After a fantastic four days in San Martino Di Castrozza the previous week I headed back to the Italian Dolomites hoping for more of the same prior to a family holiday at Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Austria.
Caught the Cardiff Airport bus from Cardiff Train Station, Wales at 10.21 - a bargain at £8 return - and 50 minutes later I was having a coffee in the departure lounge. The benefit of flying from a regional airport.
I flew with KLM to Innsbruck via Amsterdam for £266.70
Arrived around 5 and after picking up my Opel Zafira Estate diesel through Argus Car Hire with Mega Drive for £424.57 I was on my way to Corvara, Alta Badia.
Easy drive over the Brenner Pass and a little over two hours later I was parked up in front of Albergo Alisander, a short drive up from the main gondola and village 'square'.
Booked two nights B&B for 163 euros through booking.com
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 12-04-16 14:54; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2016
Dawn broke grey and clammy so I put my plan to ski couloirs in the Passo Pordoi area of Arabba on hold.
Packed up the car and headed to the Marmolada glacier to see how the light was down there.
The car park was deserted and visibility was better so I headed to the top on the three stage gondola.
Before skiing I had a look around the impressive First World War Museum
And took in the view from the Marmolada viewing platform
The snow was great - boot top dry powder - and for the first couple of laps I skied the runs and between the runs (Punta Rocca, Sass Del Mul Fedaia, Variante Sass Del Muil) back to the base.
A whopping 1823m of vertical.
The next three laps were down to Lago Di Fedaia with the short traverse back to the Padon A run.
Had a quick lunch at the bottom of the gondola (panini, sparkling water for 7.50 euros) and then continued on to San Martino Di Castrozza.
I'd booked to stay at Hotel Villa Aurora again. The same massive room with balcony looking out to the Rosetta ski area and free off-road parking.
2-nights B&B accommodation for 102 euros (booked through booking.com)
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Gorgeous photos, truly spectacular
After all it is free
After all it is free
Thank you telford mike and HoneyBunny
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.
Great photos, Val Mesdi looks so much fresher than my trip there on Friday!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Peter Ross wrote:
Great photos, Val Mesdi looks so much fresher than my trip there on Friday!
Cheers.
It was well tracked out at the entrance - packed powder on bumps - but plenty of untracked up the sides.
The alternative entries into Val Mesdi looked great.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
THURSDAY 17 MARCH 2016
Another bluebird powder day at San Martino - Passo Rolle Ski Area but I had an enforced day off snow.
Prior to skiing the line starting at the 2 minute mark in yesterday's video I hit some submerged rocks and got catapulted over the handlebars onto rocks.
My left shoulder and sternum took the brunt of the impact and both were heavily bruised.
So after breakfast and packing up the car I took the long way round to Trafoi, Ortler Ski Area, Sud Tirol.
Sass Maor (2812m)
Palazzo Sass Maor
I stopped into Ranch, The Dolomites Bar for a coffee and to pick up a bottle of L'Ones Al Cumino Montana - Caraway infused grappa before bidding farewell to Loris and San Martino.
View from Passo Rolle Ski Area
I detoured via Bormio and Livigno to check out conditions - both excellent - then through one of the funkiest tunnels into Swizterland.
There was less snow - but better roads and drivers - on the Swiss side and no snow as I drove up the Stelvio valley to Trafoi.
But as I got past Gomagoi snow lay on the side of the road.
The small hotel is in a great location about 300m from the beginners ski area and 100m to the lift to the top of Trafoi.
Tania the owner is an enigmatic host and the hotel bar is well stocked and well priced.
I had dinner at Hotel Post - pizza, bottle of wine, grappa, espresso for 24 euros
This is where it all started for me 30 years ago and the main reason I was (re)-visiting Trafoi.
My cousin & I had travelled by bus from London for a week's stay at Hotel Post and skiing at Trafoi.
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.
Yes had mogulled entrance and some nice snow for a little bit but was very mushy further down. Friday was a warm day but surprised how sticky snow was on north facing valley. The rock must heat things up and trap the warm air.
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
Peter Ross wrote:
Yes had mogulled entrance and some nice snow for a little bit but was very mushy further down. Friday was a warm day but surprised how sticky snow was on north facing valley. The rock must heat things up and trap the warm air.
Quite possibly.
Although the ambient temperature has increased significantly the past couple of weeks.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Superb pictures:
That mountain peak viewed from Passo Rolle looks a bit like the Matterhorn!!! I really must visit some of these less popular Dolomite resorts like Civetta, Carezza, San Martino at some point. They do look just as picteresque (scenery wise) as the main Sella Ronda ones
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
jimmybog wrote:
Superb pictures:
That mountain peak viewed from Passo Rolle looks a bit like the Matterhorn!!! I really must visit some of these less popular Dolomite resorts like Civetta, Carezza, San Martino at some point. They do look just as picteresque (scenery wise) as the main Sella Ronda ones
Thanks.
In my limited experience they are, and less crowded.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
FRIDAY 18 MARCH 2016
My first experience of Trafoi 30 years ago was mixed.
Great company & laughs, amazing views, good food & drink at Hotel Post, and four days skiing & falling on sheet ice on the village slope.
By the third morning I was stuffing my spare clothing down the legs of my salopettes to cushion the blows and limit the bruising.
Our beginner group was finally allowed to go to the top of Trafoi lift system on the last day and I realised what I'd been missing. I was blown away by even grander views and there was snow up top!
-----
After breakfast I took the short stroll to the chairlift and made my way up the mountain.
The lower, south facing slopes were bare except for the pisted run. But from mid-mountain up there was plenty of cover.
I warmed up with a couple of runs off the t-bar and the second chair.
The shaded north facing slopes held dry, boot top powder, so I put the skins on and headed above the second chair.
Looking down on the t-bar, Ortler (3905m) in the distance
Ortler
As I crested the first hill I saw two people ahead of me skinning up the ridge. I kept my distance so we could all enjoy the views and solitude
Yesterday's tracks (not mine)
The couple ahead of me turned out to be Toni Stocker, Head Guide with feel-the-mountains based in Solda, and his customer Helen, from Val Gardena.
http://www.feel-the-mountains.com/
They were skiing down the ridgeline and then dropping into the north facing terrain, so I took a few shots before I dropped into the untracked N & NE facing bowl.
Toni
Toni & Helen
About to drop in
That Friday Feeling
I intended to cut a hard right at treeline and traverse back to the lifts but Toni and Helen skied down to me from a different face and Toni kindly offered to give me a lift back up to Trafoi from where they'd left the car.
Toni
Helen
So I followed them down though the trees and on the snow covered mountain road to the Deer Conservation Area just above Stelvio. Close to 1500m of vertical.
Back in Trafoi I took the lift back up for lunch (spaghetti bolognaise, mineral water & espresso for 9.4 euros) and then took the home run back to the village.
Just shy of 1000 vertical metres of deserted piste to let the skis run.
After showering I took a walk to the other end of the village to the peaks that horseshoe the valley.
Tania invited me to join her and her friends for dinner at Hotel Tannenheim.
Wondeful meal of carpaccio of beef, pork tenderloin, & drinks for 30 euros.
A VERY different ski experience compared with my first visit to Trafoi, but thankfully the welcome, sense of community and village hasn't changed in 30 years.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Just...gorgeous. Is there anything to beat the Dolomites at sunset?!
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?
Hurtle wrote:
Just...gorgeous. Is there anything to beat the Dolomites at sunset?!
Never gets old. Sunset or sunrise. Or anytime in between
It would have been much of the same up there today but I was checking out and heading to Innsbruck airport to pick up my girlfriend Nerys, before heading to Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Tirol, Austria for a week long family holiday with my brother Matt, my sister-in-law Laura, and 7-year old nephew Sam.
This would be my first time skiing with my nephew. I couldn't wait.
Yet another room with a fantastic view, Hotel Garni Interski, Trafoi
I bade farewell to Tania at Garni Interski and made my way down the valley.
On the way down I stopped at one of the funkiest art installation / museums I've had the pleasure to visit. 1 euro admission in the honesty box.
And just before I crossed into Austria I passed this magnificent statue with the Ortler Alps as the backdrop
A fantastic six night trip with four very special ski days to remember.
Costs
Bus from Cardiff Train Station to Cardiff airport £8.00
Flight £266.70
7-day car hire £141.53
Petrol £25.86
Tolls £10.00
2-nights B&B Accommodation at Albergo Alisander £131.74
2-nights B&B Accommodation at Hotel Villa Aurora £82.44
2-nights B&B Accommodation at Garni Interski £81.62
Lift Pass £125.26
Food & drink £28.28
£160.00
Total £1061.43 / 1314 euros / US$ 1496.87 / AUD$ 1978.25 for 6 nights (4 days skiing)
Travelling as a pair would reduce these costs significantly -
shared cost of car hire, petrol and tolls
single room rate per person more expensive than shared room rate per person per night
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
SATURDAY 26 MARCH 2016
After a fantastic week at Hotel Lasinga, Fiss skiing Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Tirol, Austria with my brother, my sister-in-law & my nephew, my girlfriend Nerys & I headed to Italy.
There was free parking outside the guesthouse because it was a weekend, but it seems that parking is very difficult in this neighbourhood in the week.
For dinner we went to a very cool bar/restaurant Nadamas in Piazza Erbe where we spent the night drinking prosecco and grappa eating Italian tapas.
Excellent and all for 56 euros.
Bolzano looked a great place the little we saw of it and is a great gateway to the mountains.
SUNDAY 27 MARCH 2016
We took a leisurely drive to Verona on Easter Sunday, pasing through small villages on the way.
We arrived at our hotel on the fringe of the old town around 2pm and after unpacking the car and parking up in the private courtyard (15 euros per day) we headed into the old town for food and a wander
Before settling down to dinner at Caffe Monte Baldo across the street (2 courses each, bottle of wine, 2 grappa, 2 prosecco, 2 coffee, 2 mineral water, 83.50 euros)
http://www.osteriamontebaldo.com/en/contact-us/
Fantastic day to night with sunshine and warm temps of 16C
MONDAY 28 MARCH 2016
Easter Monday was more of the same, except there were a few showers in the morning.
Easy to navigate, wonderful views, excellent food & drink, very reasonably priced. We didn't do any of the cultural stuff, but there's loads.
With a new direct flight from Cardiff to Verona with FlyBe starting at the end of April this could well be mid-point or end to a trip to the Dolomites and South Tyrol in the future.
We were staying at Hotel Zanella, a short walk from the base area and were lucky enough to check in before we went to skiing.
Hotel Zanella (1-night HB with a bottle of wine at dinner, 94.20 euros booked through booking.com)
http://www.hotelzanella.it/
Painting of Hotel Zanella in the hotel dining room
We parked the car about 100m from the base area, bought two day tickets (68 euros) and made our way to the top of the mountain.
Two lifts - the Pejo Fonti-Tarlenta gondola and Pejo 3000 funivar - take you from 1400m to 3000m from where you're able to ski the Val della Mite, Variante dei Monti, Val Scura, and Tarlenta red runs top to bottom for 8km and a vertical drop of 1600m
We did two runs top to bottom - dry, chalky packed powder in the bowl, spring piste conditions below - then had lunch at Refugio Scoiattolo at mid-mountain.
Delicious mushroom pappardelle, venison with mushrooms and polenta, mineral water, 2 coffees (25.20 euros)
After lunch we took the funivar to the top and skied home.
No queues; deserted runs; great snow conditions and grooming considering the 'low tide' year, the southerly aspect of the slopes and the warm temperature; amazing views.
I scooted off-piste in the Val della Mitte where there was toe tickling powder on a firm base. The potential for lift accessed and skin to off-piste terrain is epic.
Cracking little village with a great ski area. And part of what looks like a very varied ski arena.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Great reports, fair play!
Now can you take them down so no-one else sees them
I was out in Colfosco at similar time and would simply add;
- we got car rental for bizarrely cheap, like 40 euro for a week for a good car, through XE at same time of year
- Otzi the iceman in Bolzano is well worth a visit, Bolzano in general was a very nice town without the tourist throng of Verona (which was also a very nice town)
Italy is such a nice place to ski in...
After all it is free
After all it is free
8611 wrote:
Great reports, fair play!
Now can you take them down so no-one else sees them
Cheers.
Quote:
I was out in Colfosco at similar time and would simply add;
- we got car rental for bizarrely cheap, like 40 euro for a week for a good car, through XE at same time of year
Wow! link please
Quote:
- Otzi the iceman in Bolzano is well worth a visit, Bolzano in general was a very nice town without the tourist throng of Verona (which was also a very nice town)
Italy is such a nice place to ski in...
Thanks. Will add to growing to-do list for next-visit
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.
WEDNESDAY 30 MARCH 2016
We had intented to ski Passo Tonale today but the freezing level had skyrocketed overnight with drizzle to 2,500m accompanied by 'Old London Town fog' which reduced visibility to a couple of metres at times.
So it was a leisurely drive to our final destination for this trip, Solda. Just around the corner from Trafoi which I'd visited almost two weeks ago.
2 nights B&B at Basecamp Nives, Solda, Ortler Ski Arena, South Tyrol (174.40 euros through booking.com)
http://www.sulden-nives.com
Great location in the centre of the village, with the bus stop outside.
Free on-site parking.
Excellent staff and service.
Excellent breakfast. And dinner as it turned out. We ate there both nights.
Great bar area with wifi.
We had a bunk bed room which was spacious for two but might be a little cramped for four.
Highly recommended.
We took a long walk around the village before dinner.
Solda has three ski areas.
The Langenstein and Kanzel within walking distance of the main village, and Madritsch at the top of the valley - accessed by car or free ski bus - which has the most extensive skiing with the biggest vertical.
We had dinner at Restaurant Nives and it was superb.
Deep fried camembert and mushroom ravioli for Nerys, beef carpaccio (best I've had) and steak with rosemary potatoes for me.
Add in mineral water, two glasses of prosecco, four glasses of wine, four grappas, and two coffees and it made for a fantastic evening (93.80 euros)
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Mike Pow,
Great report Mike and fantastic photos - thanks for posting.
Keen to hear how you enjoyed Solda. I'm sure that someone will correct me but I think I'm the only person who has ever posted about the place here. I spend a long weekend there some years ago and really liked it. Totally off the map for Brits. We were quite a curiosity to the locals!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
jedster wrote:
@Mike Pow,
Great report Mike and fantastic photos - thanks for posting.
Keen to hear how you enjoyed Solda. I'm sure that someone will correct me but I think I'm the only person who has ever posted about the place here. I spend a long weekend there some years ago and really liked it. Totally off the map for Brits. We were quite a curiosity to the locals!
Thanks.
Loved Solda.
Ask and ye shall receive
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.
THURSDAY 31 MARCH 2016
Woke to clear skies and the sunrise warming the mountains but the weather moved in quickly and the mountains soon became shrouded in cloud.
Solda Church
Messner Mountain Museum
After a great breakfast we drove to the Madritsch base area and took the Seilbahn Sekt. I & II, Madritsch and Schontauf II to the top of Solda at 3250m
As we neared the top of the Seilbahn Sekt. II we broke through the cloud to a world of sunshine and spectacular peaks.
Nerys at the top of Solda
Gran Zebru Konigspitze (3859m), Zebru (3740m) and Ortler (3905m)
Nerys and Gran Zebru Konigspitze (3859m)
We spent most of the day lapping the Madritsch and Schontauf II chairs skiing dry, packed powder on piste and windblown pockets of powder on a firm base off-piste.
Nerys
Before and after lunch we skied down to the bottom of the Seilbahn Sekt. II cable car on the Madritsch variant (red 1A) passing under the face of Gran Zebru Konigspitze.
For the last run of the day I skied the Hochstein black itinerary down to the bottom of the Seilbahn Sekt. II cable car and then Kanonenrohr (black 1C) to the car park, 1250m vertical.
The perfect ending to a perfect holiday.
Solda has got so much to offer.
Above treeline skiing for those bluebird days and treelined runs and well spaced forests for when it's dumping.
Here's a good example of what's possible
GoPro: Sulden, Italy - can´t get any better than this! from Nicolas Metz
And with 6 areas on a combined pass - Belpiano, Malga S. Valentino, Watles, Solda, Trafoi, Minschuns/Val Monastero (CH) - and Merano 2000, Val Senales and Nauders a short drive away the Val Venosta has much to offer.
We had intended going to Hotel Post for dinner but after a few aperitifs in the Nives bar it was too easy to walk across the hallway to the restaurant.
Another superb evening, and a boozy one!
Salad and Rocket Tagliolini for Nerys, mushroom ravioli and Sportlerschnitzel with fries for me. Couldn't finish it, massive.
Add in mineral water, one bombardino, one coretto, two veneziano, one Ingo, two glasses of prosecco, two glasses of wine, nine grappas, 2 cognacs and two coffees and we really pushed the boat out (118.70 euros)
FRIDAY 01 APRIL 2016
A leisurely breakfast and a leisurely and uneventful drive to Innsbruck airport.
A fabulous week and a wonderful counterpoint to our week in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis.
Costs
6-day car hire £141.53
Petrol £57.39
1-night Accommodation at Guesthouse 37 £99.32
2-nights Accommodation at Hotel Arena £143.00
1-night HB Accommodation at Hotel Zanella £74.85
2-nights B&B Accommodation at Basecamp Nives £138.59
Lift Pass £116.80
Food & drink £490.35
Total £1261.83
Per person £630.92 / 794.12 euros / US$ 895.28 / AUD$ 1160.00 for 6 nights (2 days skiing)
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
Thank you! Glad you had fun. Agree on the range of skiing available in a small area.
And you've captured the fabulous views very well.
I think the most distinctive part of the skiing on offer is the massive amount of off-piste from the top lift of the back of the schoenlaufspitze - huge variety of 1350m descents to the bottom without any hiking. Then if you add what you can get at by hiking along the ridge...
The ski touring towards Cevedale looks brilliant but I didn't get to try it.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
+1000
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quality photos and reporting.
Absolutely top banana.
Well done and keep up the good work!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I only read half of it but it was great... will catch the rest later.
Thanks Mike.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Goliard wrote:
Quality photos and reporting.
Absolutely top banana.
Well done and keep up the good work!
Thanks
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?
Layne wrote:
I only read half of it but it was great... will catch the rest later.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
