Planning an "every mountain on the Epic Pass euro tour" by car

Dumb idea or will it work? Looking for holes to be poked in the theory, things to think about or to make sure to see/do, etc...

Thinking I'd fly into Munich, never been so would check out the city for a bit.

Then onto Bolzano Italy to stay. Hit the mountains in the Skirama Dolomiti area. Madonna di Capiglio, etc.
Then to Innsbruck. Would like to side trip to Kitzbuhel, obviously not epic pass, but when in Tyrol.
Then Ski Arlberg. Not planning to stay in an overpriced hotel there for 4 night minimum, so will end up having to buy a pass there even though Epic.
Then Dornbirn and check out Lichtenstein while nearby.
Ski Andermatt next and on to Verbier, Les 3 Vallees, and Turin to back home.

20 hours+ driving over a week plus. Not terrible and looking forward to seeing the sights across 5 countries.

Thinking Feb but have been in a car 8 hours on what should have been a 3 hour trip due to a 2 meter snowfall up to Cervinia, so may look at March to lessen the chance of it dumping and messing up the driving part of the trip (although would love to get more Euro pow as well, so still undecided). I imagine I have to worry about road closures on at least part of the trip? I haven't driven many of those areas before.

I know these resorts are huge and I will wish I stayed at each longer to explore, but the idea is to kind of see a lot across them all.

Thoughts?

Attachment 469659

Can you build yourself an itinerary with an extended layover in Munich that drops you closer to your initial destination?

Would save you a bit of driving and I think that tends to work well with the flight times from the USA. You usually land early/mid-day after an overnight flight and want to stay awake to fix the jet lag. I had an 8 hour layover in Munich a few years ago and was able to do decent chunk of sightseeing in that time.

Or most airlines will let you build in an overnight stopover. Could just spend that first afternoon+evening in Munich and take an early AM flight out. Not that a 3 hour drive is that crazy, but usually those extended layovers don't actually cost any extra money.

It can be a little awkward to actually set up and book them (usually can't use 3rd party sites), but as long as the destination comes after the transatlantic flight, it should work (e.g. I don't think you can do a stopover in NYC or ORD on the way there, but easy to add one in Munich)

The closer option is Milan and it’s the same total drive time - closer to the mountain, further from the hotel. I don’t want to connect on the way there as my ski gear has been lost in a connection and then that kind of kills the week. If I wasn’t skiing then maybe. Thanks for the thought.

Talk to EPIC

I'm sure an undertaking like this will be catnip for their marketing and social media

There will definitely be a TR as I just booked it all.
Staying in 7 towns/cities across 5 countries and hopefully 6+ ski mountains (5 free with Epic Pass) in an all-wheel-drive rental car and staying in hotels on points. Pretty reasonable pricing all in. Hoping the weather cooperates with enough snow but not too much. ha ha

Sight seeing in Munich is ok. I’d bypass and spend time in Bolzano.

You may want to be a bit more fluid - I think you will easily be able to book a place a few days prior and go where the good snow is. I'd focus maybe on the Dolomites / Northern Italy (3 days) with a trip to Tyrol in Austria (4 days), how many days you have again? So many resorts to hit - you listed them in South Tyrol, then over to Austria - St Anton, Ischgl, Serfaus, Solden....The list goes on. Way less driving and more skiing and hanging out in cool villages. Enjoy the awesome food and wine in Italy then drink beer in Austria. Don't limit yourself to Epic destinations - lift tickets in Europe are around 50 euros or so. Nothing like $250+ at some Epic in the States. Go to the Otzi museum in Bolzano that is all about the perfectly preserved Ice Man they found.

Awesome feedback, thanks!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AmmergauerTele

You may want to be a bit more fluid - I think you will easily be able to book a place a few days prior and go where the good snow is. I'd focus maybe on the Dolomites / Northern Italy (3 days) with a trip to Tyrol in Austria (4 days), how many days you have again? So many resorts to hit - you listed them in South Tyrol, then over to Austria - St Anton, Ischgl, Serfaus, Solden....The list goes on. Way less driving and more skiing and hanging out in cool villages. Enjoy the awesome food and wine in Italy then drink beer in Austria. Don't limit yourself to Epic destinations - lift tickets in Europe are around 50 euros or so. Nothing like $250+ at some Epic in the States. Go to the Otzi museum in Bolzano that is all about the perfectly preserved Ice Man they found.

---

Attachment 470109