For our second time on the slopes this winter, we headed to Val Gardena in the Dolomites which is home to the famous Seceda ridgeline and hike. The Seceda ski area is often called “the sunny side of Val Gardena,” and it absolutely lived up to the name on this day. The weather could not have been more perfect.
For reference, we visited on Saturday, 20 December 2025.
Getting to Seceda (Ortisei, Val Gardena)
Seceda is part of Puez–Odle Nature Park (Naturpark Puez-Geisler), a protected area spanning over 10,000 hectares and home to some of Italy’s most iconic peaks. Rising more than 2,500 meters (8,200+ feet) above the towns of Ortisei, Santa Cristina, and Selva di Val Gardena, Seceda offers jaw-dropping views over the entire valley in South Tyrol, Italy.
We drove from Trento to Ortisei and started the day with two mistakes. We drove to the parking garage right by the gondola station which is where mistake no. 1 took place. Spoiled by the free parking in Cavalese we decided to pass on the 1.9 EUR/h rate and we drove to the central parking garage further away, hoping it would be cheaper. It wasn’t.
A little frustrated, we proceeded to make mistake no. 2. We left the garage and walked all the way to the gondola station. It took us about 20 minutes and it wasn’t fun in the snowboarding boots. Later we learnt that there is a series of escalators in a very comfortable tunnel taking just a minute from the garage all the way up to the gondola station.
Morning Snowboarding on Seceda
To reach the top, you take two cable cars:
First is the Ortisei–Furnes gondola, which fits about five people per cabin. Then comes the Furnes–Seceda cable car, a much larger cabin that carries a lot of people at once. We waited around ten minutes in line before cramming in and heading up.
Not going to lie, morale was a little (very) low for me that morning. Mother Nature had struck, and I was feeling well below optimal thanks to some serious cramping (girlies, IYKYK).
But once we reached the top, all of that disappeared (momentarily) as I was completely and utterly awestruck by the views.
Seceda Scenic Ridgeline Trail in the Winter 
This area is accessible to everyone by cable car and is the starting point for Seceda’s famous summer hike. You know, the one that got so packed that the farmers had to install a toll gate to mitigate the crowds impacting the meadows.
Even in December, we spotted a handful of people who braved the snow just to experience it.
If you do decide to experience the views in the winter, the trail starts trail starts just below the top station of the chairlift. And we strongly recommend planning your hike from Ortisei. It’s just a short walk from the top of the gondola to the trail. If you take the Col Raiser gondola from Selva instead, you’ll end up having to walk from that top station to the bottom of the Fermeda chairlift and doing that on foot. We saw some people doing that and the lifties weren’t exactly stoked.
Hands down, these were the most epic ski views I’ve ever seen! When you exit the cable car, you’re immediately met with sweeping views of Seceda’s iconic ridgeline and the surrounding Dolomites. Truly unreal.
We were meeting up with David’s aunt and her partner, who are both very experienced skiers. As I mentioned in my last post (link here), my snowboarding skills had been dormant for quite some time, so I’m still getting comfortable with my new board. I was by far the slowest in the group, but! It was only day two, so my goal was simply to keep getting out there and improving.
For the first half of the day (before lunch), we split up so they could enjoy some faster runs while I warmed up and found my rhythm.
Slopeside Lunch at Troier Hütte
After a few hours, we made our way to Troier Hütte for lunch. The path to get there is so scenic, with incredible views of Seceda the entire way. One important tip, though: make sure you carry enough speed. Otherwise, you’ll end up like me – snowboard off, walking part of the way while laughing (and crying) at yourself.
Troier Hütte was incredibly cozy and welcoming. We ordered spaghetti bolognese and maccheroni, both of which were delicious. We chose to sit inside because the FIS Ski World Cup men’s downhill race in Val Gardena (Gröden) was happening that weekend on the legendary Saslong course, and the race was streaming live on a TV inside the hütte. There was a Czech skier racing, which David’s friends were very invested in, so the vibes were high.
Afternoon Runs & La Longia Back to Ortisei
After lunch, a beer, and an espresso (classic Italian mountain combo), we headed back out for the afternoon. One of the highlights was skiing La Longia (Red), a 10.5 km run, one of the longest in Val Gardena and the Dolomites, which takes you all the way down to the village of Ortisei.
Unfortunately, my feet were absolutely cooked after that. I get sharp, stabbing pain in my toes which is something I’ve struggled with for nearly ten years whenever I snowboard. Add in some very icy conditions mid-run (where I fully ate it), plus ongoing cramps, and yeah… it wasn’t exactly my strongest moment. Haha. But! I persevered.
After La Longia, I decided to sit out and wait at the Funivie Seceda cable car station, which thankfully has a bar on the lower level. I rewarded myself with an aperitivo for surviving the day. Extremely well deserved, if you ask me.
Apres Ski & Return to Trento
Everyone else went back up to the top and did the long run again while I happily waited inside, warm and horizontal-adjacent.
Afterward, we all walked around downtown Ortisei for a drink before David and I made the drive back to Trento. I was very happy to hit the hay that night. Not exactly my proudest day in the mountains, but hey, we had fun, and that’s a win.
Until next time, spaghettos,
xo, Daysi
