Reaching Top Speed in the Dolomites

Nestled among high snowy peaks in northern Italy, Cortina d’Ampezzo is hosting athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics who are skiing, sliding, and curling toward a spot on the podium. The scenic mountain town is the co-host, along with Milan, of the international sporting extravaganza.

Cortina sits within the Dolomites, a mountain range in the northern Italian Alps known for its sheer cliffs, rock pinnacles, tall peaks, and deep, narrow valleys. In this three-dimensional oblique map, several peaks over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) tall rise above the town. To create the map, an image acquired with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 on January 27, 2026, was overlaid on a digital elevation model.

Tofana di Mezzo, the third-highest peak in the Dolomites at 3,244 meters (10,643 feet), is the site of the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, the venue for the Olympic women’s Alpine skiing and all Paralympic skiing events. Competitors on the Olympia delle Tofane course descend 750 meters (2,460 feet), reaching high speeds and catching big air along the way. A highlight is the steep, 33-degree drop through the Tofana Schuss, a chute bounded by tall rock walls near the top of the course.

More adrenaline-filled races are taking place at the Cortina Sliding Centre, the venue for bobsled, luge, and skeleton events. Athletes are competing on a rebuilt version of the track used in the 1956 Olympics, hosted by Cortina. And curlers, trading speed for strategy, are going for gold at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, built for the 1956 Olympic figure skating competition and opening ceremony. (There is indeed a theme: almost all of the 2026 Games are being held in existing or refurbished facilities.)

These Landsat images show Cortina and its surrounding alpine terrain in natural color and false color. The band combination (6-5-4) highlights areas of snow (light blue), while steep, mostly snow-free cliffs stand out as areas of light brown, and forests appear green.

Locations across the Italian Alps join Cortina in hosting the snow sports, which also include cross-country skiing, ski jumping, ski mountaineering, and snowboarding. As with many past Olympics, the 2026 Winter Games are manufacturing snow at the various venues to ensure consistent conditions. New high-elevation reservoirs were created to store water for snowmaking, according to reports. Automated systems are being used to limit snow production to the minimum amount required, and most snowmaking operations are being powered by renewable energy, the International Olympic Committee said.

Snowfall in northern Italy was below average at the start of the season, but a storm on February 3—three days before the opening ceremony—eased some of the need for snowmaking. Still, snow coverage and the ability of Winter Olympic venues to maintain consistent conditions are areas of concern as global temperatures rise. Researchers studying the issue have suggested several ways to address this, including holding competitions at higher elevations, choosing regional or multi-country hosts, and shifting the Paralympic Games from early March to January or February when it’s typically colder and snowier.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey and elevation data from TINITALY. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

References & Resources

• AP News (2026, January 23) Italian expert’s manufactured snow will play big role at the Milan Cortina Games. Accessed February 11, 2026.
• The Conversation (2026, February 3) Climate change threatens the Winter Olympics’ future – and even snowmaking has limits for saving the Games. Accessed February 11, 2026.
• International Olympic Committee (2026) The Olympic Venues. Accessed February 11, 2026.
• NASA Earth Observatory (2026, February 5) Milano Cortina 2026. Accessed February 11, 2026.
• NBC Sports (2025, February 11) 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic venues: city arenas, scenic mountains, iconic ceremony landmarks. Accessed February 11, 2026.
• Scott, D., et al. (2026). Advancing climate change resilience of the Winter Olympic-Paralympic Games. Current Issues in Tourism, 1–8.
• UNESCO World Heritage Convention (2009) The Dolomites. Accessed February 11, 2026.