 Poster: A snowHead
|
Heading to La Villa in the dolomites Feb Half Term and tempted to try the First World Tour ...
https://www.altabadia.org/en/winter-holidays/italian-alps/first-world-war-ski-tour.html
Would probably want to tackle it anticlockwise , head to corvara , Arabba , Marmolada . Bus to Alleghe... ski to Pescul? Bus to Cinque Torri.
Late Lunch at Rif Averau in Cinque Torre then hidden valley run (hoping its has quietened down a bit) and depending on time ski through Alta Badia or just get bus from San Cassiano back to home...
Anyone done this and have any advice ? Worth doing ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@sheffskibod, It looks an interesting tour, but you will not have much time to actually see any of the WWI remains. If not full of snow, those around the Cinque Torre take about 1 to 2 hours to explore.
To get to Cinque Torre from Pescul it may be better to get the bus to the Fedare lift and up to the Forcella Averau then ski down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
The Museum at the top of Marmolada is well worth a visit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| johnE wrote: |
@sheffskibod, It looks an interesting tour, but you will not have much time to actually see any of the WWI remains. If not full of snow, those around the Cinque Torre take about 1 to 2 hours to explore.
To get to Cinque Torre from Pescul it may be better to get the bus to the Fedare lift and up to the Forcella Averau then ski down. |
I was not necessarily looking to see things - just looked like an interesting day of travel through some bits I have not seen before...
Yes there is a bus from Pescul to Fedare lift on the official route... takes about 30 mins and runs every half hour or so.
My only issue is finding the actual bus stops rather than wasting time
- if anyone has done this tour can give a comment on how easy it is to locate the bus stops for the links between Malga Ciapela / Alleghe and then Pescul to Fedare
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
When staying at Arabba I've done the Marmolada (obviously), and on a day trip to do the hidden valley also skied the Cinque Torre area. So I think in terms of skiing the only bit I haven't done is Pescul.
I'd second the recommendation for the Marmolada museum, though I only had a brief look (didn't want to give up too much skiing time).
I was thinking of doing the WW1 tour next time I'm out there, so if you do do it I'd like to hear how you get on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
The WW1 / WW2 forts at the summits of the Italian passes are kinda good.
A hundred years ago, 18yo, waiting in a concrete box to freeze to death or get your head blown clean off.
Worth a trek.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| sheffskibod wrote: |
| johnE wrote: |
@sheffskibod, It looks an interesting tour, but you will not have much time to actually see any of the WWI remains. If not full of snow, those around the Cinque Torre take about 1 to 2 hours to explore.
To get to Cinque Torre from Pescul it may be better to get the bus to the Fedare lift and up to the Forcella Averau then ski down. |
I was not necessarily looking to see things - just looked like an interesting day of travel through some bits I have not seen before...
Yes there is a bus from Pescul to Fedare lift on the official route... takes about 30 mins and runs every half hour or so.
My only issue is finding the actual bus stops rather than wasting time
- if anyone has done this tour can give a comment on how easy it is to locate the bus stops for the links between Malga Ciapela / Alleghe and then Pescul to Fedare |
Yes, I've done it a number of times, definitely worth doing, the scenery is amazing at Civetta and Averau/Cinque Torri. Anti-clockwise lets you do the Hidden Valley, which is spectacular.
The bus stop at Malga Ciapela is on the main road. Ski as far as the Marmolada cablecar station, walk across the car park, you need to buy a ticket before you get on the bus at the gift shop in the small parade of shops to your left. You used to be able to ski down the Sottoguda gorge and pick up the bus in Sottoguda village, but since the rockfall, it's been closed. It drops you along the main road by the lake at Alleghe, just past the gondola station.
The bus stop at Pescul is easy to spot, bus is usually waiting in the car park next to the chairlift. Pay the driver, it's a return ticket, so you could do it the other way later in the week. After a dozen or so hairpins, it drops you at the car park next to the rickety Fedare chair, it's pretty empty up there.
You do need to make sure the Croda Negra chair is running, otherwise you have to ski down to Bai de Dones and catch the bus up to Falzarego from Cortina.
If you have time it's worth dropping down to Cinque Torri to admire the pinnacles and getting the chair back up to Averau.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Thu 6-02-20 17:39; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the aftermath of White Friday, December 13th 1916, 10,000 soldiers on all sides were killed from avalanches. It was a brutal theatre of war. It and its aftermath in the 20s and 30s should be studied by everyone who visits the Dolomites.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
| It was a brutal theatre of war. It and its aftermath in the 20s and 30s should be studied by everyone who visits the Dolomites. |
Some very sad & shocking events - like all wars...We were just there in January. I would indeed like to find out more. Unfortunately the WWI museum at the bottom station of Sassa Pordoi (which looked very good) was closed; and we didn't have time for the Marmolada one after discovering it was there on arrival at the cable car station.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@mountainaddict, If you want to explore the area then a summer trip is to be reccomended. Last summer we did some sport climbing at the bottom of Hexenstein and the Fedaia pass and we were stumbling over first world war trenches, field kitchens, and at the bottom of the Ferrata Degli Alpini a field hospital. Both sides looked over the Falzerago pass and simply shelled each other. At that time it was the border betwenn Italy and Austria and still marks the language divide. To the north it is German speaking and to the south Italian.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
WW1 was bloody all over North East Italy. At one stage the River Piave was supposed to have been "red with blood".
Anywhere in Italy where there was an Austro-Hungarian border will have trenches, memorials, forts and/or ossuaries.
Riva del Garda was virtually demolished by gun emplacements above Lake Ledro, there was a fort with emplacements at Oga above Bormio (hence the name "Al Forte").
Austrian POWs were used as work-gangs for road building as well.
I can't talk about nowadays but 10 to 15 years ago bodies were still coming out of the glaciers **and they could be identified by their paybooks**
As JohnE says, it's better as a summer trip and read the book before you go (take it with you!)
A website to look at is dangerousroads.org if you take your own car (Jimny/Disco/Defender/Panda 4x4 would be a good idea). The roads that I've seen are not "dangerous" but "interesting"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@johnE, the language thing is not entirely true. Yes Südtirol is predominantly German speaking and Belluno predominantly Italian speaking but the area around the Falzerago pass (indeed most of the "Sella Ronda" area) is Ladin speaking. Immediately north and west of the pass (ie in Südtirol) the areas are 80% - 90% Ladin speaking, south and east not so many Ladin speakers but still around 50% and 15% in Cortina. Three of the communes used to be in the Tirol until 1918 and there has been moves (unsuccessful) for Cortina and the other two communes to move back into the Südtirol.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladin_language#Province_of_Belluno for more info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@munich_irish, I don't think Cortina was ever in Austria. I think they want to move to get advantage of the semi autonomous status of the Südtirol, particularly the tax advantages.You are correct about the Ladin speaking areas. I beleive that places such as Wolkenstein are actually Ladin speaking (though I thought it was spoken much further west).
The border between Südtirol and Veneto still causes some intersting disputes today. As an example the lifts on Marmolada cannot be developed because the top is (I beleive) in Veneto and the main bennificaries will be in Südtirol where most of the skiing actually takes place. So Veneto will not allow the delelopment to go ahead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
@johnE, I was surprised to find out but Cortina was located in the Austrian - Hungarian province of Tirol not Italy prior to 1918 (the Veneto was in Austria - Hungary until 1866 anyway) along with the two other communes which border what is now Südtirol around the Falzerago pass (it is mentioned in that wiki link but I first read it elsewhere). As I understand it the Grödental / Val Gherdëina is mostly German speaking at the western end around Lajen but then becomes mostly Ladin speaking from Urtijëi onwards (which means practically all the skiing area). I suspect very few locals would normally use the "Italian" names given to the towns by most brits 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Yes, it’s worth doing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Parts of the railway line to Cortina (closed in the 1960s) were built during WW1 , the northern part by the Austrian military and the southern part by the Italians, after the war the line was completed. The present bus station in Cortina is situated on the site of the old train station, the original station building is still there, see photo.
Interestingly the article says the authorities are to commission a feasibility study into a new rail line to Cortina. The awarding of the 2026 Winter Olympics to Cortina presumably is a factor in this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I like the fact that the Italian section was 750mm, whereas the Austrian section was 700mm gauge. I suppose once the Austrians captured Cortina they changed the gauge. Then the Italians changed it again
The railway even made it as an article in Nature https://www.nature.com/articles/129018a0
As an aside, has anyone skied in those small resorts near Toblach?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@johnE, good spot on the article in Nature. Good old mercury arc rectifiers, I believe the London Science Museum used to (maybe still does) have one on display, I remember the violet light coming from it when in operation. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
