Lorica

Lorica is the ski area in Sila National Park, at Cavaliere (Casali del Mango, in the province of Cosenza), near the village of Lorica on Lake Arvo. It’s run by Ferrovie della Calabria. There are three lifts between 1,405 and 1,877 m: an 8-seat gondola that climbs toward Monte Botte Donato, the highest peak in the Sila, a quad chairlift, and a drag lift. It’s the main ski area in Calabria, but take it for what it is: a small place, with a view that reaches all the way to Etna on clear days.

Why Go Snowboarding

There’s no snowpark and only about 7.5 km of runs, so it’s not worth a trip on its own: it makes sense mainly if you live in Calabria and want a day on the snow. The highlight is the gondola, which takes you up without riding the drag lift. From the top, on clear days, you can see Lakes Cecita and Arvo, the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas, Etna, and Stromboli.

Terrain & Slopes

There are about 7.5 km of runs over 472 m of vertical, mostly intermediate. The longest is the Rientro, at 3.3 km; the others are shorter: the Cavaliere (1,200 m), the Direttissima (1,000 m), and the two Valle dell’Inferno runs (900 and 1,000 m). The monocable gondola is 2,192 m long and the Cavaliere quad chairlift 848 m. The Valle dell’Inferno 1 and 2 platter lift covers 773 m with 212 m of vertical: on a snowboard it’s the most awkward lift here.

Tips

The resort opens when there’s enough snow: check hours and openings on the Ferrovie della Calabria website, which also shows lift and run status and the trail map. At the lifts there’s a ticket office, a bar-restaurant, a shop, a ski school with rentals, and a first-aid room, and you can also buy your lift ticket online. The gondola also runs on some off-season weekends. If some of your group don’t ride, there’s a 20 km cross-country loop and a bobsled track. The italia.it portal mentions a joint lift ticket with nearby Camigliatello Silano: check that it’s still offered before you count on it.

Getting There

By car, take the A2 highway (formerly the A3) to the Cosenza exit, then the SS107 Silana-Crotonese to the Lorica turnoff, and from there it’s about 10 km. The nearest train station is Cosenza, less than 50 km away; Lamezia Terme airport is about 89 km away. You need a car to get to the lifts, and there’s a parking lot there.