 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
We are looking to spend a few days learning how to ski in early March. After reading a few posts in this forum, it seems like Corvara/Colfosco and Trysil would both be great options for absolute beginners given the wide easy slopes on offer at both.
Please could you share any thoughts that might help us decide between these two resorts, or even suggest any alternative resorts that you think might be suitable? We are keen on Italy or Scandinavia.
Thanks in advance!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@ob96, welcome to snowHeads! 
I've no knowledge of Trysil. I have skied at Geilo in Norway and whilst Norway is a lovely country with friendly people do be aware that Norway is an expensive country (especially if you have any beer or wine with your meals!)
I do know the Corvara/Colfosco area very well however, and in my opinion would be an ideal location for absolute beginners (especially Colfosco). The Italians are experts at maintaining the pistes in good condition, and apart from the skiing aspects the Dolomites have amazing scenery and the mountain restaurants offer great food at very reasonable prices. So my recommendation would be to go to Colfosco or Corvara.
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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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| Alastair Pink wrote: |
@ob96, welcome to snowHeads!
I've no knowledge of Trysil. I have skied at Geilo in Norway and whilst Norway is a lovely country with friendly people do be aware that Norway is an expensive country (especially if you have any beer or wine with your meals!)
I do know the Corvara/Colfosco area very well however, and in my opinion would be an ideal location for absolute beginners (especially Colfosco). The Italians are experts at maintaining the pistes in good condition, and apart from the skiing aspects the Dolomites have amazing scenery and the mountain restaurants offer great food at very reasonable prices. So my recommendation would be to go to Colfosco or Corvara. |
Thank you for the quick reply! That's very reassuring to hear that we're right on the right path regarding Corvara/Colofosco. We have been looking at Colofosco as accomodation at Corvara seems to be significantly more expensive and, for most places, nowhere near as nice as some of the apartments at Colofosco.
The one thing that's made me have some doubts about Colofosco is that the slope map makes it seem slightly complex. Do you think the slopes will be easy to access and navigate for absolute beginners?
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| ob96 wrote: |
Trysil would a be great options for absolute beginners given the wide easy slopes .
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Yes it is and to add, the ski school is excellent as is their English (not always the case in Italy, in terms of language), and there is very little of the boorish behaviour of speeding/reckless skiers on their slopes that can very easily upset beginners.
You can pretty much ski the whole resorts on greens and blues.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 9-09-22 12:52; edited 1 time in total
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| ob96 wrote: |
The one thing that's made me have some doubts about Colofosco is that the slope map makes it seem slightly complex. Do you think the slopes will be easy to access and navigate for absolute beginners? |
Colfosco is very easy to access and navigate even for absolute beginners. There is a very wide gentle slope (blue piste no. 36) underneath the Sodlisia chairlift ( lift no. 36 on the piste map), part of one side of this is used for the kiddies ski school. From near the bottom of the Sodlisia chairlift there is a gondola that goes up the Edelweiss side valley (lift no. 46). When you get out of the gondola there is a new 6 person chairlift no. 49 that takes you to the top of two more wide gentle blue pistes, piste nos. 49 and 49a.
Incidentally both of the locations I mentioned have excellent mountain restaurants for lunch or a coffee break. At the top of the Sodlisia chair as you get off to the right there is the Mathiaskeller. At the bottom of piste 49 in the Edelweiss side valley is the Rifugio Edelweiss/Edelweisshütte.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 7-09-22 9:10; edited 1 time in total
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@ob96, Colfosco is actually very simple topographically when you get there.
I think it looks complex on the piste map as they've compressed the area in order to fit it onto the wider Sella Ronda map.
Highly recommended
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We are going to be Corvara virgins in February. I've been studying the piste map and watching Igors You Tube, I hope it makes sense when we get there!
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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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The whole area rewards those with a taste for - and a nose for - exploration.
You can never really get into too much trouble as a competent blue run skier
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just a thought. If it's "just a few days" you probably won't fit into the standard ski school weeks and will need to book private lessons. That's not necessarily a problem but bear it in mind, and in particular try to ensure that it's VERY easy to get from your accommodation to the meeting place for lessons. Getting round in ski boots, carrying skis, is not easy when you start (and actually it remains something most of us prefer to do as little as possible).
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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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Thank you all for the wonderful advice - it seems like Colofosco is definitely the place for us this winter.
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Don't ignore the specific 'Learn To Ski' packages offered by the UK Tour operators
Once you add everything together it can often work out much cheaper
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You know it makes sense.
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@ob96, just a slight correction, the Italian name is Colfosco. You'll also see it sometimes referred to by its German name Kolfuschg or its Ladin name Calfosch. The three languages of the Dolomites .
The mixture of languages and cultures has the happy result that the food on offer at the restaurants cover a wide variety of dishes from the respective cuisines. Of course in spite of the bilingual or sometimes trilingual nature of the locals you'll find that the restaurant staff will be fine with English. 
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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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Great link, thanks
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Poster: A snowHead
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We did Trysil this year in early January due to not being able to travel to France.
It is a great resort for beginners and is very family friendly. We are experienced skiers so found the grades a bit soft but still had a fantastic time as the resort has lots to offer. After missing a year of skiing due to Covid this was our first trip back and we enjoyed carving down empty runs mid-week when there were very few people in the resort, a pleasant change from what we experienced in Courchevel a few weeks later.
We stayed in the Radisson-Blu and it was a very comfortable and not that old with great restaurants and other facilities like a pool. In terms of transport it is a 2 hr bus ride from Oslo airport.
We didn't find it that more expensive than France to be honest.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I can absolutely recommend Colfosco/Corvara. Outside of the obvious (it's Italy! Dolomites! Great food!), the runs are perfect for beginners. And if you progress a bit, Edelweiss has slightly harder (and one wide red/black) slopes. Corvara is nearly all blue runs, at least those you can get to without much difficulty from the village. I would stay in Colfosco, however, to make the first few days as hassle-free as possible.
There really are no runs in which you would find yourself with no easy way out. It will, however, spoil you for going anywhere else...
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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 Trysil here, we learned there and I'd highlight the quality of the instruction. Excellent English, fun and varied. We had private lessons which came at a price but i felt were worth it. I loved the vibe in Norway, quiet, truly wintery and cosy, lovely trees to ski through.
That said, as a first ski experience being in the Dolomites would be gorgeous, just find the best lessons you can.
Either way you'll have a blast, enjoy!
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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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@ob96, one more thing about Trysil - once you've got the hang of them, you'll realise that the t bar lifts (or anchors as they generally get referred to here) really aren't that bad. So when you come across one in future, you won't collapse into the quivering wreck that afflicts many skiers who've only ever used chairs and gondolas. 
Trysil would be a great location for you, in all seriousness.
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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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Trysil. For the ski school. It's not even close. And I love the Dolomites.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If you haven't skied before, you've done remarkably well to unearth Trysil!
I've skied at around 50 different resorts, mainly in Austria, but when I finally fork out and teach the whole family to ski, we're going to Trysil. Literally can't think of a better place. Would stay in either of the Radissons.
Flights to Oslo and the drive up are a dream. Costs not too bad. Ski pass and Ski hire compares favourably to most of Europe. Food a little more than the UK, perhaps 25%.
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If you are bring kids (over 5yo), I would go to Radisson Blu in Tourist sentreret - they will thank you IMV: - https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2891131&highlight=trysil#2891131
For adults, I would go Colfosco, the nursery slope is in the middle of/ surrounded by one of the most beautiful bits of the most beautiful places with the sun high with lovely restaurants...
though both are top notch for beginners
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