I have been recommended (and fancy, to be fair) that Ortisei is a good area for beginners, but the piste maps don't seem to back it up. Questions then...
Can I go up the bubble from the village and access all (the map suggests a single isolated blue at the top of the cable) the Alpe di Suisi area on easy runs?
If yes, is there enough for a week's skiing- my wife is a developing beginner, but still a beginner.
If no, am I committed to bus transport to get to other areas with blues in?
Ta.
Obergurgl is also on offer, but our guy suggests the town is a bit limited, though that doesn't bother us too much. Would Austria be better- either will be our second trip of 2017, the first will almost certanly be in France, as were all our previous 4 trips.
Thanks for reading.
CG
PS, this is from a company we've used before, and they have been spot on in the past, but I'm a 'map' person, and my eyes may be deceiving me!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Charliegolf, On the Alpe di Suisi (Seiseralm) there is quite a large network of interlinked runs once you get off at the top of the gondola from Ortisei, see skimap. I'm not sure how many of the runs are classed officially blue or officially red, but the slopes on the Seiseralm are pretty gentle (it is an alpine meadow afterall) and I don't think a developing beginner would have many problems in going from one end of the Seiseralm to the other.
Incidentally from the Saltria side of the Seiseralm there is a regular bus service which links with the ski area of Monte Pana above St. Christina. It's well worth doing this just for the bus journey, it's the most off-piste bus service I've ever seen, in places there's only just enough room for the bus to pass through the gaps between trees! Here's a video someone took of the journey from Monte Pana to Saltria:
Of course apart from the skiing on the Alpe di Suisi/Seiseralm side there's a gondola goes from Ortisei on the other side of the town up to the Seceda plateau. This has several pistes including the red 2 10.5km long "La Longia" piste which goes all the way back to Ortisei and has some great restaurants en route. Again although a red it isn't that steep, just long, so I think your wife as a developing beginner would well be able to take it slowly with you towards the end of the week - quite a nice achievement for her I would think.
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?
I have not skied the main area of Seceda/Col Raiser above Ortisei so cant advise about that section
But I have skied the Alpe Di Siusi area for a week
However, I have not actually skied the blue 36 run down from the top of the Ortisei bubble. I have walked past the top section and it did look a bit narrow in the initial part of it. But I do know that when it joins into blue 48 further down past the Hotel Sonne, that it becomes very gradual and wide. Rest of Alpe Di Siusi runs are mainly gradual steepness/relatively easy (though there are still a few short steeper sections on some of the slopes)
And yes you can access all the slopes once your up there. From the top of the bubble you ski down blue 36 to the mid way point of chair 69. Take the chair up and ski down red 43 to the bottom of chair 68. Take chair 68 up to MOnte Piz and ski down red 55. Take chair 61 up and ski down blue 58 to the bottom of panorama lift 62. Take this lift up and you will be in the main area.
Just be aware that if you go onto the slopes above Saltria that there is no link back to the bubble to go back to Ortisei. You need to go back into the main area and then cross the road via red 57. Go up chair lift 60. Blue 46 down to chair 67. Chair up and down red 45, into blue 44 and down to chair 69. Chair up to mid point, blue 48 down to chair 59. Take chair up to get the Ortisei bubble down.
A great, reassuring reply AP, thank you very much.
CG
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Jimmy- brilliant also, appreciate it. Thanks, I'll scrutinise the numbered runs later, and look for a couple of vids to share with the beginner. I'm no expert btw; I'm an agricultural inter!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Jimmy, your earlier numbered route now makes perfect sense- the numbers were'nt adding up on the poorer map I was viewing, but the one you linked is clear. Thanks. On the reds- my wife can ski the blues around Meribel and Courchevel, albeit a bit nervously- would that match up on the routes you describe? She is willing to progress, but I am a bit over-protective...
Ta
CG
After all it is free
After all it is free
CG, I have not skied in France so cant do a like for like comparison. I would say that most of the reds on that route would be skiable for your wife. These reds are (in my opinion) mostly equivalent to a blue slope. But some do have short steeper sections (which is why I think they are graded red). But I can't think of anything too steep or terrifying.
Here is what I remember of some of the slopes:
The top of red 43 is a bit steeper but only for a short way (you can view it on streetview mode on google maps)
The first half of red 55 is of a blue gradient; second half gets a bit steeper but I would still classify it as an easy red
In the main area:
Only tricky sections i can think of are towards the bottom of red 15; a short steeper section near the top of red 20; top section of red 30 (but a better route is red 34)
But again, the steeper sections are just a bit steeper and quite short and really aren't too terrifiying. I would say these slopes are excellent for someone who wants to progress from easy blues
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.
Well, since I took the plunge and booked late last week, you can be sure I'll be poring over those reds later, and planning trips! After all, only 7 months to go- it's round the corner! Thanks again.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Charliegolf, Enjoy! In my opinion Ortisei is the prettiest of the 3 main ski towns in the Val gardena valley (Ortisei, St. Christina and Selva) and is a centre of wood carving - the regional museum in the town centre is worth a visit. Are you on B&B or Half Board? In the pedestrianised main street I can recommend the wine bar La Cercia which does a great selection of wines and tapas style finger food/snacks.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Bump back to the top...
New questions: Best place in the town centre for ski hire? Do they have Skiset there?
Could we get a guide to show us around on the first day?
Thanks
CG
Any other good bits are welcome too!
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.
Italian reds are like French blues, your wife will be fine in alpe de suisi and I think it will be a great choice for her, to give her confidence to progress.
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
Admin here recommend against using Skiset. I've used Alpinresorts booking service before in other resorts, they use Sport Gardena in Ortisei.
I'm sure you could get a ski instructor/guide, just speak to the local ski school, though I don't think you'd get lost with a piste map, everywhere is so well-signposted, named & numbered.
Alpe di Siusi looks like a winter wonderland this morning with the fresh snow, some really gentle runs up there, great for beginners to progress to. Great huts to stop for food & drink too, most runs have at least one.
Make sure you go up to Seceda side once confidence has built and do the long red run 'La Longia' down to Ortisei. Amazing views and some great sweeping runs down from Seceda to S Cristina too.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Thanks both. Luigi, actually I've never used Skiset, I was just wondering if Ortisei has the same, 'chain' stores as in France. Noted about Sport Gardena. (All the shops seem to have exactly the same pricing etc, so not much to split them!) Defo going to Secada, but need to look after my wife who will be on her 6th week ever, but is still nervous at times. The guide would be to have an 'expert' show us about, and boost her confidence for the week. Are there plenty of huts on the La Longia?
Cheers,
CG
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
In Italy the ski shops tend to be privately owned, but some are affiliated to a franchise. I've not used Sport Gardena, so I don't know how it rates versus other shops in Ortisei. Most professionals in Val Gardena take their businesses very seriously, so not a lot of room for shoddiness.
I expect you could book an instructor/guide for a private lesson on the first morning to show you round the Alpe di Siusi and give your wife some pointers on her technique so she can overcome any fears. You probably need to email the local ski school in advance to arrange this.
Yes, there are a few stop-offs on La Longia...the Curona as you drop off the shoulder, then the Costamula down in the valley and lastly the very cosy Cafe Val d'Anna near the frozen waterfalls.
Another good spot for your wife might be to catch the ski-bus up Val Gardena past Selva up to Plan de Gralba where there are quite a number of fairly gentle blues.
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