Poster: A snowHead
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My (Italian) girlfriend wants us to go to her fav place near Cervinia, but having read about the pretty tame slopes there and being an expert skier I am worried that I will be bored (skiingwise, that is!). How is the off piste skiing? Do I need a guide to access it? are there guiding companies (similar to top ski and alpine experience in Val D'Isere)?
I know that Zermatt offers more challenging skiing but it is not so practical to access from the Italian side and the connection can be shut in bad weather.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well I've been there quite a bit and the off piste isnt exactly amazing. it's not bad either. It kinda depends on the snow cover. Here is the piste map There is some good stuff down towards Valtourneche under chain (f) and some nice stuff to the right of chair Z.
I generally go there early season when nothing else is open so naturally the snow cover isnt great and as a result I dont see all the possibilities. I'm sure on the far left of the piste map there is some good runs too.
Now I have never got a guide so I could be missing loads. Plus you have the option to get a helicopter to Monte Rosa if you are up for it and it sounds like a huge day out
However in the next valley you have Alagna + Gressonay which supposedly has amazing off piste so maybe you could split you week between the two as a compromise?
BTW I'm hoping to head up there this weekend and check it out.
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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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Yes. There's tons of very good off piste. Check in with the guides office, http://www.guidedelcervino.com/menu_html_GB.htm. There are heli-ski options too, www.heliskicervinia.com. Long one day loop through the Monterosa ski sytem, heli to Lysjoch, ski the Grentz and Goerner glaciers to Zermatt and back over to Cervinia is one of the most scenic routes anywhere. Long but not too challenging.
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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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Thanks, I skied Alagna a few years ago...definitely need a guide there.
choucas, your link for the guide office does not work.
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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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snowman,
If it snows its go anywhere time and then the Italians get brave and follow you but there is plenty of easy to spot stuff.
For Heli trips, Monterosa is a doddle if you have skied a bit and a nice jaunt down the glacier from the Col du Lyksamm typically, takes 4 hrs or so at a very gentle pace. You might want to drop in from steeper point tho, A very easy run is Chateaux des Armes which you will clear in a couple of hrs max.
We used Mario's heli op which is run from his ski shop near the Poilett hotel half way up the hill. Their family run the hotel by the way, and very nice it is after the refurb'.
But I believe the area now uses a different Helicopter service from down the valley as the usual helis were deemed too noisey so things might have changed. The local guides office will know.
In very good snow conditions I'd go back like a shot..!!
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