Hi All, I'm struggling to find much info on Cortina, but as I'm going in just over a week, I wondered if anyone had any particular advice for six mature guys going on a five day trip. We're quite adventurous and like to push ourselves, so as its a bit of a disparate area, does anyone know it well enough to advise on some sort of itinarary? The Sella Ronda can be reached appaz, but is it worth the effort?
TIA
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Depends on where you're staying and what transport you have.
If you're in the centre and relying on skibuses, you basically have two sides, Tofana & Faloria-Cristallo.
On the Tofana side, it gets steeper from left to right. If it's sunny, make sure you take the cablecar into the highest sector at Ra Valles for the best snow.
There is a new gondola on the far left that goes up to the Cinque Torri area. From here there is the Super 8 circuit that leads to the cablecar up to Lagazuoi, the starting point of the Hidden Valley run. You need to catch a minibus back up the pass at the end. That would be a good day out.
The Faloria side has some great long runs. Then you can cross over to sunny Cristallo, run 73 is my fave run in Cortina.
If you had independent transport you could try some neighbouring areas, the Sella Ronda circuit, Kronplatz or Drei Zinnen. There is a single chair at Lake Misurina, doesn't sound that good and might not be a priority for that reason, but whoever laid the runs out knew what he was doing, very enjoyable for a quiet afternoon.
If you're with a Tour Op, sometimes they'll lay on a daytrip to one of the other ski areas like the Sella Ronda, that would be the best way to get there if you don't have your own transport.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 1-03-22 10:30; edited 1 time in total
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?
Thanks Luigi, Much appreciated.
We are staying near the centre in Hotel Olimpia and don't have our own transport. When you say we have to catch a minibus back, is that a free service or needs to be arranged?
Perhaps there are local taxi companies who could collect from the sella ronda area?
"When you say we have to catch a minibus back, is that a free service or needs to be arranged?.."
There is a Shuttle service which runs, throughout the day, leaving from Armentorola, taking skiers to the bottom of the Cable car, so they can ski the Hidden Valley.
This would also allow others to return to Cortina. It is not free.
This makes for a long day out - you might be better getting a taxi direct to San Cassiano or Corvara so you can access the Ronda directly
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Olimpia is right near the centre and just about walkable to the Faloria cablecar. You will need the skibus to get to the lifts on the Tofana side, unless the hotel operates a shuttle bus for guests. Tofana side has the most blues to get your ski legs back on the first day though.
The minibuses wait at the bottom of the Hidden Valley run (at the car park just beyond the Capanna Alpina restaurant, if there's not one there, a guy will call one up from Armentarola) to take you back up to Passo Falzarego, it might cost around €6-8 per person. From there you can ski back to Bai di Dones, where the new gondola will take you back to the edge of Cortina. If you had time, you could venture further into the Sella Ronda area by taking the Horse-tow in the frozen riverbed just past Capanna Alpina. After a bit of poling along to Armentarola, there is a drag that links you into the San Cassiano/Alta Badia lift system. I doubt you would have time in a day to contemplate doing the Sella Ronda after the Hidden Valley.
This guy did do the Sella Ronda plus Hidden Valley (Lagazuoi), but from a different start point. He knows the way intimately, the lifts and runs look very quiet and still it was a long day of hard, fast skiing.
I'm sure you could arrange (maybe ask your Hotel?) for a local taxi guy to take you all from Cortina to San Cassiano. La Villa or Corvara and from there you could definitely do the Sella Ronda and arrange a pickup to get home or just ski to Hotel Armentarola where the Hidden Valley taxi guys ply their trade and take a ride either back to Falzarego or negotiate a price back to Cortina if it's too late for any more skiing.
I believe there are payable public buses from Cortina Bus station stopping at San Cassiano, La Villa & Corvara. A Tour Op private bus away day would be the best solution though, if available.
But it seems there's a limited timetable, only an early departure 0800 and late return 1830...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Rockape63, we did this in 2017(3 old codgers) 5 day trip and really enjoyed ourselves. We had a rental car which we picked up at Marco Polo. Our hotel was bang in the centre of town and most days we drove to Socrepes and started from there apart from when we skied up on Faloria and skied The Hidden Valley.
I have just looked at the piste map and there are new additions which means you can get to Cinque Torri without the bus, which we took from Pocol.
I would suggest you do this route one day to experience the Cinque Torri area and then ski the Hidden Valley but do NOT miss out the piste from the top to bottom of Lagozuoi, it's a fabulous piste run with stunning views! Then either take the tow out to Hotel Armentarola and get the bus back or get a taxi from the bottom of the valley.
On another day you could get the bus back to Hotel Armentarola or further on to San Cassiano to gain access onto the Sella Ronda if you wish to which would be a nice day out but to be honest imho you would be better just exploring the Alta Badia area for a day out.
The skiing generally is fantastic but not to convenient which helps to keep the numbers down. The town is brilliant, we were on B&B terms so had some cracking nights out, although not jumping we loved it. We went in January and I enjoyed it so much I took my wife there 2 months later!
We stayed quite near to your hotel. How are you getting there from the airport?
After all it is free
After all it is free
Thanks Pal...Weve got a transfer to and from Venice, as we have skis and want to avoid car hire for six. Will consider all this info with the guys and decide what to do.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I've been studying the piste maps to try and get an understanding of your advice and geography of the place. Ive printed off the cortina and Alta badia maps and think I've understood it. Just a couple of questions if I may:
1. Is it possible to get to the super 8 area and then over to Lagazuoi from the town, as I can't see a lift to that area?
2. If we can do that, then can we take the horse drawn drag to get to ski around the sella ronda and get back to Armentarola to get a mini bus to Passa Falzarego and get back to Cortina that way?
Finally, if that was possible, at what times would we need to get to the minibus to back in time?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
We were in Alta Badia last week and I looked at heading over to Cortina but didn’t get around to it, we make it to Lagazuoi and down the hidden valley. It looks like quite a few lifts from Cortina to the bottom cable car station for Lagazuoi so may take a bit of time. After the horse tow there’s a bit of poling to a button lift that takes you to a piste to Sam Cassiano where a gondola, short piste and a chair lift will take you to the top of a long blue down to Corvara and on to the sella Ronda. If you go anti clockwise and leave the sella Ronda at Passo Compolongo it’s 2 chairs lifts and 2 longish blue pistes to get to Armentarola and the bus to Lagazuoi, this is by the button you would have taken earlier.
Timing would be tight, I think you’d need to be in Corvara before midday and hope to get around the sella Ronda in 3 hours.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Rockape63 wrote "1. Is it possible to get to the super 8 area and then over to Lagazuoi from the town, as I can't see a lift to that area?"
(as posted up the page by Luigi) "There is a new gondola on the far left that goes up to the Cinque Torri area. From here there is the Super 8 circuit that leads to the cablecar up to Lagazuoi, the starting point of the Hidden Valley run. You need to catch a minibus back up the pass at the end. That would be a good day out."
The new lift (Son dei Prade-Cianzopè-Bai de Dones) does not yet show on the piste map. Some info
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.
Rockape63 wrote:
I've been studying the piste maps to try and get an understanding of your advice and geography of the place. Ive printed off the cortina and Alta badia maps and think I've understood it. Just a couple of questions if I may:
1. Is it possible to get to the super 8 area and then over to Lagazuoi from the town, as I can't see a lift to that area?
2. If we can do that, then can we take the horse drawn drag to get to ski around the sella ronda and get back to Armentarola to get a mini bus to Passa Falzarego and get back to Cortina that way?
Finally, if that was possible, at what times would we need to get to the minibus to back in time?
1. The new gondola on this map shown in red as progetto (projected), now operational. (Son dei Prade - Bai de Dones)
2. Yes, that would be the route, but I doubt you would have time to get to the Hidden Valley, do the Sella Ronda and get back to Cortina on skis, it's probably a bridge too far. As others have said, you may have time to explore the Alta Badia area above San Cassiano. The Sella Ronda can be quite busy, with queuing for some key lifts, which could put any timetable awry.
2b. The minibus back up the pass from Armentarola only takes about 15 mins, as long as there's no queue waiting for it. So you can gauge how long it took to get to the pass on the way out from Cortina and leave yourselves enough time to get back again, noting the operation times of the last lift you need to use and a bit of leeway. My guess is you wouldn't have time to do much over in Alta Badia, particularly if you have been taking your time and enjoying the views in the Hidden Valley and stopping for coffees or lunch.
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
Thanks very much!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Actually, if you are reasonably quick, it should be quite doable to manage the Hidden Valley and Sella Ronda and back. I have often done the opposite from Selva, with a circuit of the Cinque Torri thrown in. It depends on how busy it is, and the size of queues at Lagazuoi.
If you do the Sella Ronda anti-clockwise, then if you are running short of time, you could always get a taxi back to Lagazuoi from Arabba, which would save you having to get back to Armentarola (saving 4 lifts). I recall seeing a sign in Arabba for taxis to Lagazuoi, although can’t remember where exactly - I would guess at the bottom of the Burz chair.
Of course, that means starting at first lift, a quicker lunch, and minimising the coffee stops, but quite easily doable.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Rockape63, like I posted early pal, they would be two separate days out. To be honest as you're staying in Cortina my advise would be to leave the Sella Ronda for another time, you have to use lots of lifts and you would be chasing the time to get around and then back to Cortina.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
rg1 wrote:
Actually, if you are reasonably quick, it should be quite doable to manage the Hidden Valley and Sella Ronda and back. I have often done the opposite from Selva, with a circuit of the Cinque Torri thrown in. It depends on how busy it is, and the size of queues at Lagazuoi.
If you do the Sella Ronda anti-clockwise, then if you are running short of time, you could always get a taxi back to Lagazuoi from Arabba, which would save you having to get back to Armentarola (saving 4 lifts). I recall seeing a sign in Arabba for taxis to Lagazuoi, although can’t remember where exactly - I would guess at the bottom of the Burz chair.
Of course, that means starting at first lift, a quicker lunch, and minimising the coffee stops, but quite easily doable.
Yes, you can get a taxi from Arabba main square (nr Bar Peter) up to Lagazuoi. They wanted €50 when I last did it in 2009. I reckon you'd need to at least double that now, but split 5 ways and saving the cost of the transport up from Armentarola, it might not break the bank.
Remember, the OP would also need to add on to what you did getting out from his hotel in Cortina up to Falzarego and back again. It may be possible with a fair wind, hard skiing, minimal stops, no wrong turns and no serious lift queues/delays...in the words of Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry...do ya feel lucky, punk, do ya??
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
