Homeland, the first ski resort without a ski lift In Italy, on the border with Switzerland, a new ski resort, Homeland, has emerged. Specificity: it does not have any ski lift.
Nature in its purest form. In the Italian Alps, a 2.5 hour drive north of Milan, a new kind of ski resort opened this winter. Near the mountain village of Montespluga, this resort has the particularity of not having any ski lifts. Ski enthusiasts must therefore go up the surrounding slopes on foot before enjoying, on the way down, these large, completely natural expanses. The station has set up signage and offers sessions with alpine guides for those who wish.
This true little paradise, bordered by mountains which rise to more than 3,000 meters above sea level, completely changes its atmosphere depending on the season. In summer, this valley is particularly busy with cars because of the Splügen pass, a road crossing at 2,115 meters, allowing passage between Italy and Switzerland. In winter, when the pass is closed, things are quite different. Silence reigns in this little corner far from everything. In order to preserve this intact atmosphere, Tomaso Luzzana and Paolo Pichielo, the two co-founders of Spiagames Outdoor Agency, had the idea of creating Homeland, an ecological ski resort unique of its kind in Europe.
Homeland and ski mountaineering, the future of resorts?
Less comfort, more effort but so much more rewarding... Homeland has 11 marked climbing routes providing access to approximately 36 km2 of off-piste terrain. And access without a ski lift – no lifts or chairlifts – means the playground is completely free. Of course, the practice is more demanding but it has many other advantages. The entire area around Montespluga thus becomes a single large “slope” to go up and down.
The idea germinated in the heads of Tomaso Luzzana and Paolo Pichielo during the Covid-19 crisis. The confinement and imposed distancing gave the two entrepreneurs the idea of creating a ski resort much closer to nature than what had been practiced until then. They were inspired by a fairly similar ski resort, Bluebird Backcountry, located in Colorado (USA).
Adapted equipment and experience under the stars
Who says absence of ski lifts, says rental of adapted equipment. The village shop therefore offers large touring skis, splitboards (snowboards cut in two allowing you to walk in the mountains), seal skins, snowshoes, an avalanche kit (DVA, shovel, probe, etc.). For a day of ski mountaineering, the offer starts at 55 euros for a pair of skis and boots. You can also rent four-season tents, sleeping bags for polar temperatures, stoves, etc.
Everything you need for the “Homeland Night Experience” which allows you to enjoy the beauty of the landscape by going to sleep in the middle of nature in a base camp in the middle of nowhere. For 220 euros, it is a two-day adventure with night in a tent, panoramic hikes, breakfast. The assurance of unforgettable memories in the heart of snow-covered valleys with a minimum of traces of human activities.
This true little paradise, bordered by mountains which rise to more than 3,000 meters above sea level, completely changes its atmosphere depending on the season. In summer, this valley is particularly busy with cars because of the Splügen pass, a road crossing at 2,115 meters, allowing passage between Italy and Switzerland. In winter, when the pass is closed, things are quite different. Silence reigns in this little corner far from everything. In order to preserve this intact atmosphere, Tomaso Luzzana and Paolo Pichielo, the two co-founders of Spiagames Outdoor Agency, had the idea of creating Homeland, an ecological ski resort unique of its kind in Europe.
Homeland and ski mountaineering, the future of resorts?
Less comfort, more effort but so much more rewarding... Homeland has 11 marked climbing routes providing access to approximately 36 km2 of off-piste terrain. And access without a ski lift – no lifts or chairlifts – means the playground is completely free. Of course, the practice is more demanding but it has many other advantages. The entire area around Montespluga thus becomes a single large “slope” to go up and down.
The idea germinated in the heads of Tomaso Luzzana and Paolo Pichielo during the Covid-19 crisis. The confinement and imposed distancing gave the two entrepreneurs the idea of creating a ski resort much closer to nature than what had been practiced until then. They were inspired by a fairly similar ski resort, Bluebird Backcountry, located in Colorado (USA).
Adapted equipment and experience under the stars
Who says absence of ski lifts, says rental of adapted equipment. The village shop therefore offers large touring skis, splitboards (snowboards cut in two allowing you to walk in the mountains), seal skins, snowshoes, an avalanche kit (DVA, shovel, probe, etc.). For a day of ski mountaineering, the offer starts at 55 euros for a pair of skis and boots. You can also rent four-season tents, sleeping bags for polar temperatures, stoves, etc.
Everything you need for the “Homeland Night Experience” which allows you to enjoy the beauty of the landscape by going to sleep in the middle of nature in a base camp in the middle of nowhere. For 220 euros, it is a two-day adventure with night in a tent, panoramic hikes, breakfast. The assurance of unforgettable memories in the heart of snow-covered valleys with a minimum of traces of human activities.