Looking to go to Italian Alps in Late March Expert skiers from USA who ski Utah and Colorado looking for great skiing obviously but also looking for traditional village experience. The charm of old village but with epic runs etc.
We like to ski off-piste though have heard you need a guide in alps due to glaciers. Is that true? Love the trees.
I have been doing a little research and get mixed views. Some say Dolomites (Ortesei, Val Gardena, Covara, La Villa, Santa Cristina etc.) are to flat and intermediate but sure beautiful. I look at maps and it looks great. Madonna di Campiglio is charming but too easy and I even heard they restrict out of bounds.
Cortina is beautiful but more beginner level skiing. These are things I have heard but unsure if true.
I have heard nothing about Bormio, or La Thuile, or Gressoney, Alagna, Arabba, Cervinia.
There are so many places. Hard to pick.
Or is there a place in France or Switzerland which is the answer to my desires. Once in life time trip.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Shredhead, if you are looking at the off piste the reason you might want to consider a guide is because it's only the pistes that are secured from Avalanche risk, whereas in the USA I believe anything in the resort boundary is secured by various methods like bombing it etc. And you're right in that glaciers present their own risks like crevasses, snow bridge collapse and so on. Some friends of ours from USA that regularly ski Off piste in Colorado came over and got avalanched in the three valleys ski area, luckily the one that got caught wasn't buried.
You might consider the linked area of Alagna-Gressoney-Champoluc. In the right conditions they offer some good, even great, off piste possibilities with huge descents and the villages are charming. There is also the possibility of heli ski onto the Monterosa and then long off piste route back to at least one of those villages. A guide would help you to make the best of your trip. There is at least one company that specialises in trips to these places but the name escapes me, perhaps another snowhead can help? Edit: you could for example have a look at the website for www.zubaski.com
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 1-10-15 5:01; edited 1 time in total
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?
Shredhead wrote:
I have heard nothing about Bormio, or La Thuile, or Gressoney, Alagna, Arabba, Cervinia.
Heard nothing about Arabba - You have come to the right place - 120 of us snowheads descend annually on the place
@PaulC1984, If you go to Arabba annually that must be the place. Fill me in on why. I will do some research.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Where to start.
- Firstly its BEAUTIFUL, stunning mountains.
- Pistes are immaculately groomed, by far the best groomed pistes ive seen
- Off piste is great (although i dont have much experience of off piste in other parts of the world) - you can always find untracked off piste areas, they are quiet which is how they should be
- Forget Apres, there is none (2 bars in Arabba)
- Its cheap!! Like 1.50E for a hot chocolate on the mountain vs 5.00E for a coke in tignes!
- The italians aren't french or german and therefore nice people
- Arabba is on the Sella Ronda Circuit, so plenty of skiing. OK so there are flat areas, and some tame slopes, but then there are some great red and blacks knocking around. Id like a few steeper slopes, but then to be honest its nice flying down blues to get to your next set of reds and blacks. There are none of the double black diamond mogul fields that you find in the States, but you cant have everything
- Finally there is a nice combination of tree lined slopes and open slopes higher up.
The Snowhead Birthday bash is held in Arabba each year - here are the past threads which will provide some info
Have to think about the snow in late March too. I've not been to the Dolomites, but my thinking is that there is less high altitude skiing? (Other snowheads may chip in and tell me that it holds up quite well!) The Monterosa area doesn't present the same problem given the access to (guided) glacier skiing plus the overall higher altitude. Alagna on one side is very pretty but very quiet. Champoluc offers a more lively but still charming village atmosphere. There is a reasonably high tree line so tree skiing is available.
You need a guide in the alps or know exactly what you are doing and where you are going off piste because it is not avalanche controlled. In certain parts of Italy you are not permitted to go off piste without a guide, or you're not allowed to go off piste without full avi kit and I believe can be marched off the mountain if you do. It's not a problem in the Monterosa area.
Cervina-I've not stayed in the resort though I know it's not picture postcard. However, you then do get to ski over to Zermatt. Large ski area and plenty of off piste all over both sides of the Italy/Switzerland divide. Fewer trees though. For a once in a lifetime trip there isn't a more iconic mountain than the Matterhorn. If you can afford to splurge-you could even stay in Zermatt and wake up to the view of the Matterhorn from your bed!
I think the heli skiing takes you up towards Zermatt/Matterhorn if you want.
If you want a trip of a lifetime why not fly to Milan/Turin or Geneva and hire a car and do ten days/ 2 weeks.
You could do Cervinia/Zermatt, Courmayeur, Monta Roas, drive the Mont Blanc tunnel and ski chamonix, the mecca for extreme skiers and ski the Valley Blanch - trip up the most amazing cable car on earth and the longest descent in the world - all off piste.
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.
Quote:
The italians aren't french or german and therefore nice people
I hope I'm right in saying that this is just that famous English sense of humour, rather than evidence that they are all xenophobes.
Some people would contend that there are no Italians - they are da Torino, Genova, Roma, Sicilia, etc etc
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Shredhead, if you are experienced and know what you're doing on glaciers, you don't need a guide.
Hmmm. big question though.
Italy is generally lovely.
You can find off piste pretty much anywhere if you know where to look.
If I was doing a once only trip to Europe, I would possibly open up the options and look to France and Switzerland as well. And maybe a road trip.
Be aware that it's not (!) Utah or Colorado. Fresh snowfall is not as regular. Topography is different (e.g. there isn't as much tree skiing). Before anyone mentions, yes there are tree lined runs but that is not what I'm talking about.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
If I was doing a once only trip to Europe, I would possibly open up the options and look to France and Switzerland as well. And maybe a road trip.
Be aware that it's not (!) Utah or Colorado. Fresh snowfall is not as regular. Topography is different (e.g. there isn't as much tree skiing). Before anyone mentions, yes there are tree lined runs but that is not what I'm talking about.[/quote]
Very wise words. Powder days are far less frequent. Being mobile will allow you to travel to some of best ski resorts in the word for advanced piste skiers if teh off piste is not so hot. - Val D'sere, Verbier, Zermatt to name a few,
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@cameronphillips2000, +1 I would look into Zermatt too or maybe Verbier which was just mentioned in an article of the top 10 places for advanced skiing.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
La Thuile might be a good option - links over to France, good off piste, heli-ski if your pockets are deep. You can also access the Vallee Blanche from Courmayeur with a guide.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@cameronphillips2000, +2
If you have a car and like off-piste, you could visit La Grave, France...but you may need to extend your stay
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?
If it's a "once in a lifetime trip" then I would go for a two centre trip despite the hassle of moving part way through. Of course it depends on how long you are there for.
One week somewhere fairly central in the Dolomites. Scenery second to none.
One week more off piste orientated say either Monterosa area (for preference) or La Thuile (to include heli-skiing if they still do it there)
I'm headed to Corvara in March for 10 days following a week of ski touring in the Silvretta. Similar profile to you but have made dozens of European skiing trip from the US over the years and have been to most of the places mentioned so far. The snow can be sketchy in the Dolomites at any time of the season, and I'm not sure that I'd call most of the towns in that part of Italy old and charming (Castelrotto being an exception but that's a bit off the path for skiing). The Dolomites tick all the other boxes and are an amazing place to spend your ski time. I'd pick Arabba or Corvara as a base for the Dolomites. Great access from there to some of the better skiing in the Dolomites including the Marmolada(only glacier skiing in the Dolomites). Easy access to Laguzoi, Cinque Torre, and Cortina and well as the heavily travelled Sella Ronda. We're flying into Innsbruck and hiring a van to bring our group from the airport to the hotel. It's a mellower atmosphere for skiing than you are used to in the western US. These people are on vacation not in a race to see how many runs they can get in. By all means hire a guide to get you to the good off-piste skiing. The area is too vast to figure out on your own. You can try skiing off piste without a guide and you might get lucky. More likely you'll get unlucky. You are forbidden by law in Italy to ski on a slope above a piste. A guide guarantees that you'll get the best skiing available for your interests and abilities for the days that you are there. Francesco Tremolada is the man in that part of the Dolomites. I have his Freeride Dolomiti book and if you need hairier skiing than some of those itineraries, then you should be skiing in front of a camera for a living. There are plenty of good guides around that will make your skiing some of the most memorable you've ever had. You can find them on the area web site or you can book them through your hotel. There are many excellent family run hotels and the food in the hotels and in the on the hill restaurants is some of the best anywhere.
If you want old quaint villages with great skiing try Pontresina in the Engadine, Zermatt (big and touristy but still a working village) butd nobody beats the Swiss at quaint and cute when it comes to villages. Stuben in the Arlberg is a favorite due to being snow sure, uncrowded, and easy access from Zurich. It links into the Lech/Zurs/St. Anton/St. Christoph lift system. Very quiet and very small, but with huge skiing.
The Monte Rosa area is enormous. I'd steer you to Gressoney which sits in the middle of the area. Short on charm and things to do off the hill, but long on access to fantastic terrain if the snow, wind, and sun cooperate. Check out the Hotel Dufour in Gressoney. Carlo Cugnetto is the lead guide in Gressoney and his family runs the hotel. They can hook you up. Not a bad transfer from Torino. PM me if you want more info from a US perspective.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
A lot of poor advice here.....
Late March is too late for the Dolomites, and for most of Italy as a matter of fact: Too warm, slush!
Cervinia would be good, but definitely not charming.
Stick to one of the higher villages in the Northern Alps; lower temperatures, better snow
A lot of poor advice here.....
Late March is much too late for the Dolomites, and for most of Italy as a matter of fact: Too warm, slush!
(ftfy)
+1
Much too late, you'll be lucky to ski for 2 hours in the morning and even then the south facing slopes will be mushy by 11am
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Langerzug, @irie,
uhhh, no not necessarily. Often had excellent skiing and powder around Monterosa late march.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Late March is always a risk for slushy snow below 2000m. However the orientation is as important as the altitude. Cervinia is high but a lot of it faces the sun. Zermat on the other side will have far superior snow.
I think few would argue the best late skiing to be had in Europe is Espace Killy. Far more skiing above 2500m than anywhere else.
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.
@cameronphillips2000, uhhh, I'd submit that Chamonix (Grands Montets) is in with a shout...
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Anyway, late March is not late season...
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:
Langerzug wrote:
A lot of poor advice here.....
Late March is much too late for the Dolomites, and for most of Italy as a matter of fact: Too warm, slush!
(ftfy)
+1
Much too late, you'll be lucky to ski for 2 hours in the morning and even then the south facing slopes will be mushy by 11am
under a new name wrote:
@Langerzug, @irie,
uhhh, no not necessarily. Often had excellent skiing and powder around Monterosa late march.
But not ALL of Italy.
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.
I've had some great skiing in the Dolomites in April. At the same time of year I've also skied down a white ribbon of man made snow/slush on a green mountain (through a golf course, whilst they were playing golf, as it happens)
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Hey Shredhead. The central Dolomites could be what you're after. Corvara and Val Gardena tend to be great for intermediates but not as good for advanced skiers. Arabba has much better steep skiing and you can still access all the other slopes you would from the resorts you've mentioned. Plus you've got Marmolada for off piste and it stays fresh for the season as it's got a glacier underneath. I've been writing blogs to help people out and I have them on my website - hope you find it a useful resource! http://www.casa-alfredino.co.uk/skiing-information/
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Shredhead, time for some more info I think...
If this is, as you say, a once in a lifetime trip, I'm assuming you're not just coming for the weekend, so what's the time frame? How long do you plan to be over?
By 'late March' are we talking the last week? The last 2 weeks? Is that fixed?
There is a lot of great high altitude stuff to be had in Europe but some of the truly epic runs start high and end up really low. We're talking 2km (6500ft) vertical in one shot! By late March, you'll be relying more and more on luck that the bottom end of these will have decent cover.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Bormio is nice but not really that big (for europe) or connected as I recall, and they way over-hype the 'most beautiful alpine village' thing.
I would not dismiss Cortina as mostly beginner - yes they do cater to the wealthy vanity skiers but a lot of truly awesome terrain there and a 45 min drive from the Arabba / Sella Ronda stuff. I ski that area mid-late march each year and even on bad snow years there is good off piste to be had - maybe not fresh snow but if steep works for you then there's a lot of it.
If you have not done alps before then its hard to get just how much bigger the size of your ski options are compared to anywhere in US, and how few you will be sharing it with.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
For quaintness, and great skiing, I agree that Zermatt is hard to beat. However, for guaranteed great skiing in March I agree with earlier suggestions of Chamonix or the Espace Killy (Tignes/Val D,Isere) - particularly if you are prepared to hire a guide. The 3 Valleys (Meribel/Courchevel/Val Thorens) also offers some fantastic off piste opportunities but, again, best done with a guide to find the hot spots. Of that lot, however, only Chamonix would offer an authentic mountain town experience.
La Grave is legendary, although I've not been. It is of course on my "to do" list!
@essex,
Hmmmm. Not sure I agree that "it's hard to get...how few you will be sharing (the skiing) with" (in comparison with the US).
After hundreds of trips to the Alps and dozens to the US/Canada we have consistently found the slopes to be far quieter across the pond. Admittedly, all of our skiing to date has been in school hols (or weekends in Europe) so we are comparing only peak times here with peak times over there.
We laughed once, in Vail, when we skied to a lift with 10 people waiting in front of us, after bombing down a deserted run. The girl behind us in the "queue" complained to her partner that it was "kinda crowded today."
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
- You have come to the right place - 120 of us snowheads descend annually on the place 
