 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
Following my original thread asking for advice on Italian - Scandinavian resorts, we decided to go to Pila with Crystal on 17 Jan.
We would like to hear from those who have been to the resort with tips. Things not to miss and things which should be avoided.
We will be having lessons and hoping for good snow conditions!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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During the school holidays it's full of British school groups travelling with Interski, but that won't be a problem on 17 Jan. I've only been there for the day about 10 years ago, so others will be better placed to give you up-to-date info. I remember some very pleasant mountain restaurants and Aosta being a great place for a stroll and an evening meal. By my reckoning, if you're in Italy you're sure to have a great time. Enjoy.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I can't really help as not been yet, but have books for 31st Jan so will be interested in anyone's comments.
I think the snow will be fine by then as it's starting to look good on the webcams on http://www.pila.it/en/ There is a good live feed video on there too ( Currently showing the piste bashers out in the dark now).
Also Snow forecast and showing a fair bit of fresh snow in the next week.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Had a one day excursion from courmeyour skiing there 16 years ago, really liked the place, it was mid March and we had the slopes to ourselves, snow was good, with North facing slopes . It's a resort I would return to given the opportunity, but I'll miss the school holidays !
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Resto at the top of the Chamole chair was my fave. Spinach with butter side dish mmmm
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Can be bitterly cold early in the season, as the slopes are mostly in shade all day. Pretty good variety of slopes, more than it gets credit for. The red under the chamole chairlift is a great run and is often fairly empty.
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I was in Courmayeur a couple of years back. there was a day in Pila and a day in La Thuile included on the pass, there might be a reciprocal deal? I bussed it to each, the local busses were way cheaper than the TO organised days, about €4-5 IIRC, on time and very efficient. Take the gondola down to Aosta and walk maybe 500m to the bus station. Bus stop very handy in La Thuile (100m from lifts) and a bit further in Courmayeur.
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@redbaron51, absolutely dumping today! are you staying in Pila or Aosta?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@redbaron51, see this thread..
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=113648&highlight=
thought the skiing was good, piste all good, food exceptional for the price. Ski pass allows you to ski 2 days elsewhere, so either Courmayeur or La Thuile. Overall a nice resort, but can be done within 3 days dependant on your type of skiing.
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I spent all day lapping piste 1 & 2 off the Chamole chair because they are great runs, the snow was good and we skied them in a different way each time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I spent most of my day there lapping Cous 1 & 2 chairs. It was the day after a 20cm fall and everywhere between pistes there were fresh tracks to be had.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Pila is a cracking area, I've worked for Interski in the past so know it well. Good for teaching as it has good variety and it's relatively quiet. Interski take groups there throughout the season so you'll see some groups, they always stay down in Aosta though and assume you'll be staying on the mountain, where it's pretty quiet. If you like quality over quantity rather than loads of mileage there is plenty for a week.
Courmayeur is smaller still, it's whether you get bored of Pila which I doubt you will, Courmayeur has some cracking off piste though if that's your thing. Any specific question let me know. You can ski over into France from La Thuile which in it's own right has plenty to offer but you may not thank us for the long poma tow back 
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Like several others here, I have only been for a day (when I was at La Thuile). Really enjoyed skiing there and had a good meal at lunchtime. This was in spring though, so not sure about how chilly it could get mid january.
The icing on the cake was getting back to La Thuile to find it had been a whiteout all day with over a foot of fresh falling. Made the following day memorable.
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You know it makes sense.
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@redbaron51, Presume you are on HB. Which hotel are you in ?
Go every year, great little place.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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As mentioned on the old thread Pila is quiet during the week but gets loads of locals coming up at the weekend. Can't complain as that is why the lifts are so good and nearly empty during the week.
Must do - Prosseco on the mountain €3 for a glass but you get nibbles with it (bread, cheese and meat) brilliant. Best place is La Chatelaine under the La Nouva lift off the left split of piste5 (tricky to get on the right one!) Close second is Bar Societe even harder to find - off Piste 6 but you have to pop up a natural half pipe to arrive at the back which does not look anything special or a sharp right (blind turn) off Piste 7 which gets you to the front. Huge outside sitting area with very comfy chairs and great views of the black runs. Any where is good for coffee and cheap.
Lunch at Bar Della Nouva off the green through the village Just past the bottom of Baby Goraz lift. Tuna salad pick of the menu and cakes/tarts to die for all at brilliant value. Or if hungry/rich try Massion de Jean near the top of Baby Goraz lift.
You have to be careful of which lifts you are using at what time. The Gondola dumps loads of people on to the mountain and they mostly head down to the Chamole lift - so you do not want to be down there. If you can get down piste 2 before 8:20 then do as it is extra brilliant when it is corduroy, but note after that the queue will be silly until 10am. Ideally you want to go high early if you are up in Pila and we enjoy 12, 13 & 14 off the Leisse lift. 14 particularly, super natural toilet bowl curves at the end, as it come out back at Leisse (flat though so keep speed up) without going down the busy green funnel. (care needed at lunchtime as there is a green which comes out near the end which groups use to miss the funnel.
Black/off piste are all up Cous 1 & 2 - off 1 they do not groom at all off 2 they do. Busy and slow lifts though.
Do not miss piste 3 (very steep at the top but not for long) and 4 which is very quiet. Also worth going across to piste 18 though again a very slow chair and not always open.
So start using Leisse & Cous lifts, then when they get busier. Move across to Grimonet or La Nouva lifts. Then Chamole lift should be quiet.
Any questions? Have fun.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| I spent all day lapping piste 1 & 2 off the Chamole chair because they are great runs, the snow was good and we skied them in a different way each time. |
We do laps too as I never ski the same piste the same way. Never understood the need to only ski a piste once. The Bombardino-Calamero at the Bar Barak, top of Chamole lift are brilliant.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Jake43, Very good post.
One thing I'd add re: the locals. I find most come out on a nice sunny day and take a very looooong lunch.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Jake43, great info - thanks.
We are going w/c 13 Feb. It could be rammed with kids but at least it's after Mardi Gras (9 Feb) which appears to be their busiest week.
The piste map has three Sci Alpinismo routes marked. Any views?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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thank you all for the tips....
We are quite excited especially with the fresh snow - very good weather website posted in other thread.
Just need to sort out a warm pair of gloves before the trip.
I will be studying the piste map with the tips given, thanks @Jake43
we got the cheapest deal available from Crystal on HB (Hotel Plan Bois), flying from Stansted.
(Paid £295 on Mon evening - 4 Jan; following day price reduced to £279. Tried to ask for a voucher for the difference to contribute towards the lift pass; but they said no. I appreciate and understand; but it would be such a nice gesture that would make a big difference from our perspective. Anyway I hope Quidco pays the £20 odd cashback though). You win some, you lose some!!!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Went last Feb half-term, and skied Pila, La Thuile, Courmayeur and La Rosiere. A lovely area. Good skiing, good food. Have a great time!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@redbaron51, So HB you do not need to know about evening meals.
Plan Bois is up by the Leisse lift and a good spot to get to the lift. 50 yards. It is not where it says it is on google maps if you looked on there.
Looks a great price already we pay more than that just for the flights and transfers! But then we do like to have it booked and don't do last min sales.
Watch out for the Polenta with everything, Pizzas are good. Long trek to get to anything else in the village though.
Edit for more info
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 8-01-16 9:00; edited 2 times in total
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| altis wrote: |
@Jake43, great info - thanks.
We are going w/c 13 Feb. It could be rammed with kids but at least it's after Mardi Gras (9 Feb) which appears to be their busiest week.
The piste map has three Sci Alpinismo routes marked. Any views? |
They are ski touring routes and a guide is recommended. I like using gravity rather than work against it so have not done it but have been offered it. Carole from Pilaski.co.uk is a scot that lives in resort and would sort that out for you if you do want to do it.
I did forget to mention that Pistes are often interlinked and the piste map show them all looking like the same size. 2 3 and 4 for example. There is a track and it is not easy to spot that allows you to get to 3 missing the steep bit at the start. 3 used to be Black but the steep bit whilst looking frightening is very wide and flat after the pitch hence it is a red. From 3 you can use a track to get to 4 and also get across to Leisse lift if you swing left before Masion de Jean. From 4 you can get across to 3 on a track too if you want to miss the "Funnel" that is the green back down to the village.
12, 13, 14 all interlink with large pistes cut in the trees so you can make a different combination run each time if you want. Also very important heading to 14 from Leisse (big Yellow snow canon at the top of 14 easy to spot) [even more important best Toilet on the mountain is in the first aid hut by this canon !] you need to straight line the steep bit after 13 as it is up hill to 14 after the steep bit ! Always loads of polling there.
There is loads of Interski kids there when we are there but we never see them. Most are just learning if you stick with the huts described above you won't see them either as they go to others that you do not want to be in. Yeti for example is hopeless for lunch, as that is one of their lunch spots, but great for Apres or evening meal.
Have fun - great little place.
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@Jake43, Thanks for the great advice, 5 of us are staying at Hotel Etoile De Neige from the 31st of Jan. I believe that is by the Chamole lift. If I get there in time the first day, is there anywhere near there to get a half day lift pass? though not sure I will bother as rest of group will have to sort ski's Etc.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I think that is right beside the Chamole lift at the end of the run through the village. Note get to lift early in the morning as it gets busy down there and you don't have a choice without a long walk uphill - everyone coming up from Aosta on the Gondola runs down there to get up the mountain. It is fine later on in the day.
So you want to be up in the village 300m to where the Gondola arrives and that is where the tickets are.
Walk up to the huge car park and there are some metal steps in the corner past the Irish Pub.
Looks like half day is €30.
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Folks, off to Pila this weekend after booking last minute. Any tips on the schools for a couple starting to explore off-piste and wanting lessons/guiding?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| dharnett wrote: |
| Folks, off to Pila this weekend after booking last minute. Any tips on the schools for a couple starting to explore off-piste and wanting lessons/guiding? |
Pila is not a off-piste sort of place. There is ski touring if that is what you mean.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Oh, I had understood there to be an unpisted bowl accessible from the top lifts but that a guide was recommended. Maybe I misread that somewhere?
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Found the quote I had in mind, from welove2ski:
"If you do luck into a storm, you’ll love this place – and love the fact that no-one else seems interested in skiing the powder. But beware: all those inviting bowls at the top of the resort are very avalanche-prone – you might want to hire a guide to help you explore them, which in Pila is cheaper than most resorts we know"
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You know it makes sense.
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If you go up Couis1 lift there is a Magic carpet that takes you in to the bowl you are taking about, but that is all and it is in bounds just never groomed. So if there is some new snow it will be what I consider off piste but after a day it will be a fun mogul field. It is all in bounds so they will not let you up there if it is not safe. They put the covered carpet in to give access to more of the bowl for people who don't want to walk.
The other bowls we have been told, not gospel, that no one skis them as the risk for avalanche below on the pistes is to great. Basically the whole of the tops across from the top of Couis1 to the left getting off the lift.
There are 2 snow schools. The best one is up on the flat bit at the end of the slow inter town lift/below Lessee lift. They may be able to help not really my cup of tea so never tried them for that. You do see people skiing the lift lines too and through trees.
There is a information hut in the main car park that could give guidance.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Super - thanks for the helpful info.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Been up skiing Pila this morning. Lots of snow, but reading 15.7C at bottom of Leisse lift at 13.00!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Short term forecast is for a warm snap, but temperatures and snow are due to fall during the week. Fingers are crossed!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Good luck! The snow cover is extensive, and everything with the exception of Grimondet is open, which is not that unusual. More snow and lower temps would be excellent given the base. As ever pisties doing a fantastic job. If forecast is correct you should have a great week.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@dharnett, that's correct - up the top of Couis 2 (not 1) and to the right. Several bowls the further you go and tree skiing lower down. Guide will be cheap enough. Snow due the next few days, fingers crossed for a good dump. Be safe!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| moseyp wrote: |
| @dharnett, that's correct - up the top of Couis 2 (not 1) and to the right. Several bowls the further you go and tree skiing lower down. Guide will be cheap enough. Snow due the next few days, fingers crossed for a good dump. Be safe! |
Ah never thought about that side.
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Is that lookers or skiers right (I'm guessing lookers i.e. looking up at the mountain.) I boarded the bowl between cous 1 & 2, there was a bit of debris in it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The magic carpet is at the top of cous1 isn't it? The bowls moseyp mentions are off cous2, so I think you're in the wrong area. I just wanted confirmation on which side of cous2. There is a bowl between 1 and 2 (skiers right) and a bowl or two off to skiers left.
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| rogg wrote: |
| The magic carpet is at the top of cous1 isn't it? The bowls moseyp mentions are off cous2, so I think you're in the wrong area. I just wanted confirmation on which side of cous2. There is a bowl between 1 and 2 (skiers right) and a bowl or two off to skiers left. |
Not trying to confuse - he was talking about skiers left of Couis2.
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