THERE'S MORE TO SNOW THAN SKIING

Tobogganing and tubing: no-stress family fun

Any parent will tell you that in their early days on snow, children love tobogganing at least as much as skiing. They’ll also tell you how much fun it is to jump on board themselves. So it’s good to know Trentino is littered with tobogganing and tubing runs. On some slopes there are even lifts to haul you back uphill.

In the Laner-Obereggen, in the Val di Fiemme, you can speed down two lift-serviced trail that are floodlit on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights. One is 2.5km long. Meanwhile, Bellamonte has the lift-serviced 1.9km Fraina run. And above Predazzo you’ll find our first ever Alpine Coaster – a rail-mounted sledge-on-wheels that roars down a spectacular mountain course.

Neighbouring Val di Fassa is another tobogganing and tubing hot-spot. Here, child-friendly snow parks jostle with longer, faster toboggan rides, and in Canazei the Avisio ski lift will whisk you to the top of the runs.

But for the ultimate tobogganing experience, head to Alpe Cimbra, where both Folgaria and Lavarone have installed sledge-lifts. You hook on at the bottom, unhook at the top, and whizz down your run without ever having to get off your sledge.

Fat biking: a new way to enjoy winter

Don’t stop pedaling just because there’s snow on the ground. Jump on a fat bike - equipped with 5-inch, low-pressure tyres - and suddenly you can explore winter landscapes you never imagined were rideable.

Admittedly, the terrain you’ll tackle is different. Fat bikers prefer gentler descents than normal, and they’ll follow beaten trails rather than plunging through powder. But they’re still having a ton of fun – as well as maintaining their biking fitness for the summer ahead.

Trentino has long been one of the heartlands of Alpine mountain biking, so it’s no wonder fat biking is taking off here. In the Alpe Cimbra, for example, you can hire fat bikes and join guided in Folgaria and Lavarone. Similar facilities and tours are on offer in the Dolomiti Paganella Bike area, in the Valsugana, and in the Val di Fassa,  as well as on Monte Bondone and the Brentonico Plateau.

Meanwhile, in the Val di Sole, La Winter Downhill is an annual race over jumps, banked turns and bumps on the Biancaneve piste in Cogolo di Pejo. You don’t need your own fat bike or safety equipment to enter. Just rent them on the day of the race, and get stuck in!

Dog-sledding: let your imagination off the leash

Jump on board a dogsled and suddenly you’re transported to another world – of explorers, traders and long-distance Alaskan racers. The impatience of the huskies, and their willingness to work is unforgettable too. It’s such a privilege to be part of their world, if only for a couple of hours.

In Trentino, we have three dog-sledding specialists, offering all kinds of husky-driven experiences. You can try a sledding by moonlight, take control of your own dog team, or simply sit back and let the snow slide by, just beneath you feet. Children are welcome.

Since 2016 Alpe Cimbra has been one of Europe’s husky hubs, with 50km of pistes open to dogsledding at the Malga Millegrobbe cross-country ski centre. It’s now the setting for European and World Championship events. Those who’d like a gentler introduction to the sport in the area should contact Windshot, which specialises in sledding with purebred Siberian huskies, and offers mushing experiences on the Passo Coe near Folgaria. Meanwhile, Athabaska operates on the Piana di Nambino, near Madonna di Campiglio, and the Scuola Italiana Sleddog is based in Passo Tonale.

Snowshoeing: escape into a pristine world of white

Snowshoes have come a long way since the glorified tennis racquets of old. These days, they’re lightweight and articulated, and it’ll take you no more than five or ten minutes to get used to them. They are, without doubt, the easiest way to unlock our beautiful winter landscapes.

The only limits to your adventures are your stamina, and the weather, and in Trentino you’ll find a huge range of well-mapped itineraries to follow. Many are easy valley walks and will take no more than a couple of hours. Others follow the path of ski tourers up into the mountains, and will last the whole day. All will give you a rich and intoxicating taste of winter: where the only sounds are likely to be the croak of a raven, and the rhythm of your own breathing.

One of the most enjoyable ways to try snow-shoeing is to walk to one of our mountain huts. The food they serve is certainly worth the effort – and never more so than at the Rufigio Fuciade, above the Passo San Pellegrino. Here, a 4km trail weaves through snow-covered trees and meadows until you reach this celebrated restaurant, which specialises in Trentino food and wine. Other huts to aim for include the Capanna Cervino, beneath the Pale di San Martino massif, and the Malga Ritorto near Madonna di Campiglio.

Let’s Dolomites: three-day tours with a mountain guide

Our UNESCO-protected mountain landscapes are magnificent, and the best way to explore them is on a Let’s Dolomites tour. In the company of one of Trentino’s highly-qualified mountain guides, you’ll experience winter in its purest form: close to nature, free of distractions, and edged with a sense of adventure.

It’s a world where expertise makes all the difference. Our guides have the skills, experience and equipment to unlock oceans of inaccessible terrain – whether you’re snow-shoeing, ski-touring or ice-climbing. They have the stories to light up your evenings too, as you sit by the fire in a mountain hut, marveling at what you’ve just achieved.

The Let’s Dolomites experience includes three-days of adventure with an Alpine guide, as well as two nights’ half-board accommodation, and transfers where necessary. The cost is €390pp.

Info: visittrentino.info/snow-and-nature