The Dolomites: How it feels to ski like an Olympian

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO – It is hard for me to describe the mountain peaks surrounding the small village of Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Words just don’t fully capture the way they tower above you as you walk through the small streets. But if I had to put my experience into words, it would be:

Awe-inspiring. Majestic. Surreal.

These peaks provide some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world, one reason why they are home to this year’s 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

I recently had the opportunity of a lifetime to snowboard on Mount Faloria, one of these world-renowned peaks, and experience Olympic level snow for the first time.

The bright sun and the clear blue sky contrasted perfectly with the pure white snow. I sped down the steep runs and glided on pockets of untouched snow. I rode through pine trees and along the bottom of tall cliffs. As I went, I couldn’t help but stare in awe at the world around me.

And I wasn’t the only one.

Alabama native Stedman Poe has skied in Utah, Montana, Colorado and Canada. But for him, none of these compare to the mountains surrounding Cortina.

“It’s incredible,” Poe said, “these are the best views I’ve seen.”

Although Poe prefers to ski “off the map” he has still found the runs on Mount Faloria to be exciting, saying, “it’s steep, it’s fast and it’s fun.”

Coincidentally, the ski run where I met Poe was also home to the giant slalom course in the 1956 Olympic Winter Games.

As the sun began to set, streaks of pink lit the jagged peaks of the Dolomites. Descending in the cable car, I still found myself staring at the mountains around me.

These mountains had given me something special. Something that I will never forget. A small taste of what it’s like to be an Olympian.