 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello Snowheads,
I am going with a group of 16 people on Sat 12th Jan until lunchtime Thurs 17th Jan. If the flights/transfers are smooth we could squeeze in the afternoon on the first day. So it looks like it's easiest to buy a 6 day pass which I understand entitles you to 2 of the days at other resorts.
It looks like it's well worth the MonteBianco lift to Punte Helbrunner and skiing that area but is that included in the 6-day pass and how do you get there from the Dolonne part of Courmayeur which is where we are staying. Any other advice much appreciated as it's my first time there.
Cheers
LeeSki 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Monte Branco lift to Helbronner takes you on a sightseeing trip partway up Mont Blanc, and serves some potentially gnarly off piste. If it’s your first time, I’d suggest you’d want a guide to ski that area. There aren’t any pistes up there, it’s not a traditional ski area.
You get there by bus/car, it’s not really connected to the rest of the area.
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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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It's well worth a trip up to Punta Hellbronner if even for sight seeing alone. Skiing is fairly advanced up there accessing either the Toule Glacier or the Valle Blanche towards Chamonix.
Both routes are un-pisted and require full avalanche gear and a guide ideally if you don't know the area as are off piste skiing.
You can find the Skyway station here https://goo.gl/maps/HcPdNnxQoqD2 at the other end of Courmayeur to where are staying. It takes 5 mins to drive max and there are local buses.
Make sure you go down the elevator in Punta Hellbronner and then through the tunnel cut into the mountain to go to the lower Torino Mountain Hut which does pretty good food considering and has a cool outside deck.
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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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| snowdave wrote: |
The Monte Branco lift to Helbronner takes you on a sightseeing trip partway up Mont Blanc, and serves some potentially gnarly off piste. If it’s your first time, I’d suggest you’d want a guide to ski that area. There aren’t any pistes up there, it’s not a traditional ski area.
You get there by bus/car, it’s not really connected to the rest of the area. |
Thanks very much for the advice. That's really helpful!
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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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| Sweedish wrote: |
It's well worth a trip up to Punta Hellbronner if even for sight seeing alone. Skiing is fairly advanced up there accessing either the Toule Glacier or the Valle Blanche towards Chamonix.
Both routes are un-pisted and require full avalanche gear and a guide ideally if you don't know the area as are off piste skiing.
You can find the Skyway station here https://goo.gl/maps/HcPdNnxQoqD2 at the other end of Courmayeur to where are staying. It takes 5 mins to drive max and there are local buses.
Make sure you go down the elevator in Punta Hellbronner and then through the tunnel cut into the mountain to go to the lower Torino Mountain Hut which does pretty good food considering and has a cool outside deck. |
 Thanks a lot for the advice, that has helped a lot!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Okay Ladies and Gents, as I am clearly dealing with people who know their stuff, can any of you give me some further advice re Courmayeur?
From the 6 day pass, we have two days that we can ski in two of the other areas covered by the pass in the Aosta Valley. We don't want to spend too much time travelling so any suggestions?
I have been sent this list and told that these are the options
• Breuil-Cervinia / Valtournenche
• Chamois
• Cogne
• Col de Joux
• Courmayeur
• Skyway Monte Bianco
• Crévacol
• La Magdeleine
• La Thuile – La Rosière
• Monterosa Ski:
• Alagna Valsesia
• Antagnod – Ayas
• Brusson
• Champoluc – Ayas
• Gressoney La Trinité
• Gressoney Saint Jean
• Champorcher
• Ollomont
• Pila
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@LeeSki, La Thuile is a bus ride away, around 45 minutes. Pila is a bus ride down to Aosta town, then a gondola up to Pila. Both very easy for a day excursion. Cervinia/Valtournenche and Monterosa are significantly further away and I think the bus links involving changing in Aosta.
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@LeeSki, You are welcome Lee!
Well Courmayeur is near to La Thuile, 25 mins ish in the car.
I am a lover of La Thuile, and would suggest you check it out! You could spend 2 days there easily by doing one in La Thuile and another going over into La Rosiere.
I like Cervinia a lot too, its a big area but it is at least and hour and a half from you and you might not think thats worth it. That being said the scenery is stunning up on Plateau Rosa looking back into Italy and allows you to ski into Switzerland and the Zermatt area.
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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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Pila is a good option too though its not as big as La Thuile or Cervinia and gets busy at the weekend. Also the snow wasn't great there over xmas as its lower lying. Def check out snow reports as Valle D'Aosta hasn't been fortunate this winter so far. Cervinia is a lot more snow sure than anywhere else in the area due to the altitude there.
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@leeski, Sorry for jumping on this Courmayeur bandwagon! Am also there this weekend, will have own boots but not skis anyone have any insight into best hire shops/storage close to the cable car?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Jesnoid, there is a hire shop with storage at the Dolonne gondola/cable car top station. Sorry I can't recall the name but very convenient and well priced.
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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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@LeeSki, "guide advised". Just to reinforce, although I think you got the point, unpisted glacier skiing requires the knowledge and skiils to navigate a glacier, rescue from crevasses, ropes and associated kit.
Anyhoo, that aside, of that list, Pila might be easiest to access from Aosta town, but I have never skied there. Cervinia leaves me completely cold (IMHO it's flat and boring). I know Champoluc pretty well having skied there every year since 2000, as my better half's father came from there. I'd go there not least as I know some pretty fine restaurants.
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Thank you @queenie pretty please,
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You know it makes sense.
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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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La Thuile is a really easy option for an away day. We took a taxi for ease and it's a quick journey and I think about €60 return (hotel booked our cab so imagine they took a slice of that). We are out there in a few weeks and going to do exactly the same again. La Thuile has some great blacks coming down into town through the trees, though we skied them in perfect powder so that would have made them better. Ski hire shops - 3-4 at mid-station in Plan Checrouit. I used Ski-In last time and they were decent but using Lo Chalet this time, only because it is right next to the bar. Prices in all three seemed the same i think.
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FAQ
