I am going to buy skis, shoes etc from Decathlon Novara close to Malpensa Airport. Renting for 30 days is coming out to be 2x or more expensive.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@ankitind,
Do you know what you are doing buying boots?
I might be inclined to spend a little bit more money getting them from a resort shop when you are less tired after travel and who can let you rent a pair first if the same type to check the fit is good.
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?
@luigi Thanks so much for the detailed response! Celsomaggiore is one of our mid-trip stops. We’ll be staying for 5 days in Rocca Pietore, within a 30-minute drive to Arabba/Marmolada and Cortina d’Ampezzo. After that, we’ll spend the next 5 days in Badia, with easy access to Alta Badia, Kronplatz, Val Gardena, and Cortina d’Ampezzo as well.
Susa, Celsomaggiore, and Sirmione are our planned mid-journey stops. We’re aiming to cross the Montgenèvre Pass between 9am and 10am, hoping for smooth conditions.
We chose Serre Chevalier as our first destination because of its long blue slopes and excellent ski schools.
@T_Bar we have to be extra careful in Decathalon. The idea is we will land at 1:30pm in Milan - get our rental car and get all gear on same day. And might reach Susa late in night that day - but since everything is low altitude- we can stretch out first day
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ankitind wrote:
If we get the chance, we might visit Briançon, the birthplace of Alpine skiing, but we’ll likely ski on Day 7 as well.
It's news to me that Briançon is "the birthplace of alpine skiing".
Historically one of the pioneers of alpine skiing was the Austro-Hungarian Mathias Zdarsky who was based in Lillienfeld Austria and in 1890 developed his Lillienfeld ski technique. A bit later in the 1920s Austrian Hannes Schneider developed his Arlberg alpine ski techniques and ski school in St. Anton. At the same time the British based in the the Swiss resort of Mürren were popularising downhill ski racing with Arnold Lunn devising the first slalom competitions.
In what way and when did Briançon give birth to alpine skiing?
@T_Bar we have to be extra careful in Decathalon. The idea is we will land at 1:30pm in Milan - get our rental car and get all gear on same day. And might reach Susa late in night that day - but since everything is low altitude- we can stretch out first day
If you travelled a long way by airliner your feet/ankles may be a bit swollen that day, it may not be the best time to check your fit on ski boots. Poor fitting boots could impact your holiday.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ankitind wrote:
We’ll be staying for 5 days in Rocca Pietore, within a 30-minute drive to Arabba/Marmolada and Cortina d’Ampezzo. After that, we’ll spend the next 5 days in Badia, with easy access to Alta Badia, Kronplatz, Val Gardena, and Cortina d’Ampezzo as well.
Ah, that makes more sense!
I know Rocca Pietore fairly well! It's a shady spot in winter. There used to be someone on here who had apartments there. Haven't heard from him in a while. Maybe it's where you're staying?
From there, it's a tortuous drive up to Arabba village which can be icy first thing in the morning, but worth it when you get there! You can also access the Arabba ski area at Malga Ciapela (park up near Padon 2 chairlift, then ski over Passo Padon), an easier drive from Rocca. Also at Malga Ciapela, there's the 3-stage Marmolada cablecar, highest point in the Dolomites and a long, long red run down. Amazing views! Only do it if it's a clear sunny day and you're feeling fit.
Highly recommeneded is the Civetta ski area. You'll drive through Alleghe, the main resort, on your way up to Rocca. You need to do a day there! Easy flat drive from Rocca. I'm there with my son and some friends from Jan 19th!!
Civetta ski area
From Rocca, you can drive over the Fedaia pass (make sure no snow is forecast!) to Alba to access the lifts there, one way to the Sella Ronda, the other to the Ciampac-Buffaure circuit.
The road to Cortina is a mountain pass, so need to beware here too. The WC ski racing is 18/19 Jan, but if you went on Thursday 16th, you could see the ski racers training. Head to Duca d'Aosta restaurant and chairlift for great views of the girls flying off the Tofana Schuss!
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3zZdcFUsUFXPMgaXA
Tofana Schuss on WC course
You can access the Cinque Torri/ Super 8 area, either on the way to Cortina at Rifugio Fedare or at Passo Falzarego. There is the new Cortina Skyline lift which links Cinque Torri to the Tofana side of Cortina, takes about 15mins each way...
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sat 12-10-24 13:21; edited 1 time in total
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@ankitind, a long haul overnight flight (in economy, given your price sensitivity elsewhere?), an afternoon of ski shopping, then a 3-4 hr drive potentially in bad weather and at night (and possibly on the wrong side of the road, depending on where in Asia is home for you), suggests a high risk appetite.
Your 700k drive in midwinter across the alps also feels ambitious. I know you feel the low altitude roads are “easier” but there’s nothing easy about a busy Italian motorway in pouring rain.
Is your son’s memory of the trip going to be “dad, do you remember out amazing month skiing in the 3V” or, “Dad, do you remember that month long ski trip where you crashed the car the first night, and then later on we spent three days crossing the alps in awful weather”.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I love driving in mountains, and often do it after long haul flights etc. around the world. I've never crashed a car, never had a problem. In the Alps you'll likely be in moderate temperatures and within mobile range, and almost always on bare toads... I'm not saying it never snows, just that with a relaxed attitude it's not a serious problem. Respect the conditions, sure, but it's massively controlled and designed for tourists.
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.
Naked amphibia
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
@snowdave I understand your concern. I have driven in Europe many a time - but yes never in snow.
Though I have good experience in driving on very rough - single lane and non existent roads in 5000m+ passes in Himalayas multiple times. Again never in snow.
I will be taking precautions that I don’t drive in snow in evenings or night.
I know driving in Italy is considered not the best in Europe, but somebody who has driven in India for 20 years will try to manage.
Will be extra careful - in not rushing things. If required will take stops in midways changing plans based on weather conditions.
After living in Himalayas for 4 years, I understand that mountains are not be taken lightly.
I never thought 700km in a day is biggie. Isn’t the average speed on highways is around 100km/hr or so. If we start at 7am-8am in morning, won’t we be able to reach destinations by 5pm or so?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@ankitind, Not all that route is motorway by any means, and in mid Jan you won’t be able to avoid starting or finishing in the dark. If there is no traffic, no weather, and you take no breaks, it’s an 8hr drive. In reality it’ll be closer to 10 (the fréjus tunnel can have long queues, and you’ll probably want lunch). That means at least 2 hrs driving in the dark.
Where it’s been considered in any corporate travel policies I’ve worked under (not all small companies pay much attention to this stuff), multi hour drives after overnight long haul with jet lag, have been prohibited, which suggests an elevated level of risk.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
snowdave wrote:
@ankitind, Not all that route is motorway by any means, and in mid Jan you won’t be able to avoid starting or finishing in the dark. If there is no traffic, no weather, and you take no breaks, it’s an 8hr drive. In reality it’ll be closer to 10 (the fréjus tunnel can have long queues, and you’ll probably want lunch). That means at least 2 hrs driving in the dark.
Where it’s been considered in any corporate travel policies I’ve worked under (not all small companies pay much attention to this stuff), multi hour drives after overnight long haul with jet lag, have been prohibited. “It’s not happened yet” isn’t a good way to assess risk.
I think the only really long drive is well after the affects of jet lag should be over. (Though I'd cut the drive in two and not spend time in the 3V not skiing) Straight after the flight he is going from Milan to Serre CHevalier which is all on good roads fairly short and he is doing it in two hops . There is one pass but it is a pretty good road.
The time difference between Europe and India is only 3.5 hours so jet lag is unlikely to be massive anyway though doubtless straight after a long flight you can be a bit tired.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
ankitind wrote:
@snowdave I understand your concern. I have driven in Europe many a time - but yes never in snow.
Though I have good experience in driving on very rough - single lane and non existent roads in 5000m+ passes in Himalayas multiple times. Again never in snow.
I will be taking precautions that I don’t drive in snow in evenings or night.
I know driving in Italy is considered not the best in Europe, but somebody who has driven in India for 20 years will try to manage.
Will be extra careful - in not rushing things. If required will take stops in midways changing plans based on weather conditions.
After living in Himalayas for 4 years, I understand that mountains are not be taken lightly.
I never thought 700km in a day is biggie. Isn’t the average speed on highways is around 100km/hr or so. If we start at 7am-8am in morning, won’t we be able to reach destinations by 5pm or so?
I drove from Milan Linate airport to Moena di Fassa one February in torrential rain. It was not fun with all the spray from the lorries and took way longer than the 3h39 Google says it should take. Then the rain turned to snow at 800m on the climb out of the Adige Valley. It was a full on blizzard by the time we got to Moena at 1200m. That continued and left about 45cm of snow on the vehicle overnight. We made it though!!
Hoping you don't have any hair-raising experiences and it sounds like you will play it by ear and stop if you need to
One thing about the Les Menuires to Cesiomaggiore journey...Google gives a shorter alternative to the Frejus Tunnel route, over the Petit St Bernard Pass. The PSB pass is closed beyond La Rosiere in winter, I know because I've skied down it into La Thuile!!
I know driving in Italy is considered not the best in Europe
But it's not the end of the world, certainly compared to India! I've driven from the Mont Blanc/Frejus tunnels in and out of Italy several times, including all the way across to the Dolomites (and back). Much of the route across the Po valley is fairly dismal (and famously foggy, which will limit speed to 50 kph) but there's nothing particularly scary about Italian motorways as long as you don't assume they're the same as French ones! But the time I drove to Arabba, ALL the mountain passes were in theory closed and chains were needed (on snow tyres) just to move around within Arabba and cars parked in the street were having snow chucked down onto their roofs by men shovelling it off the hotel roofs before they collapsed. You do have to be ready for anything, and if it's snowy, I would certainly want to ensure I had snow chains and was able to fit them (even if you can get hold of winter tyres, which has presumably been covered in one of the other threads).
It sounds a great adventure and one long hard day driving is not the end of the world. But always be prepared to change plans.
Entirely agree with comments above that a voluntary non-ski day in Courchevel is a stupendous waste of time!
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