 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi GGB few years since I was there and I've only been once so I'm sure others will offer more detailed advice but it's easy to get from Sauze to Sestriere and Sansicario.
Keep going up from Clotes Sportina to Col Basset from there it's across to Mt Fraiteve and both resorts are open to you.
The bars you mentioned are in Sportina I think.
Have a great time
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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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In Sauze in 2020 (squeezed in a holiday before Corona hit!) we particularly enjoyed the red runs over in Sansicario. From memory the links were all really easy, to both Sestriere and Sansicario
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Very easy to get back to Sauze from San Sicario and Sestriere, lifts arrive at the same point, blue and black runs down. The godola down and I think the blue run to Sestriere deposit you in front of the next Lift up. San Sicario is direct access from Mount Fratieve
Just don't miss think link back from Sestriere as is long taxi or bus down to D'oulx and a connection back up as a member of our party found out
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Its a few years since I've skied Sauze et al but it's a very easy area to navigate and the links are well signposted. I'm not digging out a map but access out of sportinia is the easiest way but can be a bottle neck at times as it's only (or was...) a slow 4 man chair.
Sestriere is a nice area and as above, some of the reds in to Sansicario are excellent, there's also the womens Olympic downhill in that resort.
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The runs down to Sansicario are great, one is the former Women's downhill run for the Turin Olympics.
From memory there's a blue run from the top of Fratieve that brings you out to Borgata where you can access all the pistes in Sestriere. No walking across town required. A warning, the 2 man fixed speed chairlift to get from Sauze to the top of Fratieve is awful.
Also worth a day trip across the border to Montgenevre, some good runs over there, more snow sure and more modern lifts! This does however involve getting 3 consecutive chairlifts with no skiing but worth it in my opinion
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It's nearly 4 years since I was in Sauze, but the runs to, and in, Sansicario are great. Coming back into Sauze at the end of the day is not always fun though, especially in bad viz, which is common at the top of Freteve. The options are a red run with a narrow, steep opening section, which is okay once it opens out, or a narrow, blue cat-track round the summit, which then joins that same red. Alternatively, there are two blacks down from the other side of the lift station. Two or three years ago a young girl had a fatal accident on the red run and the authorities closed both red and blue pistes for a long time, leaving the blacks as the only home runs, with predictable end-of-day carnage. I assume all runs are open again now, but it might be worth checking.
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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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https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=76763&highlight=
I did a write up a while ago based on a week in 2002. I am sure plenty of people will tell you it is easy to get there and back if you are confident skiers. Sometimes the bubbles can be closed in high winds but I am sure that is the case for most bubble cars.
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Access to all areas is actually really easy and linked up with some very nice runs mostly wide.
One note of caution coming back from Sestriere or Sansicario to Sauze you have a choice of a blue track (27 alta 27 bis) to link to the reds and blues back and chair to Basset or a black (25 colo) off the top of Fratieve. When I last skied Via Lattea in 2020 the blue was horrendous and way harder than the black. Granted the black is reasonably steep and can be a bit icy as it stays shaded but the blue was in such bad condition with basically ankle deep grooves you either had to slot in and enjoy the ride or battle a tight space with others trying to avoid the grooves.
It was on this blue 25 run that sadly a teenager lost his life going through the netting on the left and off the cliff just a few years ago.
I tried the blue track once and vowed never again, way easier to ski the black.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks guys, great tips!
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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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Been twice and had a great time but not for a few years.
Early-week in low season they might not open the links over to Sestriere because CBA. But when open it is easy to link across. You can do Sauze to Montgenevre and back in a day with a lunch stop in Montgenevre provided you get a wriggle on.
I recall on the far side of Sestriere there are a couple of runs left un-pisted (think leading down towards the Club-Med)
Bars in Sauze: Ghost bar and the Irish bar (name escapes me but probably Paddy's or O'Neills) were good for beers and music. Cotton club used to be a lively late night venue and will show sports (6 Nations moreso).
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You know it makes sense.
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| jirac18 wrote: |
Access to all areas is actually really easy and linked up with some very nice runs mostly wide.
One note of caution coming back from Sestriere or Sansicario to Sauze you have a choice of a blue track (27 alta 27 bis) to link to the reds and blues back and chair to Basset or a black (25 colo) off the top of Fratieve. When I last skied Via Lattea in 2020 the blue was horrendous and way harder than the black. Granted the black is reasonably steep and can be a bit icy as it stays shaded but the blue was in such bad condition with basically ankle deep grooves you either had to slot in and enjoy the ride or battle a tight space with others trying to avoid the grooves.
It was on this blue 25 run that sadly a teenager lost his life going through the netting on the left and off the cliff just a few years ago.
I tried the blue track once and vowed never again, way easier to ski the black. |
A young man died late 2018 coming off this run by accident, then a little girl early 2019. This run was then closed for the remainder of that season and the resort management were prosecuted. They then widened the black run that gave the only other access to Sauze and smoothed it down making the link accessible to all despite the steep initial drop off, but nothing that’s not manageable by majority of skiers on this forum!
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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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All runs down to Sestriere from Fraiteve were closed at New Year - not sure if closed because of avalanche risk, bulletproof or lack of snow (all 3 were possibilities in the conditions). Sestriere was still accessible by downloading in the gondola. Hopefully the runs are now open with a bit of fresh and/or a change in the weather.
Return from Sansicario entails a long drag lift, unless you can get to the Sestriere gondola middle station. Some boarders had a particularly tough time on the drag.
Blue 25 is now back open - they’ve bypassed the dangerous bit (although still not one for nervous/vertiginous skiers). Would agree one of the 2 black options is much better.
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Poster: A snowHead
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And to get to Claviere/Montgenevre from Sansicario involves downloading from SS and then going up the other side of Claviere, I think. Not sure how much walking is involved - we didn’t bother (ski school pickup).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| DidierCouch wrote: |
| And to get to Claviere/Montgenevre from Sansicario involves downloading from SS and then going up the other side of Claviere, I think. Not sure how much walking is involved - we didn’t bother (ski school pickup). |
No walking involved, just 2 slowish chairs
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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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| afcbtim wrote: |
No walking involved, just 2 slowish chairs |
Thanks, I didn't know how far apart the lifts were in Claviere. From the piste map, it looked like a bit of a gap.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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To return from Clavier you normally have to take 2 of the chairlifts down as the snow coverage is poor and pistes closed
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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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Poor snow coverage in Sauze seems to be an occurance lately.. Been twice before Covid and both times conditions have not been the best... No fresh snow, Icy hard packed and the run down to clotes in the afternoons was naff.
Headed over to Montengerve and a total different story haha
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Spike107 wrote: |
Poor snow coverage in Sauze seems to be an occurance lately.. Been twice before Covid and both times conditions have not been the best... No fresh snow, Icy hard packed and the run down to clotes in the afternoons was naff.
Headed over to Montengerve and a total different story haha |
Unsure how true it is, but I was told that due to the location of the valleys the weather systems 'get stuck' over Montgenevre, dumping all the snow there, before moving on and leaving little for Sauze. Again, no idea if there's any truth in that
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| DidierCouch wrote: |
All runs down to Sestriere from Fraiteve were closed at New Year - not sure if closed because of avalanche risk, bulletproof or lack of snow (all 3 were possibilities in the conditions). Sestriere was still accessible by downloading in the gondola. Hopefully the runs are now open with a bit of fresh and/or a change in the weather.
Return from Sansicario entails a long drag lift, unless you can get to the Sestriere gondola middle station. Some boarders had a particularly tough time on the drag.
Blue 25 is now back open - they’ve bypassed the dangerous bit (although still not one for nervous/vertiginous skiers). Would agree one of the 2 black options is much better. |
We were there in Jan 2020 (so possibly pre bypass) staying in Sestriere, but on heading over to Sauze, our weakest / most nervous skier decided from Fraiteve he'd do the blue 25 / ?27 (so another of us went with him). they both said it was an awful run. The next day he took the black and said it was far easier!
The lift up to Fraiteve from Sauze is very slow and a queue bottleneck in the afternoon, but that's not an issue if you are heading back to Sauze
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| NBH wrote: |
| Spike107 wrote: |
Poor snow coverage in Sauze seems to be an occurance lately.. Been twice before Covid and both times conditions have not been the best... No fresh snow, Icy hard packed and the run down to clotes in the afternoons was naff.
Headed over to Montengerve and a total different story haha |
Unsure how true it is, but I was told that due to the location of the valleys the weather systems 'get stuck' over Montgenevre, dumping all the snow there, before moving on and leaving little for Sauze. Again, no idea if there's any truth in that |
I tend to agree with that theory on weather... Unbelievable the difference between the 2 areas in such a short distance...
Sauze wins hands down for Apres though 
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