 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
Fairly new skier here, plus two kids in tow who are already better than me (competent on meribel blues).
Just back from Meribel and I found a couple of blues where I was ok but many were a bit much for me (mainly due to the slushy snow and crazy busyness of them).
Are the slopes around Corvara and Colfasco on a par with meribel blues? Or are they easier? Harder?
Also, anyone have recommendations for half board hotels with good access to either Corvara or colfosco ski schools?
Many thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@JbirdMara, slushy snow and crazy busyness = confidence sapping. You really need to get "up on top of" your skis in slush - horribly hard on the knees if you're hanging back a bit (I speak from experience.....).
Did you have lessons?
When are you thinking of skiing again?
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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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It really did obliterate the form I’d started to improve. Horrible thick sugary snow  .
We plan to go Feb (sadly half term) in hope that the snow is a little better.
Yes, I had lessons and will have them next time too (plus plan to visit Snozone through the rest of this year)..
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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In the summer they are.
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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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As a 'very' general rule Italian reds and blues are easier than French ones.....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| JbirdMara wrote: |
It really did obliterate the form I’d started to improve. Horrible thick sugary snow .
We plan to go Feb (sadly half term) in hope that the snow is a little better.
Yes, I had lessons and will have them next time too (plus plan to visit Snozone through the rest of this year).. |
While you'll still get the crazy busyness of half term, hopefully the temperatures are kinder - so less slushiness and less man-made snow (which is sometimes what that thick sticky sugary snow is).
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| JbirdMara wrote: |
Hi all
Fairly new skier here, plus two kids in tow who are already better than me (competent on meribel blues).
Just back from Meribel and I found a couple of blues where I was ok but many were a bit much for me (mainly due to the slushy snow and crazy busyness of them).
Are the slopes around Corvara and Colfasco on a par with meribel blues? Or are they easier? Harder?
Also, anyone have recommendations for half board hotels with good access to either Corvara or colfosco ski schools?
Many thanks |
Italy does not have a green grade so the blue runs in Corvara and the Alta Badia will cover a wider range of difficulty than in Meribel probably with more easy runs that would be green. Generally speaking the piste maintenance in the Dolomites is of a very high standard and the runs will be straightforward. However slushiness and busyness is a factor of weather and crowds.. The weather these days is any ones guess as to what it will be in Feb half term but usually it shouldn't be too slushy, however this year when I went in Feb the weather was warmer than usual and the pistes were soft in the afternoon particularly at low altitude.
Feb can be busy in the Dolomites and crowds on the main Sella Ronda are certainly not unusual and the busy pistes can be very busy however it is certainly possible to escape them within the Alta Badia although inevitably at the peak times the main connecting runs can be quite busy. Although in general I think it a good choice for gentle skiing if you truly want to escape busy runs you may be better in a small resort though in Feb half term it is not always easy.
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La Thuile might be a possibility. I've not stayed there (though had holidays in La Rosiere, on the French side, in the past). Recent reports suggest that the runs right down to the bottom can be quite challenging but it's easy to download in a lift and there is plenty of open skiing higher up, which shouldn't be too busy.
Another possibility might be a quieter Austrian resort (can't advise on that) and all day lessons. should make a big difference to your skiing.
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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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These ski areas are both...huge! Literally the biggest 2 contiguous areas in the world (depending on how literally you define your contiguous). Many of Meribel's runs are sunny and fairly low for the area but the main problem you have noticed is that they are central in the 3Vs and obvious through routes to go somewhere else in the ski area. This makes them busy by default as there is both 'local' and 'through' traffic constantly. They are also served by high capacity lifts, munching queues of skiers and spitting them out, onto the pistes!
The layout of the Sella Ronda is very different from the 3 Valleys, being a 'ring' and 'spokes' but this inevitably means being on the 'ring' brings more skiers. And high capacity lifts munching queues because who wants to spend on an expensive lift pass to stand in a queue. So almost all the lifts on the SR are 8-10 person gondolas or recently upgraded 8 person chairs (eg Sodlisia). The area is famous for being sunny because the atmosphere is generally lower in humidity and cooler, for reasons including being much further east and being south of the main Alpine ridge, leading to less frequent snowfall (but heavy when it comes) making artificial snowmaking easier and more effective. What you are describing is what happens to artificial snow when it is exposed to sun and starts to melt. The effect worsens when it is heavily used (by skiers) as it loosens to easily form bumps (as all skied snow will during a day) which are more difficult to tackle than a flat surface.
So, I would suggest that what you actually want is not less steep runs but runs with better snow and fewer skiers. To get this, you want slower/lower capacity lifts and north facing, higher or more sheltered slopes.
Getting onto the blues of Alta Badia, Colfosco actually has some very easy skiing along the base of the valley under Sodlisia and Plans. This is sheltered from the sun by the cliffs of Sella all morning but by the afternoon you will probably find things increasingly difficult with lots of through traffic on the SR and the effects of the sun. Up Edelweiss, the main run down from Stella is easy as well but gets the sun earlier being on the north side of the valley. But this is not a lot of blue runs. To reach more, you need a flat gondola across to Corvara (along with everyone doing the SR) and then you can't take Boe (all reds off the gondola up there) so you have to take a short chair and ski through the village to Col Alt. The blue off the top is a definite (short) cat track and could be fairly intimidating (great view though) but then you enter a large area where the joy is that you can ski to every lift on an easy blue and find more reasonably easy blues to take you onward without having to worry about where you are going. All in a large area where the edge is either an obvious road or a village.
You should find the scenery and stopping for food/drink a considerable improvement on any previous experience. Reaching this area is actually rather easier from La Villa and San Cassiano, as from both a gondola takes you to a flattish top with a choice of blues and reds to get away into the 'plateau sector'. The first blue run from San Cassiano takes a bit of an awkward angle across the mountain but that really is being nit picky. For La Villa, the difficulty is a very flat blue leading to a (barely worth the grade but definitely steeper than most blues) red back to the village, but it is north facing and in trees so pretty shaded. Or you can get the gondola down from Moritzino. The only other blue runs with anything remotely difficult are: the kind of getting infamous section of 8 immediately below Pralongia 2 (slightly steep with a tendency to ice); 6, which is too flat; and 14 which is a bit steep immediately below the restaurants near the top of Braia Fraida and La Brancia. Otherwise, it's one flattering blue after another set in incredible scenery, with a fantastic eatery every few turns, many with a fabulous terrace view.
There are, of course, issues with these 2 villages and not just that they are off the SR. San Cassiano gondola (Sorega) gets busier through the day as it is on the route back from the Hidden Valley. The high street is one of the prettiest in Italy but don't expect a lot of 'action'. Think supermarket, deli, fancy restaurants and a couple of sleepy bars. La Villa is a bit larger but more strung out. It has a lovely quiet 'spoke' to explore, on (easy) red runs, but lacks the 5km northeast facing blue home run.
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We went to Corvara this year (last week in Feb) primarily for the easy blue skiing, after trips to Val Thorens, Grindelwald and La Thuile in recent years.
Pros:
Scenery is stunning
Food and drinks on the mountain are significantly cheaper than 3V
There are a lot of easy blues that flatter your skiing.
Cons:
It was surprisingly busy - 15 min queue for lifts were a regular occurrence at some pinch points (Pralongia II, Maserai and bubble out of San Cassiano)
There is no way to download to Corvara so everyone goes on one blue that got chopped up by around 11am.
Long transfer (around 4hrs due to various other pick up/drop offs).
As mentioned above the runs above Colfosco were great - quiet and easy with great views. But imo there is not enough skiing in this area to entertain you for more than a day or 2 at most.
The home run was a real problem for my wife. The skiing wasn't technically difficult but the number of people made it feel very unsafe. There was a lot first week skiers struggling to stay in control and then 'experts' coming through the middle of them way too fast.
However we have rebooked Corvara again for next year. The only downside for us was the home run and the pinch point queues and we feel we can work around both of these next time now we have some experience of the area. Everything else was brilliant
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We were there last month.
Corvara - no.
Colfosco - very much so, flattering and wide pistes.
Transfer time - with Crystal, they used Innsbruck, 2.5 hours including drop offs. By car that would be 2 hours, although independent travellers seem to take the great value flights to Venice or Verona.
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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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La Thuile has an excellent beginners bowl, but to get out if this bowl, to access any of the other blues, requires taking a red run.
Great for beginners but limiting for very early intermediates.
I’d look at Ortisei as a base to ski Alpe Di Suisi/ Seiser Alm (same area different language) for a large sized plateau of easy, gentle skiing.
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Thank you so much for your responses and detailed input. Massively helpful.
I think we may opt to stay in Colfosco - marginally cheaper accommodation than Corvaro but can still access the wider area if i get bored doing Colfosco runs on repeat. Tbh my main aim is for skiing to 'click' for me so i'm not too fushed about repetiveness of slopes, just to be able to hone technique.
The kids and I will also go to ski school for sure.
It seems there are very few perfect options over half term. Since we are tied with school holidays for now, we considered last week in Dec, feb half term and Easter holidays (5th april in 2025). Dec concerns were possibly no snow, poor visibility and dark/cold with April just so late that options limited to very very high. 3V just last week in March put me off as the slushiness sucked! Plus i'm not good enough to do much up Val Thoren.
I've gone through all the specific points made @what...snow, so helpful thank you.
In previous forums Selva, Cassiano and Allege have also been recommended as good beginner terrain. Not massively dived into these yet.
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You know it makes sense.
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@JbirdMara, go on YouTube and watch Usteria Posta’s videos.
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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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@JbirdMara, go on YouTube and watch Usteria Posta’s videos.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Will do! Thank you.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Snow&skifan wrote: |
<CUT>
Transfer time - with Crystal, they used Innsbruck, 2.5 hours including drop offs. By car that would be 2 hours, although independent travellers seem to take the great value flights to Venice or Verona. |
That is very interesting - every time I have been with Crystal to the Dolomites, they have used Verona
If that is the same next year, it will be a good thing - always looking for shorter transfer times !
=====edit====
It seems that for Corvara/Colfosco, they use Innsbruck and Verona for the rest of the Dolomites..
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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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| GlasgowCyclops wrote: |
| @JbirdMara, go on YouTube and watch Usteria Posta’s videos. |
Will do!
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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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Not sure Innsbruck will be short transfer next winter?
Major roadworks starting on Brenner pass
I know Inghams have changed most of their Dolomite holidays to Verona for next winter because of this.
Longer distance but less chance of being hit by weather issues at Innsbruck. No fun if you are heading to the Dollies and get diverted to Munich
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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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| albob wrote: |
| Snow&skifan wrote: |
<CUT>
Transfer time - with Crystal, they used Innsbruck, 2.5 hours including drop offs. By car that would be 2 hours, although independent travellers seem to take the great value flights to Venice or Verona. |
That is very interesting - every time I have been with Crystal to the Dolomites, they have used Verona
If that is the same next year, it will be a good thing - always looking for shorter transfer times !
=====edit====
It seems that for Corvara/Colfosco, they use Innsbruck and Verona for the rest of the Dolomites.. |
There were two Gatwick flight options each travel day too, which suited us .... not being early birds 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Aren’t the Corvara Blues closely related to the Delta Blues?
Someone had to say it… 
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| Garfield wrote: |
Not sure Innsbruck will be short transfer next winter?
Major roadworks starting on Brenner pass
I know Inghams have changed most of their Dolomite holidays to Verona for next winter because of this.
Longer distance but less chance of being hit by weather issues at Innsbruck. No fun if you are heading to the Dollies and get diverted to Munich |
thanks :: and to @Snow&skifan
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