Most Alpine passes only reopen from May onward. The very high passes around Andermatt or in France often don’t open until June. By November everything is “chiuso” again—six months of winter sleep for both people and machines. In the winter months I’m often drawn to Thailand because of Curvistan (Vol. 4 opens in November). There you regularly find a travel–curves–food paradise unlike any other. But even in winter there’s the option to press the “stage” button and take a wonderful two-day escape: the Dolomites. One of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet. You can also ski and snowboard brilliantly here, go winter hiking, do ski tours—and eat fantastically. The passes around Corvara are usually all open in winter. So we set off from Munich for a long weekend. First stop: Pretzhof near Sterzing (the bistro is also very good if everything upstairs is reserved). Then straight into the Dolomites. The first highlight in the evening: with the glow of the Alps at sunset over the Gardena Pass to the first overnight stop, Corvara. Here I like to recommend the Berghotel Ladinia—one of the first hotels ever built in Corvara. Small but excellent.
It’s still dawn outside when we set off. The last snowflakes are dancing. Getting up early always pays off. Before the masses of skiers arrive, we head up toward the Falzarego Pass. A dream: backlight, no traffic, the asphalt cold and slightly slippery—which our 992 Dakar (after this trip I’d love to rename it the “Snow Leopard”) doesn’t mind at all in off-road mode and brings tears of joy to our faces. Cruising up the mountain at 40 or 50 km/h is perfectly enough. Speaking of the 992 Dakar: last year we covered 22,000 kilometers—from Bangkok to Stuttgart. The Dakar had a huge amount of fun. It didn’t see any snow, though. We’re making up for that now. It’s already a few years old—introduced in 2022—but that doesn’t matter. For me it’s the best version of the 992 and one of the best ideas Porsche has had in a long time—and one of the best travel cars ever built. Lowering it would be the wrong approach anyway—the suspension needs room to move in corners and on uneven roads. Anyone who has driven a GT3 or a 964 RS knows what I mean: they look fantastic but can jump sideways at times. And even a small hole in the road can make you shudder.
We glide smoothly through a winter wonderland and reach the cable car at Lagazuoi after only 30 minutes. You absolutely have to go up there—unfortunately it doesn’t open for another two hours. Next time. We continue toward Cortina. The Olympic Games have just ended, but we still meet delegations from all kinds of nations in parking lots who admire the Dakar. All in all, I counted about 300 thumbs-up from the roadside. We skip the »Drei Zinnen« this time. Just before Cortina we turn right—the Passo di Giau is calling. One of the most beautiful roads anywhere. At the top we start with a magnificent breakfast. The view: everything white, silence, the smell of espresso. It doesn’t get any better. But the black ribbon of asphalt calls us onward. Toward Arabba and up to the Pordoi Pass. The wonderful thing about the Dolomites is that one pass connects to the next. You drive as if in a flow. At the top: espresso, buy a pass sticker, and continue toward the Sella Pass. Step out, enjoy the view: maximum level. Then straight on toward the Gardena Pass. A short stop at 11:00 at Chalet Gérard. After that we’re back in Corvara. Get out, relax, take a midday nap—and from 4:00 p.m. do the whole loop again in reverse. The next day: the same route again with lots of photo stops. It’s hard to give the Dakar back. I’d rather just keep driving—toward Corsica and Sardinia. Maybe Sicily after that. If I had one request for Porsche, it would be another series of this fantastic globetrotter. The only downside of a winter trip to the Dolomites is the automobile’s ultimate nemesis: salt. But you can prepare the cars beforehand and wash them thoroughly afterward. It’s worth it. And one more request: the mountains are not the Nürburgring—take it easy and enjoy the scenery. Soulful driving
(c) Text & Fotos: Stefan Bogner
