 Poster: A snowHead
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Peter S,
That makes a nice change  :: I'm used to the Dolomites having 20 lower and 50 upper.....!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's really looking good this year, I'm rather excited (though we had a ton of snow there last Jan, but it err... rather spoiled the view in such low vis).
Anyway, my itinerary includes Cinque Torri, Santa Croce and Ortesei this time, all places new to me. Staying in Kronplatz so Santa Croce is pretty local, and I think Cinque Torri should be doable as an extension of the Hidden Valley excursion. Is Ortesei realistic? We got to the top of the gondola on that side last year, after going through the little tunnel on the flat furnicular train thingy at the bottom of the Sasslong, but time was too tight to do the long run to Ortesei and get then back to our accommodation in Canazei. We weren't focussed on that though, just exploring really.
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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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Scarlet,
I'm not sure how easy it is to get from Kronplatz to the Sella Ronda (when I went the other way last year, we took a bus from Arabba)
I suspect Kronplatz to Ortesei would be a long day (although you could get the bus from Ortesei to Selva on the way back to shorten to return journey..)
You might want to ask the same question on the 'birthday bash' thread in 'snowEvents' ; as some people will be skiing from Kronplatz to Arabba for the bash
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Kronplatz to the Sella Ronda is easy just take the ski bus from the Piculin Gondola station to the reindeer park just by Pedraces then ski to La Villa to get on the circuit. You can 'do' Santa Croche enroute if you have time. Just watch you don't miss the last bus back to Piculin, like we did 8^(
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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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CP, as I have been known to miss the odd last lift or bus, and will be in Kronplatz soon (only a week now!) how much was the taxi, roughly?
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albob, I have been assured that the hotel has their own minibus and will drop off/pick up at Pedraces, so getting into the Sella Ronda will be fairly easy via Corvara or Passo Campolongo. We stayed in San Cassiano two years ago, so are fairly familiar with Alta Badia area. This Ortesei bus you speak of... is that the famous off-piste bus, or does this one use the actual road?
It looks like there will only be the two of us, so we can move pretty quickly and don't need to stop very much – usually just a mid-morning hot choc and then a light lunch, aprés is exactly that, after the last uplift 
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Scarlet,
The bus I speak of is the 'valley' ski-bus. It runs between Ortesei and Plan (top end of selva). Using it would save you going up to Ciampinoi and skiing down to Selva on the return (depending on how long you may have to wait for the bus -- usually 10 mins max)
Given your mini-bus is taking you to Pedraces, I would say Ortesei is do-able going the Corvara to Selva route....
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Low pressure never far away over the next 5 days. Going slightly cooler with possibility of more snow later.
The first third of winter has been very kind to the sella Ronda and Italian Alps generally with moisture pushing up from the south and the alpine ridge acting like the Pennines, sheltering the northern side from the snow and delivering fohn winds there. Today it is 11c in the central Tirol.
With over 6 feet on the upper slopes in mid January they are set up well for the season. Presumably they are saving a lot of money on snowmaking and probably attracting custom from Austria.
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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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| Quote: |
probably attracting custom from Austria
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... certainly made me unfaithful to the Arlberg
How do these conditions compare to a typical winter in the Dolomites? Is this a good year, a phenomenal year or just par for the course?
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Much better than average. A long way ahead of the last 4 seasons certainly.
http://www.igluski.com/italy/selva-snow-history_2931
unusual to have a lot more snow than Tignes.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Sun 19-01-14 16:02; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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 how very far-sighted of me to have chosen this year for my first ski holiday in the Dolomites.
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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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Just back from a super week in Arabba, lots of fresh snow on two days. The last day the snow was so deep it was almost up to the piste marker roundel. Anyone going out the next few weeks should have some great conditions!
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You know it makes sense.
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sah, I've been going every year since 2008 and so far 2009 had the most snow by Feb when I usually go. I believe it was 7m since the start of that season and the locals said they'd never seen anything like it in their lives. They were on roofs shovelling snow and the road from The Belluno direction was cut off for several days due to (I think) a large slip covering the road. I'm not due there until Feb 22nd so can't comment on the amount this year but my instructor friend at the ski school has told they don't know where to put the excess snow!!
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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SteveM, enjoy! We really had a great time & skied some fab areas Highlights would be Marmolada glacier & the Sottoguda gorge, Alba area & lovely long run down the trees, of course Hidden Valley & 5 Torri, & La Villa & Santa Croce. Also went to the far side of Ortisei for the James Bond run, but quite a slog there & back and really ran out of time...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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sah, I've been out the last 2 years – the first time I went the snow was not that good and some runs we closed or a bit bare. Last year was pretty good though, certainly last January there was plenty of snow to go round and any closures were due to avalanche risk instead. It's looking even better this year though
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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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Staying in Canazei. Today skied Alba Pozza Alba then Canazei Col Rodella and back. Light generally fairly flat. Snow in fantastic condition being topped up throughout the day. Some rain at village level in the middle of the day. Fantastic light powder at piste edges higher up. 29 miles today. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Skied Green Sella Ronda today with a couple of excursions (the one off the top of Ciampinoi due to two of the party going off in the wrong direction!) Snow generally excellent, the only exception being a sudden change to hard compacted snow on the final bit of the run into Colfosco. Lunch was at Rif Friedrich August which was still heaving at 1330. Thank you to whoever recommended black Cir instead of red Dantercepies - a truly fantastic piste.
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Looks like more snow Thursday/friday.
Where are they going to put it all ?
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The snow remains excellent. Today skied via Selva Ciampinoi and Sasslong to Santa Christina. Black Sasslong was in superb condition except the last 50m or so which were hard and scraped. Went up the other side to Seceda and stopped at Trioer - thank you whoever recommended it, the view from the terrace extended to Col Rodella. The weather tomorrow looks even better and at the moment we are planning to go to Santa Croce.
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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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Freddie Paellahead, you lucky man.
| Quote: |
| black Cir instead of red Dantercepies - a truly fantastic piste |
absolutely! I am so glad they managed to re-open Cir after the landslide in offseason 2013.
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SteveM, was it open last January then? I've done the red but missed the black, unless it was closed. I'll add it to the list 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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it was open last yr, but got wiped out by a huge landslide in may (or late april), just after they'd taken all the cables down to start work on the new gondola
and definitely put it on the list. it's better than the red, and relatively easy for a black, so you can take red/blue cruisers down it safely usually
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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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| SteveM wrote: |
| CP, as I have been known to miss the odd last lift or bus, and will be in Kronplatz soon (only a week now!) how much was the taxi, roughly? |
We had to taxi it from Corvara to Bruneck (far end of Kronplatz) last year. I think that was around €50.
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A fantastic blue clear day with views to die for. Snow remains excellent with extensive soft mogully lumps on the busier pistes in the afternoon. Our intended expedition to Santa Croce had to be cut short by a delay on Gran Risa (by the way, the black was great, thanks whoever recommended it). Some of our party had gone down the red and got intimately involved with the resuscitation of a Dutch man who had arrested on the slopes. The appetite for further adventures after that was severely curtailed, unsurprisingly.
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You know it makes sense.
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This is my first week in the Dolomites and I have to say every corner I turn I want to get the camera out! The snow is fantastic and the views breathtaking. Did the Orange Selva Ronda today with clear blue skies and stopped, on advice from snowheads, at the Refugio Friedrich August for lunch which was great. I have skied in Italy, France, Austria, Andorra, Canada and the US but have been so impressed by the Dolomites....I will definately be back!
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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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darbyrw, glad you are enjoying it too. Where are you staying?
The snow remains excellent, becoming a bit firmer under foot. Cloudy day mostly with flat light at times but continuing excellent visibility. Today didn't travel much sticking to the Belvedere, Col Rodella and Plan de Gralba areas. Lunch was at an excellent pizzeria behind the bottom station of the Plan de Gralba cable car.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Flying out with 7 mates to selva on 1st Feb! Cant wait! More snow forecast on the long range weather sites so hoping for some light powder on the first day!
Any one recommend a the best day to ski val mesdi?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Freddie Paellahead, bertie bassett,
Thanks for your reports......
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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 everyone's reports.
I'm proud to say that I can contribute to this post as a future visitor to the Dolomites. Just booked myself on a 7 night ski hut tour for half terms, 22 Feb. Taking my two kids with me, 11 and 12, and I'm just so totally stoked.
Normally my OH comes along, though he really doesn't ski, but he has to work, project deadlines, so I quickly (and wisely) rebooked from Flims to this ski hut tour with me and my girls. Reading everything on this thread with anticipation, and tomorrow I will start getting out my clothes and weighing everything to keep my pack under 6 kilos... how exciting!
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HeidiAmsterdam, that sounds terrific. I think you should start a separate thread about your trip, which is something most of us have never done. Would love to hear more about it.
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I'll take lots of pics and make a nice trip report... right now just salivating at the thought.. whilst I read the snow reports! pam w, aren't you heading out there this season?
Booked with a Dutch company, which seems to do the trip for half the price of the UK operators...not sure what's up with that...575 EUR per person for 7 nights, half pension. I could do worse I suppose.
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HeidiAmsterdam,
Ok - you need to tell us more NOW !!  -- which huts, which resorts ?? (i'm intrigued....!)
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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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| HeidiAmsterdam wrote: |
Thanks for everyone's reports.
I'm proud to say that I can contribute to this post as a future visitor to the Dolomites. Just booked myself on a 7 night ski hut tour for half terms, 22 Feb. Taking my two kids with me, 11 and 12, and I'm just so totally stoked.
Normally my OH comes along, though he really doesn't ski, but he has to work, project deadlines, so I quickly (and wisely) rebooked from Flims to this ski hut tour with me and my girls. Reading everything on this thread with anticipation, and tomorrow I will start getting out my clothes and weighing everything to keep my pack under 6 kilos... how exciting! |
Probably explains the "what I thought was a slightly random group" I passed coming off the Marmolada in march last year - all with big packs but with non touring bindings.
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There a couple of different small scale operators. They give a basic itinerary, but they don't commit to specific huts, just in case they have to change due to availability or weather or whatever.
One place I looked at changed huts every night, and the place I booked with spends the 1st and last night in the same hut, and 2 nights in 2 other huts. Because I have child with asthma and eczema (another story in and of itself) I wanted a tour to build in some padding so that if she needed extra rest, she could chill out in the hut with her book. Also, this particular group gives you the option to have your bag transported from hut to hut for 25 EUR for the week. So, not as hard core as you can go, but a bit easier and softer, especially given the health wild card of my youngest. It could be she has no issues and she just skies like crazy for 7 days straight, or it could one of those times where she needs extra rest. She's a tough cookie, but her health gets in her way. It's so severe, that we hear next week if she goes to Davos for 6 weeks starting 5 March for a "kuur" treatment (this kuur does involve skiing)
Day 1: Leave St. Christiana - Col Raiser
Day 2: Alba-Pozza di Fassa
Day 3: Direction Arabba to Marmolada
Day 4: Marmolada first thing, Somewhere around Civetta
Day 5: bus direction Cortina
Day 6: Cortina - Cinque Torre
Day 7: Alta Badia direction Val Gardena, sleep in the hut where we started
I booked with a group called snowemotions, but there were a couple others, you can PM if you want names and links. The huttentocht.com group for example, stays in a different hut every night, and no bag transport option. I also found some Italian guys doing 3-4 night trips, which sound a bit more intense, dolomonia I think they called themselves.
Then over on the Dutch forum, there is one guy that has this tour several years running, and he organizes an informal group, he's leaving 8 Feb, and he just charges what the refugio cost, and that is 400 EUR for the week, half pension.
I have an extra day to ski on both ends, so I'm just trying to think about what we want to do when we are on our own...my kids will likely vote for the mountain wellness spa option...
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FAQ
