 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks, has anyone driven this route? I'm taking the family for our first family ski trip at the start of Feb. We fly into Verona and rent a car for the drive north.
Just wondering has anyone driven this route and if so am I going to need snow chains?
Any other info gratefully received for Madonna di Campiglio. I have skied a number of times but this will be virgin territory for my wife and our 3 & 5 year old boys. I wonder am I mad taking them so young!!
Thanks for taking the time to answer my first post on here.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Madonna was the first place I went skiing with my kids and it was awesome! Great beginners area at campo Carla Magna. Great village and really child friendly. Kids still talk of Madonna as the best Ski holiday they have had despite now having been to the big resorts in france and elsewhere in Italy. I think my lot would find it a bit tame now but as beginners it was perfect.
We hired a car from Venice and drove up bypassing Verona but along the same route you will go. We did not have chains but only because the hire company messed up the booking and they were not available. Decided as the forecast was clear to chance it and buy roadside if needed. The drive up the valley would definitely not be something I would want to do without chains and with snow on the road.
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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'll have a great time. Never been anywhere else since we had our 4 year old (many places before that).
It's an easy enough drive which I've done twice and will do again this year (plus one year as a package, by coach). Not too twisty or long for the little ones.
As for chains it's up to you. I've not been forced to put them on (unlike val d'isere) even though last year we drove in some moderate to heavy snow on the ground. However the hire car didn't have winter tyres so I'm thinking this year I might as well so they're cheap on ebay.
Enjoy!
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Thanks for the tips. Really looking forward to it.
Out of curiosity which route did you take? There seem to be a couple of options, one which appears more direct and you approach from the south or another where you loop round and approach from the north. According to google maps the latter is the shortest journey time but there's not much in it. I'm assuming its a better road.
Also, any recommendations for mountain restaurants that are easy to get too with the novice skiers?
Cheers
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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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| kendoddsdadsdogsdead wrote: |
Also, any recommendations for mountain restaurants that are easy to get too with the novice skiers?
Cheers |
Getting back is usually the problem! ☺
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ha ha true.
I was hoping someone may know of something accessible. Maybe I'm over estimating what will be possible with the bambinos in tow!!
I might check what granny is doing that week....
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Cafe Fiat at the top of the Spinale lift (direct gondola from the village) there's blues back down or the eggs back down. It can be seen on this webcam
www.campiglio.it/webcam/groste-spinale.html
Or the restaurant whose name I don't know at the top of the 5 laghi gondola (again direct out of the other side of the village). However the start of the blue back down is a little tricky on the first day with a novice, but again the egg back down is an option.
There are a couple of options at the top of pradalago gondola - there's a theme you notice (one at the very top; one straight ahead down the start of the slope see here http://www.campiglio.it/webcam/dallapradalago.html). The one straight ahead is meant to be good but the queues and crowds put me off (a good sign tho I guess).
No matter which lift you're nearest in the morning you'll end up at all of them at some point.
Very little of MdC is inaccessible for a novice taking the blues
As for the route up. I've done both and noticed little difference. Going through Pinzolo didn't seem as scenic if that matters.
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| ishay wrote: |
| Or the restaurant whose name I don't know at the top of the 5 laghi gondola (again direct out of the other side of the village). However the start of the blue back down is a little tricky on the first day with a novice, but again the egg back down is an option |
Think it may simply be called the '5 Laghi', Awesome ultra thick hot chocolate there! Agree, the start of the blue may be a bit severe for beginners, though not quite as intimidating as the ultra short (only about 100m long) black down the other side  , bubble back down.
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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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That would make sense!
Best view ever too. That black is something I often do but never enjoy. Best route down is the less intimidating long(er) black that goes off right straight after the start of the blue.
That's a flattering "I've just done my first ever black" if ever there was one. Really just a red (and not even the hardest of those)
However they've added a couple of genuinely interesting tougher runs up above 5 laghi now to make up for it.
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ishay, I. Think you may be referring to the pancugolo up at the very top. One of the steepest in MdC, with lots of warning signs at the top stressing the run is only for the most expert skiers. V flattering! It's actually not that bad at all. I skied more blacks in MdC last year than I have ever skied in my entire life. They do seem easier there, but then the snow was v good.
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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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ishay, I. Think you may be referring to the pancugolo up at the very top. One of the steepest in MdC, with lots of warning signs at the top stressing the run is only for the most expert skiers. V flattering! It's actually not that bad at all. I skied more blacks in MdC last year than I have ever skied in my entire life. They do seem easier there, but then the snow was v good.
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Yes Pancugolo was added last year and is a challenge (for me anyway)
But the easy black down from the restaurant is the variant off the right of the blue at the top of the first gondola (the cinque laghi gondola), interestingly it's not even shown on the piste maps I can pull up on google, but it's to the right of this picture
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks for advice folks, really excited. Looking at the snow reports and webcams what a day to skiing there ... Awesome snow and the sun shining!!!
Instead we're heading out with the boys to get the final few bits and pieces we think they need. Had a look through some other threads about what to bring for kids and a few more purchases are required I think. All the years I've been going myself you knew what to throw in the bag, now I'm taking the kids I feel like a novice again!
Happy new year
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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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I started googling "snowchains" and I've now realised I don't which ones to buy as it's for a hire car. I've rented a 4x4 but you're never sure exactly which model they are going to supply. Any suggestions? I'm loath to pay the 35euro to rent the chains as for not much more I can buy a set.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Buy them over there once you've picked up your car?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
I'm loath to pay the 35euro to rent the chains as for not much more I can buy a set.
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But would they be any use to you? Heavy to carry home and Sod's law means you'd never have a vehicle they would fit.
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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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I think I'll just rent them. They are heavy and I'll probably never use them again.
Sounds like great snow out there at the minute!! Really looking forward to it.
Anyone stayed at Hotel Chalet del Brenta?
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Twice, and that's where we'll be going again!
We love it. The foods great, the hotel's gorgeous, the staff are awesome. And then there's the spa and pool.
It's only shortfall is its maybe 300m from the lift, but the shuttle they run from the boot room is first class.
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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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That's good to hear Ishay. We chose it as it seems pretty child friendly.
Did you rent gear or use a school?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It's very child friendly. The owners are incredibly sweet to our daughter.
You get a discount on gear at the shop built into the base of the Spinale lift. Decent enough gear, decent price. You can rent lockers there too I think, but with the hotel's minibus there's little need to, so I haven't.
Not used the ski school. The beginners ski school is a little way our of the town centre (at the bottom of Groste by the Golf club hotel). But again the hotel should be able to run you out there if you need to.
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After last year's visit to MdC I think I may struggle to go back to France again in the near future. There are so many fab places out there to ski and it's no longer compulsory to go to France. 
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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: |
And the latter is me...
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It's me too, but that wasn't what we got! Six days of white-out, followed by 30 minutes of sun and then a hail storm! Loved it though!
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Thanks for your tips & reports. Although I'm now like a child waiting on Santa. This will be my first ski trip in over 7 years and I am genuinely excited.
Took a long time choosing sorting this trip and making sure things were as I thought they should be. It reassures me that you had such a good experience at the hotel and resort in general.
One last question - did you arrange you're ski pass through the hotel?
Thanks again.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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No problem, with 15 days to go it helps me to talk about it - it's like therapy. Although it might actually make the craving worse - so maybe it's more like crack.
Anyway, I always buy it at the foot of any of the main gondolas out of town (Spinale, 5 Lahgi or Pradalago), closest is Spinale.
€5 deposit, electronic pass, no photo (they'll take one with their webcam and print it on)
More snow due this weekend 
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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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Please feel free to unburden as much as you want. I'm an avid listener.
Again, thanks for the advice. I said earlier on in the thread, but this is my 1st time skiing with the family and I'm very keen for it all to go well. MdC seems like it should be the right resort and I'm glad to hear the hotel was good too.
Enjoy your trip when it comes and I look forward to hearing how it goes. We head off on Feb 1st so when you come back we'll only have a few days to go!!!
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kendoddsdadsdogsdead, no advice to give you, but hands down the best user name i've seen for a while 
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You know it makes sense.
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Timberwolf, ha ha thank you.
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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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ishay, you're killing me!! One week to go and I'm climbing the walls!!!
Sounds really good. I've been keeping an eye on the weather ... Looks like it should get a little warmer towards the end of next week, which should be a bit better for the boys!!
Great to hear you had good week and that the hotel is still up to scratch.
Did you use ski instructors for your children? Or did you hear any reports about the ski schools?
We're debating the half board option at the hotel. Can't decide if that will limit us going out in the evenings or be a blessing because of the Kinder club? I don't know but I imagine our boys will be shattered come the evening and being in the hotel might be easier. Decisions decisions
Thanks again for your help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry meant to ask ... What was your take on the roads to the resort? Were they kept clear or hairy enough?
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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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Go half board, the food is wonderful (better this year actually)
We did use a couple of instructors from a couple of schools, both spoke decent English and both were good with our little one. I'm crap with names though, but if you go to that little piste by Spinale and ask for an English speaker you'll probably get the same guy (think his name was Luciano), who seemed good. For the first time though I noticed how many ski schools there are there. Very different to France and the domination of ESF
The roads are kept very clear, the efficiency of the teams of ploughs, lorries, etc is more German than Italian. Definitely go the route via Folgarida not Pinzolo, much less twisty. We went up Folgarida way and came back Pinzolo way. My wife has banned the latter from now on.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ishay, cheers really appreciate it.
Folgarida it is then. Super job.
6 more sleeps!!!
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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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Flying in to Verona on Wednesday. Any views on the best route to the resort?
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E45 motorway as far as Trento, just north of Trento you'll pick up signs for Val Di Sole, Cles, Male & MdiCampiglio. IMO it's the best route.
The 1st year I went to the resort using this route through Folgarida but returned using the Pinzolo route. I have 2 young ones who were grand on enroute to the resort but heading home they both got travel sick as the roads are really quite twisty & stop start.
This year we went again at the start or Feb and used the Folgarida route in & out ... No probs at all.
Depends on your timings I suppose but if like us you're driving through lunch & you're looking for somewhere to stop for a bite of lunch you could do worse than Cles. It's not really that far from Madonna Di Campiglio but our boys were getting a bit grumpy as they were hungry. We stopped off in Cles, nice little village with a couple of nice options - Bar Centrale on the main square & a couple of small good value restaurants nearby.
Hope this helps. Have a good one!!
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Thanks @kendoddsdadsdogsdead, that's really useful.
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FAQ
still it has been a great week. Loads of fresh snow the first 48 hours, it was kind of warm then, but cooled massively through the week and was freezing today. You'll never get better snow in the Dolomites (or much better anywhere) and the hotel is as good as it was the 2 years before that. They are still sp great with children.
