 Poster: A snowHead
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patrick318, have been in touch with sueski about the transfer & have pm'd 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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Which is easiest way round the Sella Ronda - clockwise (orange) or anti-clockwise (green). It'll be my first time and I'm slightly nervous and would really appreciate your experienced views on the easier route?
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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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Dolomiti99, Not much difference between clockwise or anti-clockwise. The steepest piste is probally the clockwise run off the Porta Vescovo above Arabba which would be a easy black in other resorts. If you are based in Arabba this would be the first piste you would ski doing the Sella Ronda clockwise.
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Go green, otherwise you'll have a boring 3k Gondola haul from Colfosco up to Dantercepies. 
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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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Mollerski, Dont you mean orange?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mollerski, Although the 3k Gondola haul is a long ride it leads to the Dantercepies piste which is a nice run.
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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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| riverman wrote: |
| Dolomiti99, Not much difference between clockwise or anti-clockwise. The steepest piste is probally the clockwise run off the Porta Vescovo above Arabba which would be a easy black in other resorts. If you are based in Arabba this would be the first piste you would ski doing the Sella Ronda clockwise. |
Agreed. That is definitely the stepest, and because it is so heavily used, tends to be a bit chopped up later in the day. Doing it clockwise from Campitello, that was one of the last pistes I hit when I did it.
It is also the way back to Val di Fassa if you have been up the Marmolada, which adds to the numbers.
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| Dolomiti99 wrote: |
| Which is easiest way round the Sella Ronda - clockwise (orange) or anti-clockwise (green). It'll be my first time and I'm slightly nervous and would really appreciate your experienced views on the easier route? |
Orange is easier overall, but the first pitch off the Ciampinoi if you start in Selva is not the easiest first run of the season you'd want to rediscover your ski-legs on.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ditto luigi, it also was a bit choppy and busy last year not one I look forward too , bit of a bottle neck . What fun none the less !!! 
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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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You know it makes sense.
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Morning all - does anyone have recent experience of ski hire in Arabba - its been a while since I was there and not sure of places that combine good equipment and good prices. Great snow/sun combo on the webcams today 
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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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Doing the Sella Ronda clockwise, rather than going up the gondola to Porto Vescova, is there a chairlift (Portados) which takes in a gentle blue thus avoiding the steep off Porto Vescova? This nervous intermediate wants the easiest way round if possible! Appreciate your advice. Cheers!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Dolomiti99, No there is not.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dolomiti99, The best thing is to get to the Porto Vescova as early as possible as if it is warm it can get really chopped up.
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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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DoubleBombardino, welcome to snowheads. Love the your username (sorry i don;t know the answer to your question)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Dolomiti99 wrote: |
| Doing the Sella Ronda clockwise, rather than going up the gondola to Porto Vescova, is there a chairlift (Portados) which takes in a gentle blue thus avoiding the steep off Porto Vescova? This nervous intermediate wants the easiest way round if possible! Appreciate your advice. Cheers! |
Sadly, the Portados chair (if it's still running?) doesn't give you enough height to get across to the next chair that goes up twd Pordoi to continue the Sella Ronda.
You have to go up to Porta Vescovo (using the Funifor or 2-stage Gondola) drop along the ridge and stay as far left as you can, its only the first 50m pitch that's tricky because it gets busy and scraped, but you could always sideslip the steepest bits.
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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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Thanks for your help. Looks like I'm just gonna have to be brave! Which is steepest or hardest to get down the first run off the Ciampinoi gondola or the Porto Vescova one? I'm still weighing up the odds about which direction to go.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Dolomiti99, Where are you starting from?
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Dolomiti99, Ciampinoi isn't quite as steep but it's longer,(AFAIR there is a way round the back that isn't as steep but it's narrow and gets really scraped). The real problem is the traffic and the scraped and heaped surface, you can't traverse as much as you would like. If they were empty and freshly groomed, they would both be a lot easier.
I did the clockwise route during my 3rd week on skis and I'm not super-adventurous! You'll be OK either way.
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DoubleBombardino, There's only really a few ski hire places. I've used two of then and prefer Ski Da Nico which is located under the Portavescovo cable station. I don't think you can pre book online but they seemed to have a better range of skis.
http://www.skiservicearabba.it/welcome.htm
btw, welcome to snowHeads
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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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| luigi wrote: |
Dolomiti99, Ciampinoi isn't quite as steep but it's longer,(AFAIR there is a way round the back that isn't as steep but it's narrow and gets really scraped). The real problem is the traffic and the scraped and heaped surface, you can't traverse as much as you would like. If they were empty and freshly groomed, they would both be a lot easier.
I did the clockwise route during my 3rd week on skis and I'm not super-adventurous! You'll be OK either way. |
Ciampinoi from midday onwards can become a serious challenge. It's a steep short funnel which has to cope with Sella Ronda traffic. It can become an ice and mogul minefield. 
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Mollerski, If its really busy i take the alternative way down.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| riverman wrote: |
| Mollerski, If its really busy i take the alternative way down. |
Around the back is still still a gnarly little shoot. 
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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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Thanks all for your comments. Just one last question...what is the alternative way down the Ciampinoi?
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Dolomiti99, I will have to find my piste map will be back shortly
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Dolomiti99, Found my No 4 Val Gardena piste map but unlike other Dolomiti piste maps it does not number or name the pistes. But when you get to the Ciampinoi both routes are sign posted. The route down described by Mollerski, is not part of the Sella Ronda buts takes you dwn to St Cristina and makes a nice diversion off the Sella Ronda, there is a black and a red piste down.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Both Sasslong A and B are steepish in places, but wide, so although rated black,are not too severe.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mollerski, Last year there was a red piste and black piste down which caused our group to split into two. The piste map which i picked up last year also show a red and black piste. Perhaps they changed it to encourage people to ski down to St Cristina.
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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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Dolomiti99, there are many ways down from the Ciampinoi, the black/red combinations down the front face to Selva & Santa Cristina including the Saslong World Cup black run which, as Mollerski said, isn't that bad as it's quite wide and less used than the alternative red.
To go off the back on the green (anti-clockwise) Sella Ronda, you emerge from the Gondola station with the Sassolungo facing you and you take the steep red down to the left, the alternative is keep right back round under the gondola cables, ignoring the front-face runs, into a narrow road-like piste that joins the main route further down near the Vallongia hut, should all be well sign-posted.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Dolomiti99, Whatluigi, said
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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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The temps have risen out there, it's now in the +'s. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pokemon, holidayloverxx, thanks the welcome - what a great resource this is! Think there is a skiset shop at Arabba - looks like it is next door to Hotel Portovescovo where we are staying too.
By the way - any recommendations on nice mountain restaurants? From my experience they're almost all brilliant but any particular stand-outs wld be good to know about.
Also, anyone made it over to the Secada side of Selva - never made it there yet but wld love to incl the run down to Ortisei. Any info on that area welcomed.
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DoubleBombardino, The Skiset (Sport Mode) next to the Portavescovo Hotel is quite small compared to the other Skiset shop (Orizon) which is further up the hill in the newer section of Arabba, which had a better selection of hire skis in comparison. We used this Skiset shop this year. Both shops are owned by the same people. Last year we used Ski Da Nico and as I said they did have a better selection but in the end it depends how bothered you are about the hire equipment compared to price and the distance you would have to walk to get the skis.
See this thread for restaurant reviews - http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1163568&highlight=#1163568
We went to Seceda on one day when we did the Sella Ronda. We took the underground train from Santa Cristina and the Col Raiser chair to get up there. It's quite different from some of the other skiing we'd had that day as it was quite a wide area and also quite empty but the skiing was brilliant and the views fantastic. We didn't have time to ski to Ortisei unfortunately but want to do that next year.
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DoubleBombardino, the mountain restaurants are plentiful, almost universally excellent and good value, here are some of my faves in an old thread:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1154908&highlight=fredarola#1154908
Seceda area is a big sunny bowl with reds and blues and lots of huts, Baita Daniel has a huge sunny terrace, you could order a double bombardino or even a Heisse Oma (hot grandma, don't ask!) and gaze across at the Sella and Sassolungo.
The run down to Ortisei is a thigh burner at 12km, after dropping off the sunny shoulder, it turns into a bit of a road to drop across the cliff face, then snakes into the forest and finally a cruise down the flatter valley bottom past frozen waterfalls and the Val d'Anna cafe. Very enjoyable and the gondola/cablecar back up the cliff face is spectacular too.
Here are some pics:
1. View from the top of Seceda over the bowl.
2. The sunny terrace of Baita Daniel
3. A good spot for a bombardino, the ice bar at Piz La Ila, above La Villa.
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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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Dreadful. Who would want to go there? Stick to La Plagne I'd say.
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I'm booked in with Colletts in Arabba the week before Christmas and am getting hyper with excitment! We're playing around with the idea of extending the holiday for Christmas week. I know from the mega-thread that Arabba is a bit quiet - would Corvara be much different for a two week stay?
We're also considering an alternative idea of driving from Arabba to somewhere in Austria for Christmas. Areas under consideration at the moment are Nassfeld (because this is our best chance to get there - no decent Irish flights and we have a car) or Saalbach / Zell am See which I've been wanting to go to for years. Obviously with the week that's in it, I'd want to make my mind up soon or I'll be staying in a manger.
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FAQ
I don't bother with the signs or piste maps as we've been there so many times. I really need to broaden my horizons. 
