Poster: A snowHead
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The Dolomite's have been drier than most of the Alps, this winter, but still decent skiing is possible . Are all the Dolomite equally good at this, or are some not as good as others.
Will be flying to Bergamo Mid Jan 2018, so somewhere max of 3.5 hrs from Bergamo (with decent snowmaking) would be ideal,
Will have a hire car
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 21-01-17 12:41; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@dublin2,
It is mid Jan 2017
The snowmaking in the dolomites is fabulous and I would not worry on that score judging by my visit and I am going again in Feb.
Having said that if I was flying now to Bergamo with nothing booked I would go to Western Italy which is reported as having fabulous snow, see Milky Way thread.
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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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@dublin2, Their snow making and piste preparation is fantastic. They are the best at what they do.
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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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They are unbelievable at what they do for a number of reasons:
The have built reservoirs to provide water for the snowmaking
They have installed extensive snow making equipment over almost all pistes
Although the Dolomites have lower snowfall than much of the Alps they also have less rainfall and foehn which tends to be the destroyer of pistes.
For the last five years the Dolomites have had the greatest percentage of open pistes of anywhere in the Alps. The only downside is that off piste conditions are often poor or sometimes non existent. It is not uncommon to be skiing a perfect white ribbon through a green pasture.
When it does snow, however and it comes in from the seas to the south and meets the colder are from the north, it really snows. You only have to hear about the tales of snowmaggedon from the Bash three years ago.....
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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 Dolomites are one of the driest parts of the Alps.
Somewhere like Cortina (Italy) gets less than half the average snowfall of somewhere like St Anton (Austria).
The Dolomites have countered this trend with one of the world's best snowmaking systems.
So, even in a nitemare season, the Italian resorts can still coat at least half their trails with manmade snow.
Jan 2018 will be fine.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The snowmaking is essential because that area is so sheltered from the west and north. Without it they wouldn't have a ski season. With it they are one of the more reliable places to ski in the Alps, particularly early in the season.
The lack of natural snow, the shelter and the tree cover mean that very few days are lost through avalanche risk or strong winds. Visibility is normally good and the number of sunny days are unusually high.
The low humidity, sheltered elevated valleys that trap cold air, high peaks which shade the slopes and grassy rock free meadows are ideal for making snow and then holding it. Being in the eastern alps temperatures are also lower than further west.
It is also probably no coincidence that Prinroth are based there and make probably the best split tiller on the piste basher market available today.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 2-09-23 20:18; edited 4 times in total
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Funnily enough I've just booked Arabba for Jan 2018
I know it's far to early to think about next year I've still a trip to Ischgl in March to go yet
But I have my reasons for booking so far in advance
It's a long time since we have been to the Dolomites
The last time most of the area below the height of Arabba was on manmade snow it was still excellent skiing
If you are into off piste it may be more dodgy some winters they have big falls of snow sometimes they don't.
Even this winter when snow has been scarce there is plenty open
Worst case scenario its a great walking area
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They also have, by far, the greatest number of sunshine days in the Alps. They have always been known as The Sunny Dolomites.
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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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@dublin2,
Ah I see it is 2018, to go back to one of your questions about are parts of the dolomites better off than others for snowmaking, I don't know, I know that Sella Ronda area is good, and have read here that Cortina is less good, don't know about other bits.
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Obereggen has very good snow making facilities and has won awards for best slope grooming. It's an easy 25 minute drive from the autostrada at Bozen/Bolzano. Very attractive area and several great huts for food.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for all the replies, we are looking for somewhere snowsure (albeit man-made) mid jan 18. Based on what we saw a few weeks ago, in the Alps, snowmaking is going to be important.
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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 are just back from Madonna di Campiglio, and despite my regular weather checks, praying to every god from Ra to thor, no snow came except for a light dusting last friday, which only took the green look from each side of the piste. I have to say I was very impressed with Madonna on the artifical snow front. I think the reds and blues were given new snow each night, it always felt soft and not much hard pack . The blacks were fairly well done too, even the spinale seemed to get a new dusting every few days. However the schumacker being steep always very hard packed, and really icy. This may have been caused by snowboards scraping down, and skiers falling and trying to stop themselves with their skis, ( which almost never happened, they just scraped down to the bottom). I always think the bottom of the schumacker would be a great place for a bar with a view of the run. It was most entertaining this week.
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@dublin2 we spent xmas in the dolomites (san cassiano), no natural snow cover but all the pistes were covered by snow making and were all open, including the sella ronda, we loved it so much we are going again in March
It is an area you can book with confidence that you will always be able to ski (bad weather permitting)
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