 Poster: A snowHead
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A group of 10 of us are heading to Selva in early March for 8 days. None of us have been in the Dolomite's before, the area's vast and i'm already worrying about missing out on some of the things we should cover.
I have a very rough plan of some of what i'll try to do but i'm not sure what's feasible or worth the effort or if i'm missing something I should be trying to catch.
I'm thinking of roughly covering these on different days -
Val Gardena - Will try cover a good bit of this, particularly making sure to run La Longia & the Saslong
Marmolada - Planning to ski across to the glacier on a sunny day, we're staying near the costabella lift so I travelling clockwise would be the quickest?
Laguzoi (hidden valley) - Planning to ski to Armentarola village and taxi from there. Then we'll ski back to Armentarola. I assume there's no easy way to include Cinque Torri area or it probably wouldn't be worth it (it looks like there could be walking involved)?
Alta Badia - Thinking of aiming for Corvara in Alta Badia, take the Boe lift from there, ski to the bottom of that then take the lift from the bottom and see where we go from there. I assume that trying to get across to San Cassiano would be too optimistic or we'd really need to know where we're going to find a way?
Val di Fassa - Would like to try see it's another resort but it seems to be broken up into a few areas and I don't know where to aim for here?
Others:
Sella Ronda - I'm thinking of avoiding doing the loop other than using it for travelling from place to place, if I end up doing it I assume going anti-clockwise mid week would be the way to go?
Arabba - It has a good reputation for challenging slopes, worth heading across to spend a day there?
Should I not bother with some of them above or am I missing something I should get in? Would love any advice at all for us, know there's loads of snowheads that have been.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We have just returned from Selva with a group of nine, all of what you suggest is good to do but with nine you do tend to get held up a bit as there will always be hold ups. Saying that we did the Ronda on the orange route, left the costabella at 8:40 and had one hot choc stop and we’re back in Selva for lunch around 2, plenty of time to drop over the back and do brava and Charlie, lovely quiet run through the trees and then almost deserted red and black runs before heading back to Selva.
The Marmolada is doable but you will need to keep pushing. The views are stunning but the red from the top can get very lumpy
One of my favourite runs was Vallon, the black at the the top of the Boè lift.
The clockwise way around the sella Ronda is the better way
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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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All the above are worth doing you will never cover the whole area in one holiday just do what you can & enjoy.
Val Gardena La longia is superb a pretty easy run but long & varied the only drawback is heading back on the cable car which can have long queues in the morning. Both the Saslong A Black & quieter often neglected Saslong B Red are great runs.
Marmolada Yes setting off from Costabella is fine either way takes a similar time & only worth doing on a sunny calm day.
Laguzoi when you know the way Cinque torre is well worth doing & if plenty of snow the way over is not to difficult but can add hassle to the day if not sure of route maybe just take your time & do hidden valley with relaxing break at Rifugio Languzoi which is a brilliant vue point before a ski down the hidden valley & of course the horse tow at the bottom.
Alta Badia not a long ski from Selva & you will pass through San Cassiano on the way back from Hidden Valley
Val di fassa again if you get your bearings can be done by getting the cable car down to Alba Di Canezei which I think is at Col Di Rossi.
Sella Ronda/Arabba I know people say the Sella Ronda is busy but the best way of getting an idea of the whole area is to do it & figure out the best way to the other ski areas including Arabba which is half way round, if you are a reasonable intermediate it can be done in 3.5 hours so you can reach Arabba in less than a couple of hours.
Hope you enjoy Selva & The area as much as we do.
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@Holly, thanks, I’ll definitely check out Vallon, we’d be running right past it on a few trips. Where are brava & charlie, love the sound of a quiet tree run
@Tony, thanks, I’ll forget Cinque Torri, would probably just add stress and more rush to the day.
I might leave Val Di Fassa till later in the week when get the bearings and do the Sella loop a few days in to get the proper feel of the place. I take it the orange loop is the more enjoyable ye?
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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 the Orange probably best but plenty of good runs on Green but a bit more time on lifts.
Also another great day out is heading to Santa Croce via La Villa & on the way there is the Gran Risa black dropping into La Villa if you like a challenge or the red is a lovely long run. When you get to the top of the 2 man chair at Santa Croce there is a short walk up to the historic Rifugio & church but well worth it.
We are staying in Arabba this week, fantastic conditions & can’t believe I’m saying this in February but it’s a bit too warm but pistes are still in great condition.
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"Where are brava & Charlie...." -- they are runs down into Monte Pana from the Piz Sella area
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Thanks, found Santa Croce, will keep that one in mind and head over that way if I get my bearings right over there.
I’ve been using the Superski app to get a good idea of how to get from place to place although that chooses to walk across towns to get to other lifts rather that finding the connection. Walking through towns is where I get seriously lost
Hopefully it’ll all be fairly clear when I get over there, i’ve heard the signage is excellent
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Doing the Marmolada from Selva is doable but catch the first lift out and keep motoring on. Where ever you are at 12 30 think about heading back.
On a sunny day expect queues on the Marmolada cable car lifts. If by chance you have the time the war museum at the top of car 2 is a good visit.
I like the Sella Ronda as a cruisy day clockwise in the morning and anticlockwise in the afternoon.
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@TQA, thanks, would that be the same case for doing the hidden valley (very early start)?
What i’m struggling to get my head around distance wise is that some say if your strong enough ye can manage the sella in both directions in a day if ye go at it. Marmolada is a cut off from half way but people say it’s a rush to get it done in a day?
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@colly10,
When you once have been there- you will return - so don't worry you can not reach everything one time. Take time to enjoy.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@colly10,
Just seen this post and personally if I was going over to the hidden valley I would include a diversion to the Cinque Torri area. I have done this many times and can't for the life of me remember any walking apart from across the road at the bottom of the red run taken from just below the top of the cable car. And then back to the cable car station from the blue run back from the Col Gallina. I find the polling at the bottom of the hidden valley after being deposited by the horse tows far more onerous.
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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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@CP, thanks, I see a lift across the street, looking at it before I though it didn't connect to the main area. I thought the piste went the other way but looking again there's an easy connection
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@colly10,
Currently chilling in my apartment in colfosco for my 4th year here.
To give you an idea of size I did the sella Ronda clockwise in 2.5 hours and I hated the busy steep reds of Arabba and I don’t really do blacks
Also as its been so warm there is some slush making my going slower.
As selva is the biggest town in the Area there are always the most people going back that way.
Getting across from selva to San cassiano or hidden valley is very straight forward and if the queues are short then it wouldn’t be more than 2-5 mins per lift to add on to the Superski app timings
Depending on your group I would say once you have the taxi up for the hidden vAlley do the 5 torre too typically empty and a lovely little loop
And so easy to get back to vg.
Once you’re at the top of passo gardana your home and the last lift today is 5pm
Planning the trip is such fun I do it but there will be so much be prepared to make it up as you go along
For example due to the warmth the reds on boe are sugary and horrid and for some reason the blues of prolonga haven’t had the same sub and are still lovely and not chopped
You’ll have a fun time
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You know it makes sense.
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| colly10 wrote: |
@TQA, thanks, would that be the same case for doing the hidden valley (very early start)?
What i’m struggling to get my head around distance wise is that some say if your strong enough ye can manage the sella in both directions in a day if ye go at it. Marmolada is a cut off from half way but people say it’s a rush to get it done in a day? |
The top of the Marmolada is served by three cable cars. The only way to access them is to ski down to Malga Ciapela Arabba to Malga Ciapela requires 4 or 5 lifts and a fair bit of skiing. They may have added some other lift to access the middle section of the three cable cars but I doubt it. The cable car waits are the longest I have experienced in the Dolomites. The top car will have the worst wait as it is possible to do laps on the top section using the top car.
From Selva as I said you will need to catch the first lift out and keep motoring to make all the way up the Marmolada before 1 am.
Hidden valley is not quite as far but to enjoy it you want to get to the start as early as possible as it gets busy on sunny days. Still very worth while doing. TOP TIP Get you skis waxed the night before. There are a few places where you need to carry good speed on to flat sections.
For both make sure you have your camera with you, these are two of the most spectacular runs in the Dollys and why I kept going back there.
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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 main advice regarding the Mamalada is be prepared for long queues at the cable car. We went a few year's ago in early March, waited for a blue ski day, skied over (from Val di Fassa, which was an enjoyable ski in itself), only to a find huge queue for the cable car.
The problem you then find is that you have numerous drags to get you back if you want to bail out. Having not made it up the Glacier I can't say whether it's worth the wait or not, but there's so much great skiing around it seemed like a shame to waste so much of the day queuing.
The Ski Panorama Tour, in Val Di Fassa, however, I can thoroughly recommend. Wonderful varied skiing, on quieter slopes and not too far to reach from Selva.
Also + 1 for clockwise SR.
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Poster: A snowHead
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On the recent BB in Arabba , the only queues we encountered all week were the Laguzoi cable car (30 minute wait) and the Marmolada cable cars (not a queue as such - but very crammed in).
The hidden valley run off Laguzoi was very busy - and IMO not worth the bother.
The run itself is scenic but crowded with beginners who have been dragged there as its "the run" to do...
Saw one serious injury and lots of near misses. Plus its a faff to get back from , poling at the end followed by horse tow or taxi.
Refugio Scotoni was rammed and only OK compared to some other places we ate at in Alta Badia.
Marmolada was a fun run , great views from the platform above top station - and I can see the appeal if you are going for off piste.
I much preferred our trips to the Cinque Torre , Santa Croce , and Val di Fassa .
Just as scenic as anything else (Cinque Torre in particular) and much quieter.
As an aside , is there ever a quiet week in this area ??!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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"...is there ever a quiet week in this area ??!!.."
-- yep, middle of January. I never queued for more than a minute ! (but I avoid the 'must do' bits - Marmolada/Laguzoi etc)
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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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Another vote for Val di Fassa. Spent 2 weeks here this year, particularly liked taking bubble from Alba and skiing to Pozza and back. The black to Pozza last Tuesday was shared only with my wife for about an hour before anyone else showed up. Other favourite was the black accessed from behind the Comici restaurant at Piz Sella. Take the run from the bottom of the chair leading to top of Piz Sella, ski to bottom and return on chair. At top of chair turn left o go straight onto the black It's either alpha, bravo or Charlie can't remember which). Another run that is mostly ignored by the hordes.
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| EdYarker wrote: |
| The problem you then find is that you have numerous drags to get you back if you want to bail out. |
The drags weren't working a couple of weeks ago and looked semi derelict. There is a bus that will take you up to the chair lift, but I'm not sure how frequent it is. 
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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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@colly10
I‘ve been to the Dolomites for the first time in March last year and absolutely loved it. I‘m sure you‘ll have a great time!
Most has already been said, but here are my two cents
Sella Ronda -
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| Hopefully it’ll all be fairly clear when I get over there, i’ve heard the signage is excellent |
Just as a heads up, there is an „alternative route“ of the Sella Ronda in both directions, which takes you on more challenging pistes including black runs. The Sella Ronda signs, especially the orange ones, are all pretty easy to spot from distance, so it’s easy to follow them but also easy to miss the small „alternative route“ label. This might not be relevant for your group in case you are all competent skiers and conditions are good, but just in case you want to avoid blacks take a closer look at the signs.
Another confusing area was the top of the Ciampinoi lift were I and other people didn‘t find the red run down to Selva.
Marmolada -
I stayed in Colfosco last year and I‘m a rather slow snowboarder, but I still managed to do the Marmolada and then spent some time in the Arabba area before heading back without feeling rushed. So I assume that you‘ll be fine timewise doing it from Selva. To decide if it’s a hassle or not maybe depends a bit on one’s perspective, whether the way getting to the Marmolada and back is seen as a necessary evil or counts as enjoyable skiing time itself (the latter for me).
As already mentioned by others, the downsides are the potential long wait at the bottom of the cable car (last year end of March it was only 10 minutes mid morning but 30 minutes around lunch time) and the fact that people are really crammed together in the cable cars.
For the way back it‘s best to factor in a wait at the chairlift back to Arabba (Padon chairlift I think) in the afternoon. Also, make sure not to ski past the chairlift, as I don‘t know if the drag lifts further down are running, last year they didn‘t and didn‘t look like they ever were, maybe check before.
Still, I think the Marmolada is well worth a visit on a clear and sunny day! The views are very beautiful! And the museum quite interesting.
I also liked the piste, although the upper bit gets mogully quickly. I got a tip on this forum last year to redo the top part of the run by heading to the tunnel at the right of the piste which brings you back to the bottom of the third cable car.
(For more piste recommendations I got see here https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=137205)
Santa Croce -
Last year I didn‘t have time to visit the church or the refugio, but it was a very picturesque area! I was there quite late in the afternoon and as the pistes had full on sunshine they were verrry slushy and on my way back some slopes on the opposite side were already refrozen slush, i.e. a very bumpy ride.  So my recommendation is not to go there too late in the day.
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@Simony,".. Another confusing area was the top of the Ciampinoi lift were I and other people didn‘t find the red run down to Selva.."
Exiting the Ciampinoi gondola station, you need to ski around the back of the station and find the piste which goes under the gondola. Ski down the narrow ridge, which takes you to the top of the Ciampinoi chair, where the piste splits. Left takes you to Selva, right take you towards Plan di Gralba
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Yep - that is the route -- best avoided in the PM, when it is churned up....
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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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@colly10, Going to put in a plug for Seiser Alm/Alpe di Siusi. We spent a day there last year, taking the cable car up from Ortisei, and wasn't really impressed. However, this year we parked at Monte Pana and took the bus up -- what a difference! It gets you right to the good stuff -- the lifts on the north side of the road. Since it's not easy to get to that area, the slopes aren't crowded, they're in full sun, the restaurants are great. Only caveat is that you have to go on a sunny day, and the pistes aren't difficult at all. Even the reds are more like blues. But a really fun day out.
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