 Poster: A snowHead
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Just discovered that I'm more flexible with dates than I thought, so can go almost any week in January to march. Last year I did the myashbash which was great. But I do like to go new places and explore. My skiing is weak (despite a large number of weeks on snow, so unlikely to drastically improve over 1 extra week), I enjoy easy blues, can manage most other blues and have not generally had a happy time on reds ( only ever skied 2 and 1 was easier than many blues I've skied, the other I didn't enjoy at all!).
I think alleghe looks great, but unfortunately that's the one week I can't make through work commitments.
The March bashes are clearly aimed at much better skiers, so looks like it's down to livigno again or arabba. I've skied from San cassiano before and loved it, exploring Alta Badia from a different entry point would be great, previously I didn't get further than pralongia. Looking at the piste map, I should be able to ski over to pralongia from arabba, but don't like the look of getting back and the public buses aren't exactly regular. Plus, as much as I liked pralongia, do I want to be stuck doing that everyday? 3 long(?) pistes to get there is a significant amount of skiing for me, I'm slow and unfit. Plus if I'm coming on my own I've no idea how easy it would be to find people to ski with (especially at my speed/level) on much a bigger bash.
Suggestions, encouragement, ideas... all welcome!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Rcav, I don't think you should have too many problems if you were to come to Arabba. In addition to the Pralongia area there's some very nice gentle skiing at Colfosco (which also has a nice side valley, the Edelweisstal, with some nice views from the cafe restaurant, although when you leave it there is a short but wide red run).
The most difficult part of your return to Arabba if you've been North from it to Pralongia or Colfosco is the return back to Plan Boe (beyond Plan Boe there's just an easy blue back to Arabba). You have a choice of two red runs to take you down to Plan Boe, they can get quite cut up the late afternoon. Of the two I'd say the right hand one (where the entrance goes under a chairlift) is somewhat easier.
The great thing about the Birthday Bash is that there there are so many people there of different abilities, and even the more experienced of us sometimes appreciate a restful day for "bimbling" about the slopes, so I don't think you'll find it hard to find someone to ski with! 
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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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@Alastair Pink, +1
I would definitely say the BB is best for you. I'm not on it this year but if I was you could have buddied up for a day. Im sure others would be willing to help. As @Alastair Pink says, there is always a group who want to have an easy intro day or others mid week that want an easy restful day so you will be fine.
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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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What @GlasgowCyclops means is that there is always a day when some are too hungover to ski very far or fast. 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If you are going to opt for the Birthday Bash you'll have to be quick. This is the availability, copied from page one one of the Birthday Bash thread.
Availability
Belavista:
GIRLS : 1 place n a triple share OR 2 places in a quad share.
BOYS: 1 place in a triple share OR 1 place in a Quad share
Portavescovo:
FULL.
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@Rcav, have you tried having a private lesson early in the week, primarily to give you confidence on the few slopes that would otherwise leave you limited to a couple of runs? It's remarkable how much easier it can be following an instructor, and once you've done that (and know that the slopes are not impossible) then friendly can serve the same purpose. That would take away the feeling of wasting a lift pass, and help you to make the most of the BB (or whichever one you choose).
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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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| mgrolf wrote: |
| @Rcav, have you tried having a private lesson early in the week |
Thanks mrgolf, that's a good plan, I've done it a few times before. Whether it works or not depends on the instructor, I had 2 years in flaine (1 week each time) where the instructor was reluctant to take me to pastures new which just increased my nervousness to go exploring and meant I stayed down the bottom of the bowl.
Weirdly I often ski harder stuff in the first couple of days, as when I don't know the area everything is unknown and, so I go off exploring. As the week goes on I find more and more pistes I don't like and don't go back there, limiting myself to just my few favourites. Also new stuff becomes more intimidating as it could be as bad as <insert worst blue I've found on the map>.
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@Rcav, if you don't make the cutoff you can always get your own accommodations and register as "in the neighborhood".
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| essex wrote: |
| @Rcav, if you don't make the cutoff you can always get your own accommodations and register as "in the neighborhood". |
Yeah, I've been wondering about that, corvara or colfosco would suit me well. But evenings would be pretty quiet and not much chance to plan to ski with others. I already have a trip with friends planned next year, so if I miss out on a bash it's not the end of the world!
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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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@Rcav, Get yourself some lessons in a fridge ASAP; you can learn alot in 1 month with good instruction. Pricey, but consider it an investment as you'll be able to explore more of the mountain.
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| ALQ wrote: |
| @Rcav, Get yourself some lessons in a fridge ASAP; you can learn alot in 1 month with good instruction. Pricey, but consider it an investment as you'll be able to explore more of the mountain. |
Thanks for the suggestion ALQ. Definitely planning on upping my time in my local fridge (landgraaf) if I book for arabba. Lessons is trickier, I've been trying for ages to get onto one of their advanced courses (did the intermediate level there a few years ago, essentially it was plough to parallel) but they give you a choice of 20+ different time slots in the week, pick 1 (starting every 4 weeks) and then only run the course if 4+ people sign up. So every time I try to sign up the course gets cancelled due to lack of numbers! Also, last time I did a course I had a German instructor, our common language was Dutch, but with loud background music, the noise of the machinery etc, her Germanic accent was pretty incomprehensible to me (British).
I also find my fridge quite easy, it's not so steep. There are a few things I want to work on there, for instance, I want to be able to do short turns the whole way rather than just the very bottom section (it's more or less the same gradient all the way, so if I can do them at the bottom I should be able to do them all the way, it's all in my head!).
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You know it makes sense.
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@Rcav, Strange lessons system; some money is better than no money.
Anyway, the sooner you begin, the better (fitness if nothing else).
Get on those edges! 
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FAQ
