 Poster: A snowHead
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hi all i got offered a job in Dolomiti Superski area but have not skied there before. just wanted a review of the terrain.
Im a confident skier and would focus on free ride (cliffs) etc is this ski area suitable?
Tar
Jon
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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scope out your cliffs carefully before hucking your meat
http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=97141
looks great to me if you know how to handle yourself off piste. worth checking local regs on that subject though. you do occasionally hear about off piste bans in Italy but I don't know what they really mean in practice
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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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jonckemp, As Arno suggests, if you like your off piste to be Epic, then the Dolomiti Superski area is Epic. People normally seem to like the pistes too, but I'm not really into that kind of thing. Get hold of a copy of Francesco Tremolada's book, "Freeride in Dolomiti" (He's the guide mentioned in the linked TR, and was our guide a couple of weeks later) It used to be hard to find, but I think it's back in print again now; best book I own. 
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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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In general the pistes are on the easy side - lots of very scenic cruising. However there is lots of tough off pistes through the cliff bands, but it is not obvious - you really need a guide to find it. There is a guide book to the off piste with text in English and Italian (FREERIDE IN DOLOMITI
100 itineraries, by Francesco Tremolada) but the book is too big to take skiing and Italian maps only mark 25m contours, not 10m.
There are signs in a couple of places saying No Off piste skiing, but nobody seems to know their status (I asked a question on here and even the Italians were unable to give a proper answer). It seems like it is mostly so they are not liable if you get in trouble - so just be a bit discreet in those areas and you should be OK.
If you need a guide try Francesco Tremolada himself ( info@proguide.it )
See the TR on one of our Dolomites holidays by Horizon: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/50606-TR-Dolomites-17-25-March?highlight=Dolomites
Edit: Oops, I see the book and Francesco have already been recommended! I took a break to find the book.
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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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which one would you go to ?
alta badia vs 3valleys la plagne verbier.
for freeride
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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snowball, it's always worth recommending again!
jonckemp, I'd go for Alta Badia. I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for easy-to-find lines off the side of the piste though. You need to know where you're going (and what you're doing....)
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jonckemp, where would you be based? Were you offered the other 3 places? Verbier would be very tempting - perhaps you could find more steep off piste there without a guide. La Plagne is even flatter than the piste skiing at the Dolomites but the back (North face) of Bellcote has a wonderful array of extremely steep off piste routes, plus the back of the Aiguille Rouge at the linked Les Arcs is also very steep (largely 45º or more) and Les Arcs also has steeper pistes. Since the latter is a National Park I think you have to take a guide - as I imagine you would want to? It all depends if you want easy navigation to the steeps or if you would take a guide (there are also more guides available in the other 3 places than the Dolomites - though like everything else they are more expensive at Verbier. However there are also fewer other off piste skiers in Italy.
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jonckemp,
The Italian approach to enforcing their "no off-piste skiing" rule is very Italian but - from what I can make out, having fallen foul of the local caribinieri last season - kinda makes sense.
If there is a tasty off-piste slope with a piste or lift at the bottom of it and you ski/ride the off-piste slope - you'll get fined. Particularly if, before you start your ride, the nearby lifties office is shouting at you by loudhailer to desist....but you can't understand cos it's in Italian and anyway penetrating one's stoke is hard enough at the best of times. You should assume the police will be awaiting you at the bottom and you will be required to hand over E30 after much official form filling. Sounds fair enough to me.
However, if you are far and away (and only you will be able to judge that distance) from any piste or lift so that no one but you and your mates will be endangered if your tasty slope slides, you're probably going to be fine if not exactly 100 per cent legal. A humble and respectful response which will not impinge on an Italian policeman's macho mojo will probably go a long way to avoiding any serious bother in this scenario.
I don't have huge experience of the Dolomites like Snowball but in three visits, I've yet to see a blue uniform anywhere off piste.
As mentioned previously, Francesco or his book is your go to man/reading. It's a heavy tome but great reading during the summer. He's also a lovely bloke.
Enjoy the season. Am very envious.
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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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| Big Paua wrote: |
I don't have huge experience of the Dolomites like Snowball but in three visits, I've yet to see a blue uniform anywhere off piste.
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Yes, I agree. And very little of the Dolomites off piste is above a piste (actually I can't think of any I've skied) - it is mostly quite far away from any piste.
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I have actually been stopped by the police going off-piste in Dolomites. Not a pleasent experience and very lucky not to get a fine.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Woosh, where was that? I think you have to be a bit discrete near a lift.
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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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At the Monte Cristallo area in Cortina. Approching a line from the top and was stopped by men in uniform..
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Woosh, do you mean on the back? I thought the front was all a piste under the top lift.
Several well skied epic off piste routes off the back I gather, though I've only done one of them- only having skied there for a day visit (twice) from the Sella Ronda. We were with a guide as were some, but far from all of those setting out. Since the (steep) piste was closed because it was icy, we were specifically allowed on the lift to ski the off piste - so I cannot see how it could be forbidden. Or perhaps having a guide makes the difference?
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You know it makes sense.
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I've skied the Dolomitis out of Arabba for most of the past 35 years. Basically, we ski where we want to but I don't do cliffs. Runs off the Pordoi gondola except back down the tram lie have no piste and you are on your own.The Dolomitis have wonderful weather and more than enough snow but you won't find as much new snow as they get in the French Alps. Despite that, I prefer the ambiance of Italy better than that of France. Have fun, frankef
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