 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone been there over the last few days and can comment on conditions?
Leave tomorrow for a week. We are definitely going and will make the best of it.
As with most of Italy there has been no snow since Nov but they seem to have been pretty busy with the snow cannons. On the positive side, guess it will be a little quieter than a normal Xmas week.
Thanks
Rob
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Let us know how you get on! Trying the Dolomites for the first time ever after a few great years in Les Arcs - not going til Jan 15 but wondering whats in store with the weather!
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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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Will be interested to hear how it is. Heading to Passo Tonale on 16th January, plan on spending 2 days over in Madonna. Spent a day there last year, great place.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Going to Madonna from Passo Tonale, there is a free bus (usually around 9.40) outside Hotel Angelo/Hotel Vittoria that goes to Marileva 900, it's a easy ski to Madonna for competent skiers from there.
I've used it loads of times, or if you have a car go to Dimaro as there is more parking & can ski a bit longer as the return bus is at 16.00 from Marileva.
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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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Got back yesterday and seeing as there has still been no snow since Nov we had a remarkably good week of skiing.
There was absolutely no snow in the town or off-piste but they had done an astonishingly good job with the snow cannons and around 80% of the runs were open and once you were on the pistes we completely forgot about the lack of snow. Some of the runs were a little churned up by late afternoon but all groomed again by the next morning.
Probably not enough to keep the pros happy but plenty for a family of early intermediates.
Already discussing returning next year. Only worry is still no forecast for snow and it was very warm - 13/14 deg in town - if it rains then not sure if it will be cold enough to make more snow.
Rob
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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hope to hell they get snow, I am also heading out on jan 15th, there is time for it to snow, but I have been watching youtube and have myself drooling at some of the vids of heavy snowfall. @timmythedog, where are you flying into? we fly into bergamo on friday evening.
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We fly into Bergamo at about 10.30 Friday morning from Dublin - looks like conditions are improving - never been to Madonna so really looking forward to it!
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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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| timmythedog wrote: |
| We fly into Bergamo at about 10.30 Friday morning from Dublin - looks like conditions are improving - never been to Madonna so really looking forward to it! |
Ha we fly out on Friday evening, stay the night in Bergamo, ( if it was saturday am flight we would have to stay in Dublin) . Haven't been to Madonna either, we were going for a weekend last year, and due to italian air traffic control strike on our flight day, Ryanair cancelled the flight  as we were in Dublin , and only had two days skiing away we looked for anywhere else cold we could go, poland was the only place. Very limited skiing, and if you couldn't ski steep moguls and narrow gullys you were finished.
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Biddpyat.Would be nice to hear some feedback on the resort as we are flying to Bergamo on Jan 21st for 5 days.
We are hoping to go to Madonna for the 5 days but haven't booked accommodation yet as a lot of the hotels are holding out for weekly bookings and wont release the rooms till roughly a week in advance for shorter stays.
Enjoy your skiing and the break from rainy Ireland.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Can anyone recommend any reasonably priced hotels , either BB or Half Board in Madonna or near to please
Travelling mar 6 , 1 week
Thanks
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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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@dublin2, We stayed at the Garni Montana. Nice rooms and breakfast provided. They have a bar in the 'hotel' but don't serve lunch or supper. We booked through Campiglio and I suggest you drop him a PM as he may have some suggestions. He was also better value than going direct.
@Chick,
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We are hoping to go to Madonna for the 5 days but haven't booked accommodation yet as a lot of the hotels are holding out for weekly bookings and wont release the rooms till roughly a week in advance for shorter stays.
Enjoy your skiing and the break from rainy Ireland. |
See above. Give Campiglio a shout. He may well have some ideas.
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As per above - first visit to Madonna and we have a few questions (we're excited!)
1. Best lift pass options for a bunch of slightly lazy intermediates (skiing for seven days)
2. We have a non skier in the group and wondered what lift options they might have so they can meet us at some of the mountain restaurants accessible to pedestrians
3. Any views on private lessons to help improve lazy habits and show us the resort?
4. Finally - and thanks for your patience - any recommendations on ski hire?
Thanks all!
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You know it makes sense.
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@timmythedog, there are restaurants at the top of each of the main access gondolas. At the top of the Spinale there is the Fiat restaurant which has a nice self service and swish table service bit. Top of the 5 lahgi (sp) is another not sure of quality. Top of the Pradalago has an not very attractive place by the gondola and another nicer one in walking distance. For the Groste area your non skier would have to get the bus to the Base station at Camp Carlos. There are restaurants at the mid and top stations,both are ok. I'm unsure of lift pass options for pedestrians.
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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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Thanks very much for the guidance - much appreciated. Hope it snows a bit more too!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Me too. We're there for half term again!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We're out for 2 weeks at half term. 4 of us the first week then just 2 for the second. Keep having a peek at the web cams and all i'm seeing is sunshine. Has to snow soon doesn't it? Have noticed that the cannons have been running though so I guess the pistes are holding up okay. Trying something different this year. We have booked a 3 bedroom house in Pinzolo. Driving out so no limitations on weight , skis, boards etc.
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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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Ski school recommendations in Madonna anyone? Thanks
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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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Hi George VII, is Pinzolo lift linked to Madonna
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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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| dublin2 wrote: |
| Hi George VII, is Pinzolo lift linked to Madonna |
Yes by 2 cable cars, that are shut at the moment, like most of Pizolo. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| scotspikey wrote: |
| dublin2 wrote: |
| Hi George VII, is Pinzolo lift linked to Madonna |
Yes by 2 cable cars, that are shut at the moment, like most of Pizolo. |
It's actually one gondola that has two mid-stations, one at the bottom of the valley that you can't get out of in winter and one at the far end of Madonna which serves as access to Madonna for that end and a way station to Pinzolo. Both end stations are mid-mountain. It takes about 15 minutes on the gondola. I've always enjoyed my days ski in Pinzolo as it's nice quiet terrain.
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hope pinzolo opens, we are staying in pinzolo, and were hoping to ski into madonna, and vice a versa.
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Others will remember better than I, but I seem to remember the link between MdC and Pinzolo isn't ideal. Fifteen minutes on a gondola that doesn't actually gain any height. I didn't take the link personally, but friends did say it wasn't really worth making ther trek FROm MdC To Pinzolo. Might be a different story coming the other way.
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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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True the gondola does go a little horizontal but the skiing in the trees in Pinzolo is nice and still well worth a trip or two.
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Funivie Madonna di Campiglio announced yesterday that they have made the best of the cold temps and have made enough snow to be able to open 90% of Madonna's pistes by Tuesday.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great heading out on Thursday.
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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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Awesome. Heading over from tonale for a couple of days Tuesday
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The Pinzolo pistes are also sorted to 11/13 and the cable car link to MdC has been opened. Good news.
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You know it makes sense.
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Wow. I got a lot to try to fit into 2 days.
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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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Just back, and we had a blast in Madonna, certainly we will return. It was bitterly cold on sunday and monday, with high winds up mountain top, and due to the wind and snow blowing from the slopes there were quite a few runs closed. Most of Pinzolo was indeed closed, and while I can imagine the skiing in Pinzolo is well worth it for a trip over, it was better for us to drive over to Madonna and park at one of the Gondolas. Snow making was excellent, and while they had a " little snow" two weeks ago, it was only on the high ground really and it was pretty icy on the steeper runs. The bottom part of the spinale certainly wasn't for the feint hearted, and as it wasn't groomed there was a part that was rather like a ball pool with little rolls of icy snow rolling down the hill and collecting in a dip. ( weirdest thing I have hit in a while). The children had a blast, we even took them down under a ski lift to practice their off piste, there were areas too where others had done this so iced moguls were available great practice for little ones. The best part was almost no lift ques, and out from some of the blue runs most runs were fairly empty, difficult icy reds and blacks were almost always desserted. In the later afternoon ( probably due to the cold) you could ski top of the mountain to bottom of the mountain without meeting anyone. Would highly recommend this resort, and will return, I hope next time they have a good dump of snow, as there is lots and lots of areas that would be fun to ski between slopes.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Any one got an update on Madonna snow today, and the coming couple of weeks?
Thanks,
Iain
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Think they're due a dump of snow this Sunday and early next week too. Lucky for me as I'm going soon...
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@GeorgeVII, just been checking the webcams as well, looks good for half term week now, when we're out there.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@stevew, Likewise. Setting off on Friday night for two weeks. Based ourselves in Pinzolo so glad to see that Gondola plastered in snow 
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Looks a lot nicer now but snow-forecast.com suggesting snow on and off most o fnext week.
Any other Snowheads in Madonna next week, we're stopping at the St Raphael arring late Sunday night for a week.
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Good days skiing. Sunny and a bit of fresh snow in the morning. Clouded over in the afternoon but nice grippy snow. No queues to speak of.
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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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@stevew - we are going to Madonna for the 1st time in March - 12th. Hope some snow continues to fall between this and then. Would welcome any tips and reviews. We will be with kids. Watching the web cams daily and and another 4 weeks to go!
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A cloudy day but some sneaky bits of sun. Pistes in great condition and very quiet. Did the new black Little Grizzly steeps top section but long run out. Find the right piste and it's hero snow!
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