 Poster: A snowHead
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stevew, the Dantercepies reds are IMHO easier, mostly French-style blue but a few steeper sections but nice and wide. The first pitches at Ciampinoi could be a bit intimidating to a young skier, not good for a first run of the season.
A good first day would be up the Dantercepies and over the back to Colfosco, you could do some circuits of the Plans/Frara gondola, go up the Edelweiss valley (avoiding the Col Pradat black) or on the 2-way chair into Corvara sector where there are lots of blues. Treat your daughter with a nice slice of homemade cake at Villa Frainela off to the far right at the bottom of Dantercepies runs.
http://www.villafrainela.it/eng/te.htm (closed on Tuesdays)
There are some nice easy runs above Selva in the Piz Sella/Piz Seteur/Passo Sella but you have to negotiate the steep run that holidayloverxx mentions, unless you can get a bus up to Plan de Gralba.
Weather has turned mild out there ATM, no significant snowfall since Boxing Day, someone was on here last week complaining a bit about icy patches on the resort runs, so stay high as much as possible and consider downloading at the end of the day. Looks like some new snow maybe on late Monday/early Tues, if that comes off it will freshen everywhere up.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for the advice everyone. I've just read the thread on the snow conditions bit wary now as Hannah really doesn't like ice. She's in a class in the mornings, so it'll give me a chance to suss everything out before I go out with her.
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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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On Dantercepies run follow the Bustak (sp) signs to the left and down a narrowish section to the main run, a lot less crowded and really wide, it all meets up after a few hundred yards, and can confirm that Edelweiss valley has nice easy runs, and has pretty spectacular views as well, and is very quiet as not on Sella ronda. Great for getting the legs going, and snow should stay decent as well.
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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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Bartezki, very nice; happy memories 
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Bartezki, thanks for the vid, good tunes for a snow vid, awesome snow you had, looks really well covered for Xmas, I only hope it's still like that next weekend when I hit the area!!
I can't understand what that other guy was complaining about on the other thread about poor conditions in Selva. 
On what dates was the footage taken?
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That was from 20th to 27th December, small sections of steep were moguled higher up in the afternoons, and lower down scraped but not hard ice, and could find a bit of fluffy stuff to the sides of the pistes, but the majority of the runs were excellent, main problems we had were thick fog which meant doing a thousand turns when 3 would have done, Back in February at half term and can't wait 
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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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Bartezki, Thanks. Really enjoyed that. Didn't realise you could get cloud in that part of the world, but then, I have only done two weeks there. Back there early March.
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I wish I was going 
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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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Freddie Paellahead, thanks for the report, I sympathise with you because I hit Russian week 2 years ago, not much fun. Left it a bit later this year, should be a bit less crowded and less dour?!?
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luigi, Have a good time next week. Are you going to post pictures and snow reports whilst you are there ? I've got 6 weeks till I go so I suppose any current snow reports are no reflection on what I will encounter but I'm still interested.
Thinking of doing the World War I tour this year if the snow is good but a bit put off by having to catch buses. Would you recommend it ? Will definitely go to Cortina again if sueski can provide transport again.
P.S. Do you know if any new lifts have been installed this year in Arabba/Alta Badia ?
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi,
in Corvara from 25th to 29th Jan. Anyone around to show us the way/lead us astray
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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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Just back from a DIY week-long trip to Selva (Wednesday to Wednesday).
First time to Dolomites, and loved it, even though the weather wasn't the greatest. Will definitely be back at some point.
BA flights Gatwick-Innsbruck: so relaxed mid-week and planes half empty! Organised a private transfer which was more expensive than the flights! All worked pretty smoothly though.
Stayed in the Genziana, a 4* hotel, about 25 yards from the clockwise Sella Ronda runs and 125 yards from the anti-clockwise runs. Lovely, family-run hotel with big rooms, lots of storage space, great food, nice pool/sauna, etc. Our assigned waiter was a bit hopeless - mixed up wine orders between tables on several occasions. He had no language skills (although my Italian is pretty-well non-existant, I do have serviceable German, which is a local language, so I'm not feeling particularly guilty) and all the guests were British, German or Russian. I'm not really complaining, it was more amusing than anything (especially my translating from a German menu into English for the benefit of Russians ordering from an Italian!). I'd definitely be happy to stay in the same hotel again.
The first day (Thursday) was pretty cold and mostly clear. Then it turned foggy/cloudy for the rest of the week, with scattered snow showers (sleety at resort level, often) for the rest of the week. Visibility was really pretty poor at most levels of the mountains for most of the week. The snow was fine - a bit scraped and/or slushy at times lower down. Things were freshened up by 2-4 inches of new snow in the last couple of days.
We did the Sella Ronda in both directions. Enjoyed that, but obviously missed out on most of the scenery. However, I probably wouldn't do it again, as such. There are lots of flat sections, and in the conditions we had, on the trickier bits there were people who were obviously up for the challenge but struggling badly - getting in the way at best and badly out of control at worst. In the future, I'd use the Sella Ronda as a highway to get to whichever side valley I wanted to explore for the day. Essentially, that's what we did on the other four days of the holiday. Like the M25, there's no real reason to complete the circuit at one go.
The mountain huts were great (different one each day) - only had a poor lunch once, and so much better value than France!
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Poster: A snowHead
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laundryman, shame, we could have met up (we arrived the Sunday before you and left the following Sunday and stayed in Canazei). Did you not find the Russian presence a bit overbearing in the first few days?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Freddie Paellahead, not on the slopes, though there were clearly a few about. In the hotel, we had a group that I frankly took to be gangsters and molls - short, wide, ugly blokes with unaccountably attractive, and surgically enhanced, young ladies. They were perfectly pleasant in the dining room but very loud when drunk - which was most nights. Fortunately, I slept through most of that, but Mrs L was more disturbed.
On the whole, I was quite happy to be in a resort not dominated by English speakers. I even managed to help an elderly German-speaking lady with directions. 
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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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laundryman, such a shame about the scenery - I've not really skied in that area (2 hours one day) but toured around a bit by car with non skiing friends and it is absolutely stunning (overworked word, but it is). Quite the most beautiful mountain scenery I've seen.
We stayed in a small family run Italian hotel - very obscure - as far as my 30 words of Italian could make out we were there first British guests ever. Everyone was Italian and apart from the young daughter/waitress who spoke 30 words, nobody spoke any English at all. It was a real "abroad" experience, of the kind rather hard to find in Europe nowadays.
My OH overhead some words in what he decided (for no very well informed reason) was Russian in Les Saisies this evening. I hope they have not penetrated here (given their behaviour when drunk, which is most nights....) but there were a whole lot of foreign dog-sledders in town, including one Finnish outfit, and maybe that was what he overheard?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| laundryman wrote: |
Just back from a DIY week-long trip to Selva (Wednesday to Wednesday).
BA flights Gatwick-Innsbruck: so relaxed mid-week and planes half empty! Organised a private transfer which was more expensive than the flights! All worked pretty smoothly though.
The mountain huts were great (different one each day) - only had a poor lunch once, and so much better value than France! |
Thanks for the report Laundryman. I'm suprised you used a private transfer when you could have caught the train from Innsbruck and then a bus from Ponte Gardena. Would have saved you a fortune. Pity about the visibility especially as it was bad for most of your trip. The Dolomites are a sight to behold when the sun is shining. Hope it didn't put you off going again.
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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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Nice report laundryman. You must go back when the sun is shining, the views are amazing!
| laundryman wrote: |
| In the hotel, we had a group that I frankly took to be gangsters and molls - short, wide, ugly blokes with unaccountably attractive, and surgically enhanced, young ladies. |
Sounds like you were observing quite closely.
It's a bizarre sight isn't it? I noticed the same two years ago in Canazei, a short fat middle-aged guy from Soviet Central Asia with a neck as thick as his waist, his escort was a striking blonde, high cheekbones, brilliant white fur trimmed ski jacket, impossibly slim and at least six inches taller!! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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jimmybog, thanks for that tip. I tried to research trains, but they seemed very infrequent and at inconvenient times. I was probably looking in the wrong place - I don't suppose you have a link do you?
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| luigi wrote: |
Nice report laundryman. You must go back when the sun is shining, the views are amazing!
| laundryman wrote: |
| In the hotel, we had a group that I frankly took to be gangsters and molls - short, wide, ugly blokes with unaccountably attractive, and surgically enhanced, young ladies. |
Sounds like you were observing quite closely.
It's a bizarre sight isn't it? I noticed the same two years ago in Canazei, a short fat middle-aged guy from Soviet Central Asia with a neck as thick as his waist, his escort was a striking blonde, high cheekbones, brilliant white fur trimmed ski jacket, impossibly slim and at least six inches taller!! |
Mrs L, a part-time surgeon, told me about the enhancements. That was probably after she saw my eyes popping out!
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I boggled at similar sights in Aruba (where I was on a work trip; nothing would possess me to part with my own money to go there). Gorgeous, gorgeous, girls in skimpy bikinis with hideous men. The guys I was with, when I commented irritably that they had some super bodies to ogle, and I had none, just laughed at me and thought I was very naive. If you're laundering money I guess one thing you spend it on is flash birds.
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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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| laundryman wrote: |
| jimmybog, thanks for that tip. I tried to research trains, but they seemed very infrequent and at inconvenient times. I was probably looking in the wrong place - I don't suppose you have a link do you? |
Here is the site for transport in the area:
http://www.sii.bz.it/index.php
Just click on Inglese in top right corner to change it to English.
The site will give you all the best options from getting from A to B and gives details of each leg of a journey.
To book any train from Innsbruck, you can use the following sites:
http://www.oebb.at/en/
or
http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml
Both sites allow you to print off the ticket on line. I actually booked my train ticket last night and printed it off this morning. Cost was 22 Euros each (including seat reservation) from Innsbruck to Bressanone (where we catch a bus to where we are going). It will cost a bit more to Ponte Gardena where you would change to catch the bus to Selva
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jimmybog, thanks very much for that.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I am heading off for my second trip to Selva next Thursday (just a long weekend, sadly....). I had a few questions that some of you Dolomites exerts might be able to help with:
1 After all the comments about ice and poor snow on the other thread, how does it look now?
2 Am interested in trying the Val Mesdi - is it worth it in current conditions, and how difficult is it? Any guide recommendations?
3 Last trip we did the Sella Ronda in both directions, Hidden Valley and 1st World War tour - any suggestions for other worthwhile day trips out of Selva. We thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being able to travel such great distances without having to retrace our steps.
4 Any recommendations for a really good on-mountain lunch for the wife's birthday? We'll likely head over to the Hidden Valley again just to enjoy another Scotoni's mixed grill - any other ideas for a memorable stop?
pokemon, To answer your question about the 1st world war tour, we really enjoyed this last year. It was a bit of a scamper from Selva, but by getting the first lift out, we were able to do it, despite missing a bus connection, with time for lunch at Scotoni's. There are only two buses needed (from Malga Ciapela to Alleghe and then from Pescul up to the lift into Cinque Torri at Fedare) they were not too painful. Bus timetable here: http://www.altabadia.org/449.pdf. We thought Alleghe was a beautiful place, with its half frozen lake, and it had some nice skiing on the way to Pescul - we did not have the bus timetable when we did it - if you know the bus times that should allow you to maximise your skiing time in this area.
The bus stop at Malga Ciapela is not completely obvious - you need to walk downhill from the lift office past the hotel and then cut through to the left below the hotel to the main road, where you should find the bus stop. The stop at Pescul is obvious just across the car park.
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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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rg1, the conditions are not that bad (as of Tuesday). Everything's open. A couple of inches of fresh snow. Some of the more popular runs a bit rucked up, i.e. scraped down the middle with lumpy soft snow round the fringes. Some people were finding that a bit tricky in the poor visibility that prevailed for the previous few days, but I've skied much worse. I didn't really do off-piste, apart from round the fringes, but I don't suppose there's a lot of untracked powder about at the moment.
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rg1, Thanks for the info, especially about the bus stop in Malga Ciapela. When we went there before there didn't seem to be any sign of a bus stop. Apparently there is also a natural ravine you can ski down to a place called Sottoguda and get the bus from there to Alleghe.
I've always wanted to visit Alleghe. The coach transfer usually passes through it and the lake always looks interesting. The last time we passed through it was completely frozen and covered entirely by snow.
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You know it makes sense.
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Sottoguda gorge looks worth doing - does anyone know how to find the entrance to the gorge at Malga Ciapela and where the bus stop is in Sottoguda? As we'd be doing this from Selva, we would not have too much time to spare looking for these!
And is there enough snow at the moment to be able to ski it?
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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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rg1, From the cable car station you can see the gorge entrance which is you reach with a bit of cross country then down the side of a hotel car park from where you should see the path through the gorge. At the other end walk through the village of Sottoguda to the main road go straight ahead down the main road about 300 metres until you come to some shops there you should see the bus stop on the right hand side.
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Poster: A snowHead
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riverman, Thank you. May try to give it a go next Friday, if it is a decent day (and there is any snow!). I found a couple of You Tube videos of it on an old thread - it does look stunning, and if it means reducing the bus distance, it's almost compulsory.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rg1, If you go please report back. With photos if possible 
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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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rg1, riverman, thanks for the info on the bus stops for the WWI tour, I want to give it a go some time next week too, also fascinated by the Sottoguda gorge, just hope it's not too much of a schlep!!
rg1, this Italian facebook page gives some good recommendations in the Alta Badia sector for lunch:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=34512937171&topic=10173
Of course, Rifugio Scotoni in the Hidden Valley is a big favourite and gets a lot of mentions...
... but Utia Trausines just along the ridge from Piz La Villa also does a similar line in grilled meats.
Jimmy's near the Gardena pass looks promising for lunch:
http://www.jimmyhuette.com/
Apparently you can have lunch on the upstairs balcony, might be worth asking ahead, I reckon that would be a bit special!!
Ribs at the Punta Trieste above Corvara get the thumbs up:
http://www.skiforum.it/forum/showthread.php?t=19839&page=1
Rifugio Scoiattoli at Cinque Torri is in a spectacular setting near those strange natural skyscrapers, fancy a dip?:
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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luigi, lovely; thanks for posting
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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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luigi, yes we all lunched at Jimmy's last year on the first day of the snowHeads 6th birthday bash.
Here we are: 
Lovely spot on a sunny day. I'm sorry I can't recall what the food was, but certainly not disappointing.
Thanks for the pics. One day I must go back to the Dolomites in summer...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I love Jimmy's - I usually have the very fattening cheese/bread ball thingies. 
luigi, keep us posted when you arrive. We're out on the 23rd - looks like there's snow on the way.
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erica2004, I'm off to Arabba this morning, sorry I won't be able to report until I get back but it's looking hopeful for colder weather & snow later in the week, could be nice when you arrive!! Have a nice holiday!!!
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Any ideas where in Arabba we might get to watch the rugby on Friday 4th February - Wales v England - 7.45pm (UK)
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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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Just up the hill past the Portovesco is a very nice bar where we were able to negotiate England v Italy a few years ago. Madame was astonished that Italy played rugby and didn't recognise the sport!
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Portovesco also has a big screen in the bar
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FAQ
