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oltre il colle
The road at the Passo di Zambla, at 1,264 metres above Zambla Alta, between high walls of snow after a snowfall, with snow-capped peaks in the background

Itineraries · Two days

A snow weekend in Zambla

Cross-country skiing at the Colle di Zambla, snowshoes to the Conca dell'Alben, the beginners' area for children and the Capanna 2000 snowshoe climb for the fit.

DurationTwo days
Stops6
SeasonsWinter
Photo: MatthewGhera · CC BY 3.0

In winter life in the basin moves between the Colle di Zambla and the Conca dell'Alben: that is where you find the 16 kilometres of cross-country tracks, the easy snowshoe route alongside the track and the small beginners' area with a drag lift and a magic carpet. If you want a real climb, go up from Plassa to the Capanna 2000.

Everything depends on the snow. The tracks are run by the Sci Club Valserina, and as of 1 October 2026 the agreement with the municipalities for the 2026-27 season had not yet been renewed: dates, prices and openings need checking once the season has started.

Stops

The plan

  1. Saturday morning

    Cross-country skiing at the Colle di Zambla

    About 16 kilometres of tracks below the north face of the Alben, between 1,290 and 1,420 metres, for classic and skating, with a floodlit section. You start a few steps from the pass, at the Centro Sportivo Valle, or from Pian della Palla.

    The road at the Passo di Zambla, at 1,264 metres above Zambla Alta, between high walls of snow after a snowfall, with snow-capped peaks in the background
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  2. Saturday, if you need skis or lessons

    Hire and ski school

    Hire is at Edo Sport in Zambla Alta; the cross-country and downhill instructors are those of the Scuola Sci Oltre il Colle, which as of 1 October 2026 had not yet published its courses for the new season.

    The village of Zambla Alta, a hamlet of Oltre il Colle, under snow with the houses and bell tower among the fir woods
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  3. Saturday afternoon

    Snowshoes to the Conca dell'Alben

    T · 30 m D+

    From the Colle di Zambla to Pian della Palla and the Conca dell'Alben: 5.6 almost flat kilometres alongside the cross-country track, graded T, fine even for first-time snowshoers.

    Monte Alben seen from the Arera in winter, with the slopes and meadows below whitened by snow
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  4. Saturday evening

    A night in Zambla Alta

    The Albergo Neve, above the restaurant run by the same family, is in Zambla Alta, below the Colle; the Camping Zambla is open all year. The other places to stay are on the Where to stay page.

    The village of Zambla Alta, a hamlet of Oltre il Colle, under snow with the houses and bell tower among the fir woods
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  5. Sunday, with children

    The beginners' area at the Conca dell'Alben

    At the Conca there are the Gambacotta–Fornace drag lift and the magic carpet bought in 2025, with snowmaking. In recent seasons they opened between late November and December, but the management agreement expired on 30 August 2026: check first.

    The village of Zambla Alta, a hamlet of Oltre il Colle, under snow with the houses and bell tower among the fir woods
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  6. Sunday, as an alternative

    The Capanna 2000 snowshoe climb from Plassa

    E · 750 m D+

    For the fit: about 750 metres of ascent and 10 kilometres there and back, because in winter the Alpe Arera road is closed and you start from Plassa. Go only with a favourable avalanche bulletin; in 2026-27 the hut may stay closed for the works.

    The snow-covered slopes of the Alpe Arera climbing towards the Capanna 2000 hut, with big clouds above the ridges
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Practical tips

Before you set off

  • From 15 November to 15 April an order of the Province of Bergamo requires winter tyres or chains on board on provincial roads, including the SP27 and SP46 that climb to Zambla.
  • The ARPA Lombardia avalanche bulletin resumes on 1 December 2026: for the Capanna 2000 snowshoe climb and for ski touring, read it the evening before.
  • To find out whether the tracks are groomed, VisitBrembo gives the Scuola Sci Oltre il Colle as the contact; the Sci Club Valserina website was not responding on 1 October 2026.
  • Experienced ski tourers will find the winter climbs of the Arera, Alben and Menna on their own page, with avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe compulsory.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions: A snow weekend in Zambla

Are the cross-country tracks in Zambla open?

It depends on the snow: the tracks at the Colle di Zambla and Pian della Palla open when they are snow-covered and groomed by the Sci Club Valserina. For the 2026-27 season the agreement with the municipalities had not yet been renewed as of 1 October 2026: check the dates once the season has started.

Do you need chains to drive up to Zambla in winter?

From 15 November to 15 April the Province of Bergamo order requires winter tyres or chains on board on provincial roads; with snow or ice on the road, drivers without winter tyres must fit chains.

Can you go snowshoeing in Zambla without experience?

Yes: the route from the Colle di Zambla to Pian della Palla and the Conca dell'Alben is almost flat, 5.6 kilometres alongside the cross-country track, graded T. The Capanna 2000 snowshoe climb, on the other hand, is a real ascent, only to be done with a favourable avalanche bulletin.

Times and elevation gains come from the linked pages, which list their sources and the date they were checked.

Sources

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