 Poster: A snowHead
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We've now been to Ski Monterosa 4 times (once in Champoluc & 3 times in Gressoney/Staffal). We love it but would like to find somewhere else with plenty of skiing and some lift-accessible off-piste. Some night life would be a bonus too. We'll be a mixed party of about a dozen ranging from 11 - 53 and all quite good skiers. Any suggestions?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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BenTisdall, Courmayeur?
Sella Ronda?
Madonna?
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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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Having skied both Monterosa (Alagna, 4 times) and Courmayeur (3 times), with good skiers, we are just as happy at either location, and for the same reasons. Courmayeur has loads of lift serviced off piste outside the main ski area. If you want to hire a guide, the skiing off the Funivie Monte Bianco on the Toula Glacier and even the Vallee Blanche to Chamonix is fantastic. The views of Mont Blanc are always good, on or off piste. Courmayeur is more interesting a place than any of the Monterosa villages for food and some nightlife as well. But we love the Monterosa villages anyway because they are so unspoiled.
The drawback to Courmayeur is that the piste skiing is more limited, some would say way more, than Monterosa. But it is good skiing, and if you're up for it, there are several Aosta valley resorts within easy distance, and a regular bus to Chamonix. It was our experience that we were happy at Courmayeur, but we are big fans of the off piste, so that makes it a much bigger place.
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Sounds like Courmayeur hasn't got enough skiing for a week, Sella Ronda has hardly any steep pistes or off-piste and at Madonna off-piste is banned. But maybe you can tell me otherwise?
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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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La Thuile has plenty of steep piste and some good off piste
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| BenTisdall wrote: |
| Sella Ronda has hardly any steep pistes or off-piste |
There may not be many steep pistes in Sella Ronda (although I definitely remember a few around Arabba). But there's loads of steep offpiste.
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Some steeps around Arabba. Plus Alta Badia world cup run, and the adjacent red. Plus Val Gardena world cup run (mix of steep and not steep).
But most of the Sella Ronda is more "see how far you can get".
No idea about off piste, but several sH have off pisted there.
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| Quote: |
Madonna off-piste is banned
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Really? Can't argue but seems unlikely.
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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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Milky Way. Base yourself in Sauze d'Oulx or Sestriere.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The Sella Nevea is on my list.
Looks v. v. interesting and I think worth checking out. However, not been there yet so can't give any useful advice.
Just to be extra helpful - it looks like their website is down at the moment.
Other sH's may be able to fill in the blanks.
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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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BenTisdall, I've never been to the Monterosa area so can't compare, but if you don't like the sound of the Sella Ronda resorts then have a look at Cortina? There are some pretty steep black pistes around and easily accessible off piste. I've never gone far off the beaten track there but I would expect there's some decent stuff to ski if you're with a guide.
I like the après but only visited the wine bars and restaurants so don't know what other entertainment there is if you want to party more... Also I've skied there with really good skiers who were quite happy to get in the car or jump on a bus up to Cinque Torri/Lagazoui to explore further afield for a day or two during the week. You can link into the Sella Ronda from there too. But I would agree that the Cortina ski area is a little fragmented, and that is a real negative for some. You might be better off in a resort with a direct link into a large ski area?
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Thanks for all the suggestions. Pretty sold on Courmayeur now. Anyone have any good suggestions on accommodation there (hotel or self-catering) ?
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You know it makes sense.
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BenTisdall, Auberge de la Maison in Entreves, a kilometre outside Courmayeur and well placed for the Val Veny lift. If you're wanting something less pricey, try the Hotel Dolonne, in Dolonne, and again near to one of the less busy uplifts, but takes you up to Plan Checrouit where it does get busier!
Or............. Booking.com
Buy the Aosta Valley lift pass, and get over to La Thuile for a couple of days. Well worth the bus-trip.
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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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Not that it should influence your decision at all, as it was entirely conditions driven but I once had one of the worst ski days of my life (company excepted) off the back of Arp. Untransformed ice at the top a brief moment of joy and untransformed ice at the bottom. Vile for 90% of the descent.
Mind you the group I was with had heli'd the day before and said it was worse. I am not entirely sure how or how it could be.
Lunch at the Petit Mont Blanc went a long way to restoring humours.
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Poster: A snowHead
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BenTisdall, Hotel Mont Blanc. A couple of miles out from Courayeur but they run a shuttle to the gondola. http://www.hotelmontblanc.it/ really nice place.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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halfhand, we've stayed there, very pleasant.
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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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A prerequisite for offpiste skiing is that there is sufficient snow, preferably fresh, on the unpisted slopes.
Dolomites is very snowsure ON pistes due to their massive investments in snowmaking, and best-in-class slope preparation. In normal winters (2013-2014 was an exception) precipitation is much lower than in other areas. In normal winters you will often ski on white ribbons, which are in excellent condition, but not good for offpiste.
To the east, Sella Nevea including connection to Bovec was very good for offpiste. Unfortunately the lifts in Bovec were destroyed by an avalanche (I believe 1 or 2 winters ago) with no sign of them being rebuilt. Alas.
Livigno is one of the best areas for offpiste. Much migher precipitation and altitude than Dolomites and cold micro-climate. Acres and acres of ideal slopes for offpiste. Offpiste was forbidden for 2 or 3 years, but is now allowed again, under certain conditions.
Madesimo is also very good for offpiste. Piste skiing is much better than Courmayeur.
Finally, there's this excellent (but dutch) site for offpiste enthousiasts http://wepowder.nl
When you paste the URL into google translate you can understand the info (and have a laugh about translation)
This gives an overview of virtually ALL the hidden gems for offpiste including reviews, links to local guides etc
For instance this one about Madesimo
https://translate.google.nl/translate?sl=nl&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwepowder.nl%2Fplaygrounds%2Fmadesimo&edit-text=
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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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Thanks for all the suggestions. I think we're going for Courmayeur though Livigno also sounds great and we might think about going there the year after.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Claviere is on the border with France (Mongenevre), you can go the other way along the MilkyWay and drop into Sauze or Sestriere, loads of fun for fast skiers.
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