, phone and  internet connection. There is a sauna, garden-solarium and heated ski room. The hotel’s restaurant serves typical local products of the Sesia valley. Close to the bottom of the ski slopes Montagna di Luce is not only a great place to stay, but ideal to drop into for a late lunch or an early evening drink, after an exhilarating day’s skiing.

Refuges and Mountain Huts

Bars & restaurants

Getting there

Alagna is easy to get to making it perfect for a long weekend getaway. Less than two hours drive from Milan’s Malpensa Airport; British Airway, EasyJet and Ryan Air provide numerous daily flights there from London’s three main airports and other regional locations.