 Poster: A snowHead
|
Ok so I’m off to Sauze tonight and thought I’d start a thread and give daily updates on the area and skiing etc for anyone interested who is coming out or considering the Via Lattea for a trip.
I last skied the area in 2010 on a lads trip and here we are 10 years later doing it again. 12 or 13 of us all aged late forties early fifties. Group of mixed abilities from many years to just one week skiing. We are aiming to mix it up so everyone is happy and can spend time improving and enjoying the slopes together and one day we’ll be heading all the way across to Montgenenvre and back by last lift.
Weather looks set fair with blue skies no wind and there is plenty of piste snow but I’m thinking off piste will be tracked out and hard work considering lack of fresh snow.
Fingers crossed for a great week, can’t wait to get there now and let the laughs roll. Ideal start to the New Year!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@jirac18, Looking forward to the reports. I fancy this area for next year having last been in the '90s
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Heading out for two weeks on the 18th so especially interested. Was there two years ago and loved it. I'm sure you will too. Where are you staying?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
I am out in 4 weeks as a group of six, it looks like it's been a great start to the season, have a good trip.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
we had a great lads trip in Sauze last year , the locals were so welcoming they were genuinely grateful that you were spending money with them .good restaurants slopeside and such low prices 9 shots of jeager 18 eu or buy he bottle for 15 eu ......work that one out .Great slopes but slowish uplift a great place for a low cost ski break
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Didn’t start too well with a 1 hr 45 min delay on the tarmac at Bristol Airport. Sadly the delay meant didn’t get time to take up a half day ticket and ski this afternoon. Currently no snow in resort so lacks a bit of feel. Lower slope down to Clotes lift looks very worn and rough, we’ll see how it goes in the morning but currently it’s causing a dilemma for the beginners in the group. We’re at Hotel Splendid so can short walk through to the piste above the lift. We are told the snow is still good up at Sportinia so we’ll head there first lift and get going. More tomoz folks looking forward to getting going!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| jirac18 wrote: |
| Currently no snow in resort so lacks a bit of feel. |
I'd enjoy it as it is - that cobbled road up to the chairlift's a nightmare when covered in compacted snow/ice 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We're coming out as a small group on the 18th so looking forward to hearing your updates. There hasn't been any new snow since before Xmas according to sauzeonline but the main news is the main links are open after last year's tragic accident - no need to go down black 25 to get back to base (although I much prefer it to the nasty, narrow and crowded red at the end of the day). There is a magic carpet up to the Clotes lift for beginners and the resort bus takes them straight up to Sportinia lift where the beginners slopes are. Suggest they take the bus. Lots of snow making now, if cold enough so I hope you've discovered this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Very interested in this thread as we're thinking of heading to Sauze from Bristol in Feb. Who are you with?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We're independent as we've skied here the last 4 or 5 years on the trot. Last year I came out twice although it was a c--p season for snow...(It is singularly my fave resort and I would buy here if I had the dosh... keep buying the lottery!) The Stella Alpina is a great location but gets booked up very early (we booked last summer). The Torre is another useful option as they run a minibus every day up to Sportinia (and you can wave him down if you ski down to Clotes). I'm not sure any of the big UK TO book it so you can always get in for a weekend trip although take that with a pinch of salt in Feb. We have even done it with car hire but I don't like the faff of chains and digging a car out of a drift for the journey back to the airport... it will be sod's law if you hire a car, it snows!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
So first full day done and dusted and it was excellent! Brilliant hearty breakfast at Hotel Splendid and walked across the lane to the blue piste just above Clotes lift. It’s gnarley as heck down to the bottom lift so the beginners in our group of 12 got the minibus around to Sportinia lift and headed straight up to the bowl.
Took the two main lifts up to above Sportinia and did the red down to meet them in the bowl. Lifts are a tad old and slow but no big issue.
We spent the whole day doing pretty much every run from the top of Triplex down into the Sportinia bowl and the snow was pretty good. Got bit chewed up late on but still good.
Some of the guys had lunch at Sportinia at Rocce Nerre which looked good but bit pricey.
Last run down at last lift did top to bottom in a one long go. It was quiet as had been busy all day with Italian public holiday today. Until the bottom section below the top of Clotes lift it was brilliant but the bottom blue run is as tricky a blue you’ll ever do and honestly in such conditions some people need their lift passes removing for skiing so recklessly. There are large piles of loose crystallised man made and black ice chequer plate underneath so slow and steady really was the way to go.
All in all for first day it was about as good you’d expect for beginning of Jan and so long since decent fresh snow. Temps were around 5° sun shining bright in blue sky but chillier in shade.
Favourite run of the day was after lunch the long red down to Jouvenceaux. It was deserted and in great condition challenging in places but beautiful views down the valley.
Tomorrow San Sicario and Sestriere. Looking forward to dinner and few beers now. Happy days folks more tomoz. Any questions fire away I’ll try to answer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| martyngb wrote: |
| Very interested in this thread as we're thinking of heading to Sauze from Bristol in Feb. Who are you with? |
Ours is a tui Crystal package. Had nowt to do with booking and only landed a spot last minute when someone pulled out before Christmas. I never do packages as mainly self drive of get flights then book resort later. It’s been okay hotel is solid but no frills, food is plentiful and and great quality. Thumbs up to hotel splendid.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@jirac18, Sounds like a good 1st day of the season.
Now to sample the famous Sauze nitelife I presume? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Excellent, thanks for this. I will keep a keen eye on it as both my 10yo boy and I are out 08 Mar with Crystal for a week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@jirac18, Sounds great. I've only got ten days to wait....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Say hi to Eddie the barman at the Splendid.. buy him a drink or 2 and he'll get some Metallica on the speakers after everyone's buggered off 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
So no report yesterday as went straight out from the slopes and well it all got a bit messy and we rolled in at 2am having cleared the town of Morretti and Jack Daniels! Didn’t quite manage the first lift today as a touch jaded but managed to get to the top of Sauze by 10am.
Upper slopes are mainly holding up okay but are hard packed an icy in places. Red 42 back down towards the top of Clotes lift is treacherous at certain points where most of the snow has been scraped. With a hangover and tiredness it was frankly a bit hard work so the upper sections and Sportinia bowl was really the place to go. Reds down to Jouvenceaux were good too.
Yesterday we spent all day at San Sicario. It was superb. The reds and blacks were amazing. Down side was that while we were there the wind picked a lot and so the button lift back up to Fratieve was horrendous! At the top all the loose snow was blowing off the black back down towards Sauze like an extreme blizzard of icy crystals. We decided to take the re-opened blue back down but this was a big mistake. I will never take that run ever again. It was dangerous and should have been closed. Trying to turn on such a narrow icy rutted track was nigh on impossible. You have no choice but to just go for it and hope for the best.
Off piste is basically gone and totally tracked out. It’s too rutted and crusty to even be remotely worthwhile. We’ve seen hardly anyone off piste at all. The weather has been warm and sunny everyday and there seems no likelihood of fresh snow for the next week at least.
Thankfully the pistes are relatively quiet so you can very easily pick the best lines to take the best snow without anyone cutting you up but I think by next week conditions may be pretty difficult. That said the pisteurs have done a great job in looking after what snow there is.
In summary still plenty of good skiing to be had but really needs a top up and if you don’t like icy runs with loose powder on top then pick you runs and lines carefully and you will still have great skiing.
Probably going to Sestriere tomorrow so further update in the evening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Quick update. Pistes in Sestriere were in way better condition than Sauze. They actually skied very nicely. Blacks reds and blues very very enjoyable. Our best day yet. Returning to Sauze from Fratieve did the black directly under the chair lift. It was icy with moguls at the top as in constant shade but defo way better than doing the blue track!
Montgenevre tomorrow
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| jirac18 wrote: |
| Montgenevre tomorrow |
Looking forward to that report. It's how well the MW/VL works as a big linked area that I'm especially interested in as that's what I like best
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Didn’t make it to Montgenevre this morning. Suffering with head cold sore throat and added to that the low cloud flat light got down towards San Sicario and decided pragmatism was the order of the day so skied the bowl at Sauze which was actually very nice.
It was fair bit colder this morning than it has been, -4°c at first lift up at 0900. Pistes were icy and hard but softened nicely by lunch time.
Some of our group including one of the boarders did make it to Montgenevre but decided to take the bus back as there are long flat sections. Boarder seemed particularly displeased. Bus didn’t work out much better as it broke down. They’ve just been collected now by another bus en route. I’ll update conditions and more detail on the link to France tomorrow.
Heading into town shortly as tonight is our official stag night. Superhero fancy dress is order of the night so should be fun! A dozen 50yr old blokes in costumes, one as Wonder Woman (the stag of course).......what could possibly go wrong?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@jirac18, Loving these reports thanks for the updates superhero’s should be a giggle
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just after some advice, I’ve got a work event in Pila first week of March, last year I came in totally cold and it wasn’t the best idea, so this year looking to have 3 days warming up on skis beforehand.
We fly in to Milan from Australia and I’m thinking of staying in Turin as it’s a good city for my pregnant wife and toddler to explore and I can drive the hour or so to the Via Lattea as it’s a new area I haven’t skied before.
I would be on my own but happy just to ski piste to get the legs moving.
It looks like Oulx is the closest to Turin - please let me know if it’s a good idea to use that for parking and commencing my day. What is the parking like? Do I need to be early? etc etc. Dates would be Thu 27 - Sat 29 Feb. Any other suggestions?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Chamwow, sorry can’t help with the car situation but what Hothoundz says sounds good. The Lift up from Jouvenceaux is quick enough and you end up directly in the Sportinia Bowl. You’ve then got the added bonus of skiing the quieter nicer red run back down to Jouvenceaux at the days end rather than the horribly scraped icy busy blue to Clotes and town.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To close my trip rep as it somewhat fizzled out after the superhero night out:
Hotel splendid with us all in our outfits was hilarious. The other guests and staff were really on board with it and little kids were amazed and having their photos take with their favourites superheroes. I think it helped that we were all a bunch fifty year olds just having fun and not overly rowdy nor spoiling any other guests evening.
We invaded town and I must say the bars were again huge fun and we were roundly applauded and even had drinks bought for us by some folks for providing free entertainment. Special mention to Ghost Bar and The Village Cafe whose staff were brilliant.
I knew I’d had a good night when at 3am I was buying pepperoni pizza from the hole in the wall pizza place down in the square whilst dressed as Wolverine together with buddies Bannana Man and Robin (Batman had gone back to the cave by then) and enjoyed an impromptu magic show from a crazy Italian guy! The pizza there is superb and exactly how I recalled it a decade ago. The walk back up to Hotel Splendid seemed much easier after that!
Saturday we did minimal skiing as quite hungover but what we did was good but the weekend was very busy with locals and visitors from Turin and ski schools.
Overall a top top time was had by all. As a mixed ability group there is something for everyone in Via Lattea. Good blacks and reds, some cruisey blues and wide reds decent little snow park with jumps at Sauze, best skiing at Sestriere, some good restaurants, coffee, beers and brandy!
I’d go back there in a heart beat and would highly recommend a stay in Sauze as you can easily cover all the miles the area has to offer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@jirac18, brilliant TR and photos 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Looks fantastic, thanks for the updates.
As a fifty something I hope I have as much fun!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
excellent trip report -thanks for posting
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| jirac18 wrote: |
To close my trip rep as it somewhat fizzled out after the superhero night out:
Hotel splendid with us all in our outfits was hilarious. The other guests and staff were really on board with it and little kids were amazed and having their photos take with their favourites superheroes. I think it helped that we were all a bunch fifty year olds just having fun and not overly rowdy nor spoiling any other guests evening.
We invaded town and I must say the bars were again huge fun and we were roundly applauded and even had drinks bought for us by some folks for providing free entertainment. Special mention to Ghost Bar and The Village Cafe whose staff were brilliant.
I knew I’d had a good night when at 3am I was buying pepperoni pizza from the hole in the wall pizza place down in the square whilst dressed as Wolverine together with buddies Bannana Man and Robin (Batman had gone back to the cave by then) and enjoyed an impromptu magic show from a crazy Italian guy! The pizza there is superb and exactly how I recalled it a decade ago. The walk back up to Hotel Splendid seemed much easier after that!
Saturday we did minimal skiing as quite hungover but what we did was good but the weekend was very busy with locals and visitors from Turin and ski schools.
Overall a top top time was had by all. As a mixed ability group there is something for everyone in Via Lattea. Good blacks and reds, some cruisey blues and wide reds decent little snow park with jumps at Sauze, best skiing at Sestriere, some good restaurants, coffee, beers and brandy!
I’d go back there in a heart beat and would highly recommend a stay in Sauze as you can easily cover all the miles the area has to offer.
|
Did you guys fly back with Easyjet to Manchester by any chance???
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| hothoundz wrote: |
| Weekends get busy for parking so be early. |
Thanks for that. Jet lag will be in our favour, usually when travelling from Oz to EU we are up at 5am and battling to make it through dinner!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nice report!
The Splendid is a top hotel, no frills but very pleasant. As described, the walk back up is best dealt with following copious amounts of alcohol! Not for the faint hearted!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| bobmcstuff wrote: |
Did you guys fly back with Easyjet to Manchester by any chance??? |
No we flew to Bristol
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Marjon wrote: |
Nice report!
The Splendid is a top hotel, no frills but very pleasant. As described, the walk back up is best dealt with following copious amounts of alcohol! Not for the faint hearted! |
Indeed if you want to get your heart rate up stay at the Splendid, that hill walk is a beast! Great thing with it though is that the hotel staff come down in a van and collect all your luggage at the bus station drop off.
Also there is an easy level two minute walk to and from the piste above Clotes lift directly opposite along a small residential lane.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
