Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Xmas in the Dolomites - with lots of fresh air

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So thinking of pulling the trigger on a Dolomites holiday for week of 20th-27th Dec - and pushing the boat out a bit further than our usual standards, given we’ve got two years of no-holidays accrued. We normally do France at Easter as a family (les arcs, 3v, EK), but decided on somewhere a bit more picturesque given the season - would be our first time to the Dollies, but relying on the snow-making to mitigate the risk of that time of year. Selva is the main contender at the moment, but my wife has just thrown me a curve ball by asking if we can choose a resort where we can avoid gondolas/cable cars where possible, just in case rates are through the roof when we go. Would selva, or other more suitable locations in the Dolomites allow for that? If not, any other suggestions - as said, would quite like something pretty, but with the usual conundrum of as snow sure as is feasible for early season. As a family we normally ski French reds with the odd black thrown in to test ourselves, though my daughter is threatening to give snow boarding a go, which might mean we need some decent mellow options too.

Also: given all the potential uncertainty, I’ve decided I’ll go with a package rather than trying to diy, and have found a couple of options on igluski that look promising - I also see they come up a few hundred pounds cheaper than going direct with the tour operator. Now last year I had a big kerfuffle (eventually filing for a CCJ) to get my moment back from Mark Warner - I realise of course that this time round it’s all very different and we’re going in with our eyes wide open, but if there are any issues of that nature will having igluski as a middle-man complicate things, or would it all be immaterial - ie is it worth spending a bit more to have a direct relationship with the vendor, just in case?
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
'avoid gondolas/cable cars' -- that would be difficult in Selva and the Ronda.

There has been a recent thread on the subject

here -- https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=156008
ski holidays
 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?
@Pejoli, My experience of the Dolomites is largely summer based but my reccolection is that the resorts are in the valleys and you need a telecabine to get upto the main ski areas where there are lots of chair lifts. However, I think you need a skibus to get from Selva di Cadora to the Civetta area where there are lots of chairs and drags. Similarly upto the Fedare lift - once again mainly chairs from then on. So if you are prepared to take a bus instead of a telecabine you should be OK.
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
albob wrote:
'avoid gondolas/cable cars' -- that would be difficult in Selva and the Ronda.

There has been a recent thread on the subject

here -- https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=156008


Hmm, that’s what I thought the answer might be - and presumably rules out most Austrian valley options too (the other places in that thread are either long-haul or a bit fugly for Xmas, IMO).

Anywhere up the hill that might suit ? Or how about any Swiss options?
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
johnE wrote:
@Pejoli, My experience of the Dolomites is largely summer based but my reccolection is that the resorts are in the valleys and you need a telecabine to get upto the main ski areas where there are lots of chair lifts. However, I think you need a skibus to get from Selva di Cadora to the Civetta area where there are lots of chairs and drags. Similarly upto the Fedare lift - once again mainly chairs from then on. So if you are prepared to take a bus instead of a telecabine you should be OK.


Thanks for the suggestion, and one I’ll look into, but probably presents the same ‘perceived’ risk profile judging by most ski-buses I’ve ever taken.
latest report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
@Pejoli, Would you consider driving? Two options, all the way there, or fly/hire. At least a couple of tour operators used to offer self drive.

I don`t really know the area you are talking about only having been there in summer but in many areas of France, Germany and Austria its possible to drive high enough to get to chairs and drags.
snow report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Pejoli, Anywhere up the hill that might suit ? Or how about any Swiss options?

On the foundation that swiss cabin etc seemed to run competently (inspite from crap sensational amateur press reporting) places like Grimentz Zinal offer beautiful valley, good snow record and altitude, with just one cabin to elevation and the rest open lifts. Accessible from Geneva via rail and post bus to village.

Also Champerèy the same (one cable car to altitude) to access PdS with all open lifts. Fairly traditional village, open aspect valley with very nice views all with good access from Geneva via rail transfer.
ski holidays
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
well if you want outside Dolos, consider Flachau or Obertauern...es gibt nur 1 Gondel in each of them
latest report
 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.
If that's the worry, I think you are better off staying at home.
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
It's a shame that there's been a recent trends towards replacing chairlifts with gondolas, in many resorts. I prefer chairlifts, anyway - fresh air and no faffing with putting skis on and off. Gondolas are only good, imho, in bad weather, of I guess where the topography dictates. I believe they are also often slightly faster..?
latest report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Ricky B, I think most skiers would agree with you in prefering chair lifts to telecabines. I suspect that they are not any quicker once taking off and putting on skis is taking into consideration and much more convenient.
The reason I think they are becoming more popular is that I suspect the capacity is greater for not much more cost (if any), safer for beginners where the occaisional pile up at the exit of the chair is avoided, much prefered for children (though having seen my son crushed by bums in telepheriques in the past I would query that) and of course can go higher over the ground without the requirement to me lowered to the ground by rope in the event of a breakdown.
No doubt my friend, Lother, would be even more dispirited. He prefers drag lifts to chairs anyway. Drags seem to be going the way of single seater chairs (and trolley busses)
ski holidays
 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.
Pejoli wrote:
but my wife has just thrown me a curve ball by asking if we can choose a resort where we can avoid gondolas/cable cars where possible, just in case rates are through the roof when we go.

I can't see the logic to suggest that Covid will be any worse than flu by December.

But if it is "through the roof" going in a gondola for 10 minutes would be the least of your worries I would have thought.

Personally, I would whilst acknowledges your wife's concerns, wouldn't let it affect your plans. As others have said finding a sizeable gondola free resort is pretty difficult to say the least.
snow report
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I think that gondolas are better than chairs when I have taken them. Normally a higher capacity than a chair and they tend to cover a much longer distance. I think that they provide a longer ski at the other end per total minutes involved in lift business (equation pending).

I do agree that gondolas are probably not going to be a big Covid problem compared with other situations you will find in resort. It's not in my thought process despite having probably catching Covid in a gondola during my last trip!
snow report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Yes, there are pros and cons to all types of lifts, I guess, and it is often a matter of personal preference. I remember when the kids were younger, there was generally a mutiny, if I ever suggested we take the bubble (gondola) or cable-car... Smile Guess the lifts where they have a choice of chairs or bubbles tick most boxes, tho they are quite rare. I also love button / Poma drag-lifts, tho have never been a big fan of T-bars..!
snow report
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
If cases are through the roof you wont be going anywhere...so you may as well go for it!

We are crossing our fingers for Selva in that week - bumped from last Xmas...package with Crystal.
ski holidays
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Layne wrote:
Pejoli wrote:
but my wife has just thrown me a curve ball by asking if we can choose a resort where we can avoid gondolas/cable cars where possible, just in case rates are through the roof when we go.

I can't see the logic to suggest that Covid will be any worse than flu by December.

But if it is "through the roof" going in a gondola for 10 minutes would be the least of your worries I would have thought.

Personally, I would whilst acknowledges your wife's concerns, wouldn't let it affect your plans. As others have said finding a sizeable gondola free resort is pretty difficult to say the least.


I’ll avoid debating the likelihood lest this turns into yet another COVID thread - so if it’s a distraction just imagine I said she’s claustrophobic. Equally though, I’m not looking for a resort with *no* gondolas - I could quite happily ski LA, Tignes or VT without using one, for example (and we normally hire a car to get there from the airport) - just they don’t tick the ‘xmas charm’ box.

I’ll look at those Swiss and Austrian options though - thanks all.
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Pejoli, Lech in Austria is lovely at Christmas and has almost no enclosed lifts. The exceptions are - an old cable car from Lech village up to Oberlech, which you only need to use if you're staying in Oberlech accommodation; a large cable car that most folk use max once per day for a link across to Zurs; and a gondola that links from Lech to Warth. The gondola link to Warth does open up a lot of decent runs all serviced by chairs and if you go to it first thing in the morning you can usually get a bubble to yourself.
ski holidays
 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?
sheffskibod wrote:
If cases are through the roof you wont be going anywhere...so you may as well go for it!

We are crossing our fingers for Selva in that week - bumped from last Xmas...package with Crystal.


exactly that
We have booked Innsbruck - providing the Austrians allow us to fly by then it will be Mayrhofen or Selva or somewhere else that may have got luckier with snow!
latest report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy