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Dolomites for Mixed Ability Group

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi SHs

I'm trying to organise a trip, late January, for a mixed ability group. There's a pretty even split between early intermediates (happy on blues and reds) and budding off piste enthusiasts (challenging reds and blacks on piste, but ideally spending as much time off piste as possible), oh, and there's a snowboarder too. There has been some talk of heading to the Dolomites, but I'm just wondering if the area would keep everyone happy. My initial research has got me looking at Arabba as a base, hopefully a lot of you will have something to say after all the Bashes there, or is there somewhere else more suitable?

It looks ideal for the intermediates, lots of distance, stunning scenery and lovely food! My concern is for the off pisters. They're used to the French mega resorts, and I'm worried about the connectedness of the Dolomites and also the amount of more challenging skiing. There will definitely be a high level of discontent if there is a lot of reliance on buses! Are there many black runs and off piste opportunities? I'm sure they could be persuaded to book a guide if that would open up new areas.

Could anyone shed any light on the immediate Arabba area and the ease of access to other areas. I'm thinking of trying to find a large (10-12 person) apartment or self catered chalet, or maybe a reasonably priced B&B.

If anyone has any advice, it would be greatly appreciated.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@eversolazy, Arabba is a cracking base and the connections to the other areas in the Sella Ronda are very easy.

The area is intermediate heaven and there are also some decent black runs on the Portavescovo side of Arabba

As you say, the food and scenery are superb. Can't comment on the off piste but no doubt there is some if you hire a guide.
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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?
@eversolazy, there's some great off piste in that area. Don't remember too many blacks.
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Dolomites are not known for 'off-piste'. The attitude to it is completely different to that of France. I'm sure I have seen previous posts saying it is banned unless accompanied by a guide. PM admin - he will know for sure (or any Birthday-Basher.....!)
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I didn't do any of the off-piste days on the BB bash but a couple of guys in my room did and found it limited compared to other areas they'd been to. That said, there hadn't been a decent dump in some time. I think the best thing about the Dolomites is that you don''t need to venture far from the piste to find powder as it doesn't really get tracked out. The average Dolomite skier is not your powder head so most it gets left well alone.
I think it depends on whether you want off piste just for the powder or off piste for the back of beyond, real backcountry stuff. I'm not sure how much real back country stuff there is. Pretty much every valley has a piste or two in it as the whole area is one big linked web. Cincque Torre seemed quite out on it's own with some off piste opportunities. I'm sure there must be a route back to Cortina from there.
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Interesting, thank you. I don't think we necessarily need to be too far off the beaten track, the more easily accessible the better! Does anyone know whether skiing off piste unaccompanied is "legal"? What would be the best way of finding a guide, through the local ski school or does anyone have any suggestions?
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I have skied off Piste in the Dolomite's with and with out a guide and never been stopped. Always have my safety equipment with me and am usually on touring skis though have had a lift pass.

If you have some mountain knowledge then the skiing off the Marmalada Glacier is great fun, and there is a huge amount of back country skiing on the Sella Massif. The most famous being the Val Mesdi but there are plenty of other runs through there well worth a look.

If looking for a guide then can recommend Francesco Tremolada. He has written a couple of books about freeride skiing in the area and runs a company called ProGuide. Specialist in that area. Not been out there for a while and it looks like his business is getting bigger, but i'm sure he will be able to sort you out.

Have a look at his site and it will give you an idea of the area and its potential

http://www.proguide.it/?lang=en
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Thanks for the link, they look like an interesting company. Lots of good info too (Those couloirs look flipping steep!)
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Some of those Couloirs are crazy steep.
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I have spent a week skiing off-piste in that area and got a lot of hassle from the police (not ski patrol). We were 'caught' at least once every day and told that we would be fined. We were told that it was 'illegal' to ski off piste there, although what they meant by off-piste was not clear and their main concern seemed to be skiing close to the pistes.
In practice they always let us off - I think because we clearly knew what we were doing / where we were going and had the right equipment / maps etc. I also think that they are more tolerant the further you are from the pistes.
Lovely place but I'd never recommend it as a place to go if you like to ski off piste.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi Ben, was that in Arraba?

Never been stopped though i have seen a few people get pulled over for skiing above a piste where there was a risk of Avalanche onto the piste. Though i have not been in this area for about 4 years now so things might have changed.
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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.
Arraba and adjacent resorts. This was about 4-5 years ago. Avalanche conditions were level 1 or 2 all week. There was only one occasion where I felt that the slope that we were on could have posed a risk to the piste and, with the conditions as they were, the risk was minimal (the slope was completely skied out!). We were very surprised by the reaction / interaction.

Touring well out of the resort seemed to be less of a problem, and perhaps their view of what posed a risk to the pistes was different to ours, but I'm not someone who likes to take risks and have several avy training courses under my belt so I'm not completely ignorant of evaluating conditions and terrain.

The message that I took away was, that if you have planned trips well away from the pistes then I'm sure you are fine, but if you want to ski off the piste within the resort bounds then this is going to cause friction.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
The Italian police take a fairly individual approach to off-piste skiing. Someone on the Birthday Bash once got pulled for skiing a slope directly above a piste (that's the thing they dislike most), was taken to a police hut and told off, then... they were given cake and sent on their way Shocked

@eversolazy, there are some wonderful black runs, some classic journeys via piste, some epic off-piste runs and buses are not essential, although on occasion, can be tactically highly advantageous. It's a huge area to get to know and there's a lot to learn before U can really begin to grasp all it has to offer: 7 birthday bashes in and I'm still discovering new stuff every year. Have you considered bringing your pals to the S12BB?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Sadly, we're restricted to going in January, but I'm definitely going to make it to a bash one of these years.

This is all good stuff. It looks to me like there should be something for everyone. Certainly leaning towards hiring a guide too. Now just need to find somewhere to stay!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I love the Dolomites and in the twilight of my skiing days when a dodgy knee kept me on piste I spent a few happy hols here staying in Arabba at the Hotel Malita which I highly recommend. However there is little on piste that is challenging. The odd black would be a red in the 3V.

There is the odd short steep section but nothing that I remember as being really challenging.

Your intermediates will love it Toofy Grin but your experts may be bored. Crying or Very sad

There are some fabulous back country routes off the top of the Marmolada. I have only done 1 and that was with a guide.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Can anyone advise on whether Canazei would be a good choice for a group of middle aged "boys" as a change from Austria? Have been offered 4 nights in a B & B slopeside for £27 a night.


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 2-06-15 8:57; edited 1 time in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I can't think of any slopeside accom there - it's not really a ski in/out sort of town.

Canazei is, I understand, the most popular ski resort of Danish skiers - make of that what you will.
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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?
@Ghost Dog, there's possibly a couple of places right at the bottom of the slope (only one piste into Canazei), so maybe it's there. The piste doesn't finish by the lift though, so there's a short walk or ride on the free electric train whichever way you do it.

The middle aged blokes we met in our chalet loved it and returned every year. They had made friends with the Danes. It's a good location as the local skiing is high and there's more in Arabba, but if the weather closes in you can head in the opposite direction to the trees in Val Gardena.
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The main problem with Canezei is the one gondola lift out of the village. Get there early to avoid the Ski School rush or wait until after 10

There is a bus (no longer free?) service along the valley so you can visit other nearby resorts (Alba, Pozza, Vigo)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
No, afaik the free bus is still free but there is a gap in its schedule (probably lunch time, knowing Italy) when another bus turns up and craftily charges.
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Nah, January will be fine at the lift, especially if it's snowing. Had it to ourselves most of the time, except on the Friday when the sun came out and so did everyone who hadn't bothered all week. Even better down the Val di Fassa - the bus puts off enough people that you hardly see anyone else.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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admin wrote:
No, afaik the free bus is still free but there is a gap in its schedule (probably lunch time, knowing Italy) when another bus turns up and craftily charges.


That was what I thought, until I had a look at the Val Di Fassa website......!

http://www.fassa.com/EN/Skibus-service/

10 euro for a week (reduced rate 6E)
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
It's the Albergo Canazei, claims to be adjacent to the beginners slope and 50m from gondola.
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@Ghost Dog, just don't get too hung up about the ski in/out aspect - I don't think the nursery slopes are connected to anything else, they're the wrong side of the road. 50m isn't far and it looks pretty centrally located for shops and bars etc. though.
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Google street view shows it in a good position -- reckon you would be able to check for any gongola queue from the bedroom windows !!

I should add - the Belvedere bowl above Canazei is a wonderful wide open area to ski. Alba (up the valley, but not on the Ronda) is one my favourite ski areas, with a super black run back down into the village
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Cool. I know Selva and the Sella Ronda reasonably well, keen to get back.
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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.
Actually a new Gondola is planned for Alba to link into the Sella Ronda. Think it was 2015/16 season according to the piste maps...
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
albob wrote:
Dolomites are not known for 'off-piste'.


Sorry, what?!

Dolomites are couloir central, and have some of the most badass and famous couloirs in the world. I'd love to spend a season there.

http://www.powder.com/stories/digital-features/super-flipbook/#3WSmc1SwJShIaXl4.97
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I think Corvara is the best place to ski the Dollies. The links over to Colfosco gives the largest amount of skiing off the Ronda and it's nowhere near as busy as Other Ronda towns. Ortesei usually has a nasty queue to get back on to the main circuit.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Somewhere "not known" for off piste is probably the best place to go; not such hot competition. wink
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Randomsabreur wrote:
Actually a new Gondola is planned for Alba to link into the Sella Ronda. Think it was 2015/16 season according to the piste maps...


sure is

New lift : ----

http://www.funivie.org/web/nuovo-funifor-alba-col-dei-rossi-in-val-di-fassa/



http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.fassaski.com/alba-di-canazei-belvedere-impianto-in-costruzione/&prev=search
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Anyone know best route to Canazei from Verona and Venice?

Trying to work out if Edinburgh to Verona (arr 10:00) Venice to Edinburgh (depart 16:40) is better than
Edinburgh to Venice (arr 11:40) Venice to Edinburgh (depart 17:40)

Driving from Venice looks shorter but for all I know Google is sending me over a closed pass.

For anyone in Scotland fares to both return are about £150 just now, which seems pretty reasonable to me. Paws off my seats mind Smile (When I say now, I mean booked now, travel January)

If KLM would stop charging the same for a single fare as a return I could have the best of both Sad
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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?
@Ghost Dog, I think that Verona-Canazei is quicker. Only done this route on a TO coach, but as far as I can remember and see from the map the route was probably A22 to Ora, just south of Bolzano, then we definitely went through Predazzo and Moena and up the Val di Fassa. It took about 2.5 hours, but TO coaches are not known for their speed. I don't remember any serious passes on that route, though the weather was good.

From Verona, I think you would end up going up to Cortina and then across via Arabba? Now you are looking at mountain passes - Falzarego, Livinallongo and Paasso Pordoi, perhaps? It's going to take a while and even longer if it's snowy. I've crossed Passo Falzarego in a coach when it was snowing... interesting times! Someone might be able to suggest a better route, but it all looks like little windy roads to me.

Innsbruck is another option - straight down the motorway and turn off at Bolzano.
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Found some stuff on the Canzei website that basically says approach from the west in winter, ie don't use the A27 and try and come in from east. I think I may be better staying in St Ulrich, I have been offered HB for £48. And Fly into Verona, back from Venice. There is no cheap option back from Verona on a Wednesday.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Ghost Dog, The route to Ortesei from Verona is pretty straightforward, but you're going to have the same problem on the way to Venice, somehow having to cross three or four mountain passes to get over to Cortina.
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Ortesei to Innsbruck is far easier than Ortesei to Venice.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I'd love to fly EDI-INN but can't (well without spending lots of money for rubbish flight times).

I'm swithering over Ortisei, hotel is great value but access to Sellan Ronda is either up Seceda and down to SC or bus and some of my group havee religios like objections to buses (and there would be a bus even if we went up Seceda).

I have an offer of HB in Selva for £57 so will probably accept that and go for arrive VErona return Venice. 10am arrival means should get some time on slopes on arrival. What bothers me is not being sure how much longer it will take me to get back to Venice as we want some time on slopes on departure day.

There are no more passes to Val Gardena whether you arrive from South or North (unless you come up the A27, which I won't because there are passes).
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
IF you're heading for the Western end of the Dolomites then the airports off the Brenner Autoroute are probably the best - Innsbruck/Verona. Treviso/Venice are better suited to Eastern Dolomites -Arabba Alleghe etc. Venice/Treviso much cheaper, if you can get the flights
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From Selva, you can go back to the Brenner/Verona motorway (A22); down to Verona and across to Venice. Roughly 3hrs 20 mins which will be similar to going across the passes and down the A21 to Venice. Either route your looking at over 3 hrs, but if conditions are bad, then the A22 route via the passes will take longer.
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admin wrote:
I can't think of any slopeside accom there - it's not really a ski in/out sort of town.

Canazei is, I understand, the most popular ski resort of Danish skiers - make of that what you will.



Grrrrr! Toofy Grin Yes after our invasion of Britain it is now Canazei's turn. NehNeh



And staying with Brits in a catered Chalet in France is not always that funny - some tend just to drink to much. Shocked
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