 Poster: A snowHead
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@ankitind,
None of your days appear impossible though some may be long
Obviously they are a bit weather dependent going to Saas Pordoi or the Marmolada in cloud are a bit pointless particularly the former.
Personally I would aim for your Marmolada day later in the week. It has the potential to be the longest day and if you are unfamiliar with the lifts and get something wrong could be a bit tight for time.
Navigating through Selva in particular can be a bit confusing at first. I might stick in the Val Gardena day or the Saas Pordoi first.
The super8 would I'd have thought be readily manageable with the hidden valley if the queues are not bad.
Oh the other thing is you don't actually seem to be doing any of the very nice skiing that is actually on your doorstep. The Alta Badia area itself has some lovely runs that you don't need to use a car for.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@T_Bar
The nearest lifts to our stay are the Santa Croce/La Crusc ones. We’re staying at Ciasa Wallis Apartments (https://www.ciasawallis.com/en/apartments-alta-badia) which is quite close to those lifts.
Given that you mentioned the Alta Badia area offers some lovely runs without needing a car, I wanted to ask for your recommendations. Since we’re based in this region, we definitely wouldn’t want to miss out on the best runs nearby!
Any suggestions on the routes or areas we should prioritize, especially for a mix of great skiing and convenience to our location? Would really appreciate your insights on what might suit us, particularly if we want to make the most of our time on the slopes without too much travel.
Thanks in advance for your help!
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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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Yes, that would be an ambitious plan and you would cover some amazing stuff it you managed it all!
The Sella Ronda is easy to follow with it's colour-coded Orange & Green signs, but once you leave it, the signage continues, but it becomes a bit more tricky and if you're new to the area, you will be consulting maps as you navigate through the more confusing parts and you can easily take wrong turns and lose time. It will also be very weather dependent, no point going anywhere high or to other valleys if it's snowing and nowhere will look as nice if it's overcast with cloud. Thankfully, you can often have a sunny clear week in the Dolomites, particularly in January. Fingers crossed for you! 
Day 1: This is probably the most ambitious, as it's a long, long way over to the Marmolada and back and would be very weather dependent, no point at all going up that high if it's not a clear day.
Day 2: Depending on how long you stay up at Sass Pordoi and how tired you are at the end of the day, you might have time to add in Edelweiss Valley above Colfosco in the afternoon.
Day 3: This can be tricky if you don't know it!  So up the Piz Sorega gondola, down to Hotel Armentarola (watch for the split in the run, otherwise you will end up back in San Cassiano), catch taxi-bus (you have to pay €6pp? and sometimes a queue) up to Passo Falzarego. Here you have the option of doing the Super 8 circuit before getting the cablecar?? Just make sure it's fully open, the Croda Negra chair is the critical link. Back to Falzarego, up the cablecar. At the top of cablecar there are great views from the restaurant (Rifugio Lagazuoi) terrace up the steps to the left. The run down splits after the first pitch, right goes back to Falzarego, left goes down the Hidden Valley, Rifugio Scotoni is two thirds of way down, great place to eat. Also, there are some Alpacas here. On the first pitch after Scotoni, there's a frozen waterfall on the left often with ice climbers on it. As you approach the bottom, it flattens out, so some poling required. Just past Capanna Alpina restaurant is where the Horse Tow starts (pay €2pp?), kids can ride in the sleigh if they don't fancy being towed. When the Horse tow stops, there's a bit more poling to get back to Armentarola and the drag lift, so you can get back to your car.
Day 4: You will have to drive over 2200m Gardena Pass to get here, so you need to make sure the roads are clear and no snow is forecast as they will close the Pass. The skiing is fairly easy to navigate as it's a self contained area, but this is the parking you will need https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qz4yByGbiQFstNNG7 Make sure you go right to the top at Seceda then follow the shoulder down towards Ortisei, you can keep going down past the cablecar to the gondola, then back up. The Seceda bowl has some nice long sunny runs and lovely views, Lunch here is nice! Just a bit away from the main pistes https://maps.app.goo.gl/9vM2rKq5hEArcsZq7
Day 5: You should be able to get over to the summit of the Kronplatz and try some of the long runs on the North side. Just leave yourself enough time to get back to Piculin. This is one I would drop if you ned to drop one. The lift infrastructure is impressive at Kronplatz, but the scenery isn't as spectacular as the other places.
Day 6: You should be able to fully explore the Tofana side from there. You can work yourself over to the cablecar that goes up high to Ra Valles where the snow stays fresh. The black run back down is a bit tricky though. If you manage all this in the morning, you could go over to the Cristallo side. You can park and have lunch here https://maps.app.goo.gl/xpb9UQ3Vu2sq1dq1A The chair up to here https://maps.app.goo.gl/UABDa6PhEzUqAZQh6 and the runs around and back down are my favourite in the Cortina area. It's usually pretty quiet over here too. But then you have a long drive back to Affi. At least the road is well engineered from Cortina to Longarone, then you can get the Autostrada A27, the new PDV autostrada just before Treviso cuts out the busy sections near Venice, so might be worth going that way.
I can't emphasise enough that weather or sheer fatigue may scupper any or all these plans. Please don't take risks going up high into potential whiteout conditions and don't start out on a long daytrip if either of you is not feeling up to it, it's just not worth it! 
Fingers crossed you get the Italian sunshine to make the most of it! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Luigi – Wow, thank you so much for all the detailed advice! You’ve truly gone above and beyond, and I’ve incorporated nearly all your suggestions into our updated itinerary.
We’ve decided to drop Kronplatz for this trip based on your input. We’ll use Day 5 as a buffer day in case of bad weather or if we’re feeling fatigued. Do you think there’s a better alternative to Kronplatz that might suit us for a more relaxed day, possibly something closer to Badia? Any hidden gems you’d recommend we check out, or something scenic and less intense?
How about Civetta – Alleghe?
or should ve do Alpe di Siusi, from nearby parking in Ortisei?
Regarding Day 4 and Gardena Pass, is there any way to avoid driving over it? Can we connect via ski lifts or find a more straightforward route that doesn’t involve driving? I’ve heard there might be a way to ski into Val Gardena from somewhere closer en route from Badia, but not sure if that’s realistic or worth the detour.
Also, your breakdown of Day 3 (Lagazuoi/Hidden Valley) was incredibly helpful. I’m super excited to give it a go! Quick question: How long does the Super 8 circuit typically take? I know you mentioned it might be tricky, so I want to ensure we plan enough time to complete it, especially with the cabler cars and potential queues. If we start early, do you think we’ll have enough time to cover it without rushing?
Thank you again for all your insights – I can’t stress how much we appreciate your help in making this trip smooth and memorable! If you have any more suggestions or tweaks, we’re all ears  . Hopefully, we’ll get that sunny Italian weather you’re wishing for!
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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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| ankitind wrote: |
@T_Bar
The nearest lifts to our stay are the Santa Croce/La Crusc ones. We’re staying at Ciasa Wallis Apartments (https://www.ciasawallis.com/en/apartments-alta-badia) which is quite close to those lifts.
Given that you mentioned the Alta Badia area offers some lovely runs without needing a car, I wanted to ask for your recommendations. Since we’re based in this region, we definitely wouldn’t want to miss out on the best runs nearby!
Any suggestions on the routes or areas we should prioritize, especially for a mix of great skiing and convenience to our location? Would really appreciate your insights on what might suit us, particularly if we want to make the most of our time on the slopes without too much travel.
Thanks in advance for your help! |
Actually going up to Santa Croce gives you some very pleasant views with excellent wide cruising blue runs back down, but you will probably want to explore further afield, and may delay your start you could do them at the end of a day it time permits.
You can start by taking the connecting lifts to La Villa and then going up the La Ila stand up gondola. There are two runs back down to La Villa a magnificent black run which is one of the best in the area steepish but usually superbly pisted without moguls.and a red on the other side which is equally enjoyable and a bit gentler.Whether you want to do either at the beginning of the day or on your return depends a bit on timing there can be queues at the bottom at ski school departure time.
From the top of La Ila you can make your way towards San Cassiano via the La Fraina chair and a very worthwhile red run, the blues down to San Cassiano involve quite a few flat sections.You don't want to be at San Cassiano too late as there can be queues for the gondola.
From the top of the San Cassiano gondola you can make your way over to the Passo Campolongo pass, its quite easy to take a couple of wrong pistes or lifts on the way as direction finding can be confusing but nothing is particularly difficult if you do go wrong and some of the runs are very enjoyable. The one thing you don't want to do really is go back to San Cassiano by mistake which can be a bit time consuming.
From the Campolongo pass you have a couple of options either you can return approximately the way you came or if you want to see a bit of the Sella Ronda you can cross over and take the Costoratta chair up and ski down to Corvara , from here you can either return to La Villa or if you have plenty of time go up to Colfosco and go up the Edelweiss valley where there are great views into the Sella Massif. From here you can return to Corvara and hence to La VIlla . You will need to get the Col alt gondola from Corvara which is not straight forward. You can either cross town on foot or go up a short chair lift after which you need to get off left turn back on yourself and take a sharp right under a road to get to the gondola.
This is a very broad outline, the area is for exploring rather than having a precise route planned. From the top of the La Ila gondola and back as I have described is largely a circular route with a couple of diversions. I have described it clockwise but you could do it just as easily the other way round.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hey another question, does moving our base to Alleghe makes mor sense or should we keep our stay in Badia only?
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Allegehe's skiing from what I have seen is lovely and I'd like to go back again, but for a base to see a variety of the Dolomites I think Badia is better.
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What sort of skiing do you like (tough/mellow, on piste/off piste)?
Personally I would have stayed the other end of Serre Chevalier (partly because it is the best for off-piste but also you could visit La Grave more easily), but the old (ie upper) walled town of Briancon is worth a visit and you could also ski in Montgenevre/Via Latea from there which is a very nice area.
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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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@snowball, intermediate, on piste with 10 year old
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@ankitind,
-Day 3: The Super 8 (here talking about the flat blue from Falzarego to Bai de Dones, the lifts up through Cinque Torri area to Rifugio Averau, the run down to the Croda Negra chair, up the chair, then the traverse back across Col Gallina to Falzarego, the lower half of the 8 on the map below) would take about 30-45 mins if you skied it straight. But you might want to explore the runs at Col Gallina & Cinque Torri, stop at Rifugio Scoiattoli for a coffee and admire the views. You could easily spend an hour or two in this usually quiet area, though it was a bit busier last year now the Cortina Skyline has been added.
It should be easily doable in day if you don't get lost!
Here are some approximate relaxed timings:
8.30 Piz Sorega gondola up
9.00 Hotel Armentarola taxi-bus
9.30 Passo Falzarego
10.30 Coffee at Scoiattoli/5 Torri
11.00 Join the queue for cablecar
12.00 Lagazuoi, ski Hidden Valley
12.30-1.30 Lunch at Scotoni
2.00 Horse tow
2.30 Armentarola
2.45 San Cassiano
So the unknown is the queue for the Falzarego-Lagazuoi cablecar, I have waited 45mins there, other times I've got straight on it. If you make good time and get back to San Cassiano and want more you can head up the gondola, loads of runs up there to keep you occupied.
-Day 4: You can leave your car in the car park at Colfosco and ski over to Val Gardena & back again. This will add considerably to the ski km, as you have to go up to Dantercepies, ski down to Selva village, up to Ciampinoi, down the Saslong Mens Downhill course to S Cristina, then across the valley on the Underground Funicular to get to the start of Seceda, then the reverse back again.
There's no real alternative driving route. My advice is that if the road is closed from overnight snow or snow is forecast that day, do something else starting nearer.
-Day 5: Nothing wrong with trying Kronplatz for a change if everything else has worked out well and you're feeling fit and ready!
There is the local hill at Badia up to the Santa Croce church or the area of blue heaven @T_Bar described accessed from La Villa and bounded by Corvara, Campolongo Pass and San Cassiano. Very relaxed up there, as you won't have time constraints or weather worries. You might be forced to use these spots if you get bad weather days anyway.
Alleghe is a nice place, but not worth you driving there from Badia as a daytrip.
Badia is a better spot for a week, as it's easy access to the best skiing in the area. The most scenic ski areas are around the Sella Ronda, The Hidden Valley, Cinque Torri & Cortina-Tofana & Cristallo IMHO.
Alpe di Siusi is nice too, but you will have the same issues driving over to Ortisei in Val Gardena as the Seceda day.
You really can't do it all in a week!! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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FAQ
