 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
We are going to be staying in Garni La Tranquillite for a week in January. I know this is near the Sella Ronda but we are not confident skiers and need nice easy (and preferably) long blue slopes.
Can anyone offer any advice on the easiest way to access these from this b and b?
Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@misspiggy, Welcome to snowHeads! 
Looking at this site it seems your B&B is very centrally located in the main ski area in Corvara so it looks ideal for your purposes! You'll find that there are plenty of long blue slopes easily accessible from there. Eastwards from there the lifts to Col Alto and then onto Piz Sorega, or the Pralongia lift, take you to plenty of long blue runs, including some nice runs down to Armentarola and San Cassiano. If you take the gondola Borest westwards to Colfosco (also signed as green (anticlockwise) on the Sella Ronda), you'll find some gentle nursery slopes underneath the sotdlisia chair and some nice skiing on the Edelweiss side valley in Colfosco.
Enjoy!
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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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Thanks so much for your detailed reply!
Would I be right in thinking that the slopes you mention under the sodlisia lift would be the easiest and therefore best for our first day?
Also would you say blue slopes here are "easy" blues? I'd gone skiing a couple of times in Austria (Saalbach and Kirchberg) on blue slopes and then went to westerndorf last year which was recommended for beginners/those not so confident. However we found the blues there very difficult and ended up walking down one which was horrific and knocked our confidence. So I'm trying to make sure the same doesn't happen this time! Hence picking Corvara as I've read the blues are really blues and on the easy side, I hope this is true!!!
Thanks again 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just got back from that area. The blues in the region are all consistent in my opinion. I would rate them on the easy side of blue compared to resorts where I have seen some steep bugs. The area between corvava/la Vila/San cassiano are great for cruising easy blues, and they get loads of sun if it is shinning.
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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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Second that. We named the area between Corvara and San Cassiano baby land  Very nice, short and long easy blues. Enjoy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| misspiggy wrote: |
Thanks so much for your detailed reply!
Would I be right in thinking that the slopes you mention under the sodlisia lift would be the easiest and therefore best for our first day?
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Well the slope under the sodlisia chair in Colfosco is a gentle blue and also it's very wide, so there's lots of space and is therefore ideal for finding your ski legs again. So if you want a gentle introduction to your first day skiing taking the Borest gondola to Colfosco could be a good idea. Once you get out of the gondola in Colfosco the sodlisia chair is right in front of you (the gondola to the side Edelweisstal valley I mentioned is to the right). Incidentally when you get off at the top of the sodlisia chair on the right hand side there is a very good restaurant called the Mathiaskeller, see this thread
After you've spent some time finding your ski legs you could then take the Edelweiss gondola up the side valley where there is some nice skiing. There's a blue run back to Colfosco or if you feel up to a short red run take the Forcelles chair where at the top there is a very nice restaurant with a great view, and then from the restaurant back down there is the short red section before you rejoin the blue section back to Colfosco.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 29-12-16 21:26; edited 2 times in total
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Great, thank you all so much!
Any recommendations for ski hire in Corvara? And is there any need to book before we go?
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| misspiggy wrote: |
Great, thank you all so much!
Any recommendations for ski hire in Corvara? And is there any need to book before we go? |
I've no experience of ski hire in Corvara, however I have had occasion to go into the Sport Kostner shop and their staff are knowledgeable and helpful, and I see that they do ski rental so you may care to use them. Here's their website: http://www.skirentalcorvara.com/ The Sport Kostner Rent shop location is shown on this map, you'll see it's very close to your B&B and is situated right by the main bus stop in Corvara, next to the Hotel Posta Zirm (which incidentally has a nice bar and restaurant). 
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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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There's a really nice apres bar in same area as Sport Kostner. It was new last year and is opposite the pharmacy. It's called L' Got which is Ladin for The Glass. Fantastic cocktails and you get substantial nibbles. I think they may do food too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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One thing to note - from memory if you go up the Col Alt gondola out of Corvara, the very first pitch down from there, while short, is a bit offputting. There may be a more gentle side track one can take. An alternative, especially in the morning, is to go up Boe and head from there down into Passo Campolongo (althought there are a couple of short steeper bits) and then go up one of the two chairs onto the other side of the road that take you up to Monte Cherz and then keep going over that top for a nice blue run down to Cherz, from there take the chair up to Pralongia and the that comes back down on the right of that chair (as you go up) is very relaxing as well. As Alastair Pink says, you can also then head from Pralongia down to San Cassiano. Be warned that from Boe down to Campolongo later in the day when rutted and bumpy is not a good place to be if you don't like that sort of thing.
But his idea for your first day is the best, and you can easily build on that by taking the Plans gondola from the top of the Sodlisia chair, to the mid station stop and ski back down, then to the top station for a relatively easy red back down to mid station. Jimmy's Hutte at the top of that gondola is also popular with an excellent view. If you take the red back down to Plans mid station, the steepest bit is shortly before the mid station - stick to the right hand side for the easier route.
On the ski back down to Colfosco from the Plans gondola, most of the way down on the left is the restaurant/hotel Mesoles - some rate this very highly as a stop but I've not managed to get there as yet.
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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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".. from memory if you go up the Col Alt gondola out of Corvara, the very first pitch down from there, while short, is a bit offputting.."
again 'from memory', across on the far left on the slope is an easier track
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I will second all that has been said but warn that the blue under the Sodilsia lift in Colfosco gets very little sun and can be very cold and uninviting. Another option for a longer and easier blue on day one is to take the four man chair out of Corvara, the one by the Boe and Borest Gondola , then the long but easy button lift called Capana Nera. You can then ski back in the sun to Corvara to take both lifts again and then ski over to the Pralongia Chair for very easy access to blues up the Plateau.
Note that from the top of the Capana Nera tow lift you take a couple of Magic carpets to gain a bit of altitude befor skiing/ polling over to the right, across the piste to find the Pralongia chair hidden in the trees.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks for all the latest posts.
I will have to print out a map and note everything on it!
Will try to avoid the areas/slopes with steeper parts mentioned (at least for the first couple of days) as we have encountered that in the past i.e. Trying to get past a tricky bit when you come off lifts to get to an otherwise suitable slope. We found that very annoying and frustrating in the past, hence trying to make sure there are genuinely easy blues!
Thanks again for all the advice! 
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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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@misspiggy, another thing - the layout of some of the area means interpreting the piste map can be a "challenge" at times. I find it worthwhile to download the Dolomiti Superski 3D programme as you can get a much better idea ahead of time of the real physical geography layout. Some of the latest lifts are not on it but I think all in Alta Badia are up to date.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| misspiggy wrote: |
Great, thank you all so much!
Any recommendations for ski hire in Corvara? And is there any need to book before we go? |
Do you have a car with you? If so there is a great place for Ski hire in La Villa (right opposite the little car park in the centre). We drive thru there on our way from the airport, so in the past have hired from there, or in more recent years dropped our skis off for waxing. Never any need to book and open from early until late.
Also - if you do have a car I can give you some other ideas for nice blues, as that's all I ever ski in Corvara.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes we will have a car so I will check out that hire place and slope recommendations would be great!
I downloaded the Dolomiti app but can't see where to get the maps on it?
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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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I skied that area last year, based in San cassiano. The steepest blues I came across were from the top of la brancia. There are 3 lifts coming from different directions up to la brancia, and at least 5 blues going down. Most were fine, but the two either side of the lift called la brancia were a bit more challenging. The one on the left (facing down the slope from the lift) was always busy and got a bit mogully by the afternoon. I found this steep enough to be challenging but not impossible if I took it slowly, and there's a nice piste which comes off the left about a third of the way down - easy to miss if you're going down the shallower side of the piste on the right, but worth taking as it's a lovely flatter route through the trees. The other one on the right from the top of la brancia joins up with this tree piste at some point, but I only did it once. I don't know if it was the steepness or the abundance of powder, probably a combination of the two, but I fell more on that run than I did on the rest of the week combined!
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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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Yes I did that, I had to download the viewer first and have an iPhone so my only option was to save the viewer to iCloud however it still won't open the maps 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| misspiggy wrote: |
Yes we will have a car so I will check out that hire place and slope recommendations would be great!
I downloaded the Dolomiti app but can't see where to get the maps on it? |
It’s hard to judge what sort of slopes someone else likes but I class myself as a very timid skier, and the slightest thing knocks my confidence. Towards the end of the week I may attempt a very easy red, but have to get there gently. So…..
On my first day we often park up at Boe, and I get the children's drag lift (18 Abruse) to the top of baby boe, ski down there, then part way down go off to the right to get the newish gondola up to Colfosco (34 Borest and 35 Bodleisia) There is another baby slope ( 37 Prezzei) up there, in the sun early on. Then I go up to Jimmy's Hutte in the Gondolas (39 Plans and 40 Frara) for morning coffee/rum punch but I don't ski the red back down. (as much as my husband tells me I could stick to the right and manage it) I walk back up to the gondola, go down in the gondola all the way back to the bottom cos I want to get out at the mid station and you can't do that going down - just only on the way back up. I meet my hubby who skis the red down, then we follow the Blue back down. It’s often in the shade and can get hard packed if there has been no natural snow.
If I’m feeling ok, I then get the gondola (46 Colfosco) up to Edelweiss - there is a steepish bit coming down out of the station and then you join the easy bit at the bottom of red 50 but worth it to have lunch in the sun up at Edelweiss. (my better half then has a run out on the reds and blacks up there whilst I sit in the sun. There is a great progression slope up at the side of Edelweiss from the drag lift (49 Stella Alpina) I have once chickened out of skiing down from Edelweiss and walked back up thru the wood to get the Gondola back down, but the last 2 years have skied down from Eidelweiss.
Another good first day, especially if you have a car, is to drive round to San Cassiano and park up on the pay and display. Then ski down to the Piz Sorega station and get 11 up to the plateau. Lots of lovely blues up there, including for starters a great baby slope off to the right when you come out of the station. (30 Codez). Runs on the plateau are mainly in the sun all day, which is why it's so popular, and is worth the hassle of driving round to Piz Sorega as I hate the first pitch down from Col Alt, and also the run down to Boe from Campalonga. I have been known to take my skis off and walked own the side of the bridge rather than ski down it.
I hope I've named/numbered them correctly. I'm sure people will be along to correct me soon, if Ive made an error.
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| misspiggy wrote: |
Yes I did that, I had to download the viewer first and have an iPhone so my only option was to save the viewer to iCloud however it still won't open the maps |
Ahh -- I haven't tried on my phone (works fine on my laptop pc...)
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As@Grommet, says the first pitch off the Col Alto gondola may well phase you on the first day, it is easier going left. Also you cannot ski back to this gondola to download. I refer you back to my earlier post as the best way to get up to the Pralongia plateau which you will find right up your street.
Here is a link to the piste map http://www.piste-maps.co.uk/Piste-Maps/Italy/Alta-Badia-Piste-Map.pdf
I suggest lift 29 and 13 then ski back start of 13 or 29 on piste 8 it's very flat with a small 20 yard steep bit off the road bridge.
From top of lift 13 (or 2 magic carpets if they are there) cross piste 8 to lift 15, piste 8A or 8B to lift 16. You are now at the top of Pralongia and all skiing is very easy.
From here piste 8 will take you home and this is the easiest way to ski back until you feel confident to take the steeper piste5 off Piz Alara.
Blue 9 then 11 is long cruising run down to the Gondola at San Cassiano.
To get off the top your easy route is non stop! from either Bioch via 7 then 8 or from La Branchia via 6 then 8.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Thu 5-01-17 16:01; edited 1 time in total
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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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Brilliant!
Thank you all SO much!
I am going to look at the 3D map on my laptop and also print out a map and go through all your comments and do abit of planning!
Do any of you know any other options for activities/sights/walks etc. if we wanted to take a couple of half days or even a full day off skiing? As we are there for a full week which is unusual for us for a skiing holiday! We will have a car so it wouldn't matter if it was abit away (up to an hour drive) as we like to explore!
Thanks again!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You could take a drive down the valley to Brunico, a lovely Tyrolese town that is picture perfect with some coffee shops where you can sample such delights as Sachertorte and strudel. It has a really interesting walled graveyard beside the church in the pedestrian centre.
People talk of an enjoyable walk from Corvara to Colfosco along the riverside. I have not done this myself as never take the time off skiing but I have been told it is beautiful.
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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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Great, thanks - that all sounds perfect 
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how did you get on @misspiggy? we are going to Colfosco in February with our 6 and 9 year olds who have only skied for one week so interested to see how you found the blue slopes in corvara/colfosco
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You know it makes sense.
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My favourite blue in the area was the one to the left of the Masarei lift which was an absolute joy. A fairly long rolling blue with no surprises, rarely busy and plenty of room to let fly. It was my go to slope first thing in the morning from both Corvarra and Arabba, especially with a bit of fresh snow. The blue coming down the other way (from Arabba direction) to meet it at the bottom was nice too.
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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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My favourite too. It's called Del Sole or Mama' s run as my family call it. Pure joy and it always seems to have the sun on. Also love the long run from Pralongia 2 all the way down to San Cassiano.
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FAQ
and checking out the restaurants! 
) doing the 