 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
First post on here, I've tried using the search tools, but can't find anything on the topic, so apologies if I've missed the glaringly obvious. Here goes.
My wife and I have booked a weeks "Ski Safari" with Colletts in the Dolomites at the end of the month. We're really looking forward to it (still crossing fingers for more snow, but no change there).
We're touring around the various resorts, staying in the mountain huts and I wondered if anyone has any tips on what to take (other than the usual obvious stuff)?
I used mountain huts years ago (scouts) but that was 20 years ago and in the summer. Have they changed much? Are they still "Dorm room" style? Anyone know?
Apparently Colletts are shifting most of our stuff for us with only a need of a day sack between the two or on the odd occasion they can't get our kit up the hill. Does anyone have any experience of these guys?
I probably should have done this before I paid for the trip... better late than never! Thanks in advance, any thoughts gratefully received!
DuncFoz.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to SHs, @Duncfoz. No advice I'm afraid but it sounds wonderful. Please write a trip report. I think a number of people have direct experience and will be able to help on specifics.
Colletts have a great reputation.
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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 haven't used Collette's, but have done it with a Dutch tour operator, Snow Emotions.
My experience, pack as little as possible, keep it under 5 kg.
The huts will vary, some are very much dorm style, whilst others have 4 people per room. They try to segregate men from women.
Anyway, hope you get to the hut on Cinque Torri - as that one has an outdoor hot tub, and THE BEST FOOD I HAVE EVER ETEN!!!
Great fun, plan to do it again in another year or two. It's a lot of skiing, and I choose for a route that had 2 nights in the same hut, in case someone needed a rest day in the middle of the tour..
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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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@Duncfoz,
I am on the Neilsons Ski Safari the week commencing the 30th of January starting in Arabba. It will be my first time but I know someone who did it last year.
I believe the Colletts trip is very similar to the one I'm going on. The mountain refuges (refugios) around the Dolomites aren't as basic as you may think. Some of the refugios have twin rooms and offer very good standard cuisine. If you Google "Dolomites Refugios" most have their own websites. Some of the refuges have small 6 people dorms.
Your luggage should get transported from one refuge to the next but we have been told to use "soft" bags or rucksacks. You should use a small 20 litre backpack for skiing with for a small amount of clothing for the day and carrying valuables. I have bought a 100 litre lightweight roller bag for my main luggage in place of the large heavy solid plastic suitcase I usually use.
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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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The Refugios used by Neilsons which you can Google are :-
Lagazuoi
Pomedes
Staulanza
Fuciade
Lusia
I'm really looking forward to something different.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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For the observant I've been misspelling RIFUGIO !!!
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Collette are excellent, have used them often. Not done the ski safari, but have stayed in Badia and just love the dolomites. Am sure the Colletts team will make the holiday great. 
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Great stuff, thanks for this info, really helpful stuff. We're going to the following refugios:
Fermeda
Lusia
Flora Alpina
Albergo Alle Codole
We end up in the Civetta ski area and Passo Giau. Looking baack through the itinerary, it's going to be a tough week!
I love the idea of the hot-tub, I hope we get that one. I might email them to ask. It sounds like the Cinque Torre is worth a trip on it's own!! My memories of the huts have faded (excessive Glúwine / Jagertee), but I remember a large room covered in mattresses and big bowls of Spaghetti... Just what you need.
Quite looking forward to the first run of the day, without having to queue for the lifts etc. Rumour has it there's a place where you an get towed behind some horses to link up a run... all sounds very different from our usual trips. I'll do a write up about it.
Welshflyer - we start in Arabba too, but are going the week before, might see you at the start/finish line!
Thanks again and if you think of anything else, please let me know.
Cheers
DuncFoz 
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi @Duncfoz,
I am going on the same Colletts ski safari w/b 23rd Jan! Really excited about it as it looks like a great way of seeing the hidden corners of the Dolomiti Superski and more interesting than a normal chalet based trip.
You should have got some info in the post in the last couple of days from Colletts about what to pack/take? Probably best to drop them a line if you haven't got this yet.
My impression from previous trips to the Dolomites are that the mountain rifugios are very civilised - more like mountain lodges really - very cosy, with nice restaurants and a bar. Although it's primarily dormitory accommodation, I think it will be fairly comfortable. There is more info on the typical sleeping arrangements on the Colletts website.
I've been on three previous holidays with Colletts (one skiing, the other two summer trips) and can highly recommend them - one of the best TOs I've ever used. Staff and all aspects of the organisation have been excellent on previous trips.
The snow has now started in the Dolomites, with lots more forecast over the coming week, so fingers crossed we should have some good skiing conditions.
Look forward to meeting you out there!
Cath
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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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If the refuges are like those in France you may be glad to have packed a silk sleeping bag liner, some huts offer only a pillow and a blanket, a silk liner folds up very small is virtually weightless and provides a degree of comfort and hygiene which can be much appreciated at the end of a long day in the mountains.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi Luigi, Sbob, great to hear it's not just a rumour, Love the picture too, excellent stuff, it's these sort of things that can really set a trip apart (that and hot-tubs up a mountain). I'll take a look at the hut-to-hut report too, nice work finding that, thanks.
CathS, crazy stuff; Yeah we did get some stuff through the post from Colletts recently, but it was quite generic in terms of a kit list. The Silk liner sounds like a good plan (FFirmin) thanks for the suggestion. I'll see you there! Are you flying into Treviso or Marco Polo?
Can't wait, really looking forward to it. Thanks again for all the help and suggestions.
DuncFoz
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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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@FFIRMIN, Good suggestion re. the silk liner, I'll remember to pack one. I'm anticipating that the Italian rifugios picked by Colletts will be a bit more comfortable than French mountain huts though.
@Duncfoz, I've done the horse-tow at the bottom of the Hidden Valley before, and as others say it is pretty entertaining, especially when they ramp up the speed after the first couple of hundred metres when the track starts undulating. You just have to pray that everyone else stays in line and no-one lets go of the rope... It's a must-do for a ski trip to the Dolomites anyway 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Now, I don't know that I'd do the silk liner.
I slept in beds with big thick duvets, and duvet covers were often ironed. Believe me, take as little as possible. Enough clean underwear and socks, change thermals every 2nd day, 3rd if you can swing it, then lastly one pair of lightweight, comfy shoes to wear in the refugio. I opted for Uggs - as that was my splurge item - no regrets there.
Hot tub is clothing optional - by the way - I did pack my swimsuit as well.
Bring the smallest toiletries you can find, use them up and bin them, and lighten your load as you go along.
Oh, and my other splurge in my backpack, were chocolate bars 
Keep it simple folks - you really don't need that much!
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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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Ah this thread probably explains the group I saw skiing on the way back from the Marmolada last year with decent sized rucksacks but with alpine bindings..
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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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I saw the Neilson trip and was very tempted. Not got any touring gear so not sure on the full-on hut to hut touring, but quite fancy the idea of point to point touring using lifts.
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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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@nbt,
The one I did was all lift assisted.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I too have been tempted by this but have been unsure about the sleeping arrangements. Please could you feedback once you've been? I would be very happy with basic accommodation but a bit unsure about sharing a room with total strangers, although I'm sure you all get friendly after day 1. Any tips, advice you could give on your return would be very much appreciated.
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John - when you have been out battling the elements and doing a fair bit of uphill work at the end of the day and after a hearty meal your bed/any bed is so welcome you dont care who is in the next one!
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Ive looked at this too - Im pretty sure the accom is more hotel like than youth hostel like (or French mountain hut like). I was in Dolomiti last year - did the horse tow and hidden valley and cinque torre - all great. Enjoy it and hope you get to give feedback here!
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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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Heidi - sounds like the huts you have stayed in were much better equipped than the ones I experienced on the Haute Route but then that was some years back so maybe things have moved on! Hot tubs?! How wonderful that would be at the end of a days touring.
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| JohnDory wrote: |
| I too have been tempted by this but have been unsure about the sleeping arrangements. Please could you feedback once you've been? I would be very happy with basic accommodation but a bit unsure about sharing a room with total strangers, although I'm sure you all get friendly after day 1. Any tips, advice you could give on your return would be very much appreciated. |
They are sensitive, and where they can, they book families in one room, men with men, and women with women. Each Refugio has a different set up, so it's hard to say how it will all play out in the end.
If you read my trip report, on night 6 of the trip, I was with 2 young girls, and POP, 4 men 50+ decided they wanted to be in our 8 person 'dorm'. I asked them if they might would trade with some other females in the group, they said 'nope', those guys snore, and we know you and your girls don't snore... so where were their ear plugs?
Needless to say, we weren't comfortable, and also I should mention, they weren't particularly friendly people either, absolutely no interest in any conversation with us, just purely in the fact that we didn't snore.
I mentioned it to the group leader, but he was also knackered and didn't want to deal with them either, so ya.... hum, it happens. In the end, 6 of the 7 nights were great in terms of combos... but you have to be prepared for that. All that said, most of the folks in the group were friendly, I wouldn't have had an issue, but these were basically 4 grumpy men 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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No mixed sex sharing with strangers on the Colletts trip, according to their blurb. They advise that it is mostly twin, triple or quadruple bedrooms. I guess they ensure this through their selection of rifugios and pre-booking arrangements.
I am taking earplugs anyway
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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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The accommodation is the one thing I'm worried about. Hopefully it'll be ok but I'll do a report afterwards. Earplugs and PJs are a good shout.
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