Poster: A snowHead
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v.Heading to Selva Val Gardena in March. 4 decent intermediates happy to ski all day. Curious about recommended places to check out - quieter off the beaten track blues and some reds, mountain restaurants and any nice bars in Selva. All recommendations gratefully received.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The runs into Val Gardena are mainly reds, but easy enough for intermediates. The Seceda area are mostly nice easy runs, with a long return (about 5Km) down to the train.
It's a real sun trap on warm days.
La longia (11Km) is the longest run in the area. Can be busy, with a couple of bottlenecks. I'd suggest going at lunchtime when it's quieter.
Plenty of blues and reds in Plan de Gralba, but they can get busy.
Alp di Suisi is a nice area, and probably quieter.
There is the bonus of the newly reopened run back down to Ortesei.
You can get a ski bus down to Ortesei and take the gondola, or you can ski down from Plan de Gralba *and catch a bus from there to Saltria.
* The run isn't shown on some maps. It goes from behind the top of Comici 1 lift, and follows the road down. The bus runs about every hour. There used to be a sign with a bus showing the route.
I've not been there since before Covid, but it should still be running. Hoping to do it on the Birthday bash this year, weather permitting, so might be able to update you.
Then of course, it's worth a couple of days doing the Sella Ronda in both directions.
Plenty of nice cruising blues and reds over in Corvara. You can be there in 30-40 minutes from the top of Dantercepies.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks so much. -really appreciate it.
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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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I’d say the easiest way to get to Alp di Suisi is to ski down La Longia from Seceda. When you get to the gondola at the bottom there is a tunnel directly behind (and below) it with a travelator. At the end of the travelator come out the tunnel and turn left. Go down the escalator. From there it’s a 5-10min walk to the Alp di Suisi gondola.
No need to wait on buses.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Off the beaten track -- Edelweiss valley above Colfosco ; Ciampac above Alba (val di fassa).
Not found a bad mountain hutte yet....
Busiest bars in Selva are the Kronestube/Saltos/La Stua ; not sure about restaurants as I always go half board
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Easiest way to Seiser Alm is to drive to the gondola and park in the lot underneath it, frankly. Spend the day there exploring.
For other quieter areas, as mentioned the Edelweiss Valley, as well as the Monte Pana area itself. A little farther away, the runs above Corvara are often less trafficked.
But if you go in school holidays there will be some generally manageable queues everywhere,especially on the Sella Ronda.
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@Pasigal,
Easiest way to Seiser Alm is to drive to the gondola and park in the lot underneath it, frankly
Well, yes, IF you have a car.
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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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luigi wrote: |
Rifugio Scotoni two thirds of the way down does some great grilled meats. |
...and here is the proof. They wouldn't let me order that sampler by myself (?) so I "settled" for the cheese polenta! Go, and plan on waiting. I try and get there just after 11, seems to work.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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re trips,
1) Seceda to Ortisei - (as mentioned above), this is our favourite run in the area, nice and long with great scenery, we normally get there mid day and it's never been busy so we sometimes go straight back down again. Note that the cable car station is a bottle neck and can be busy on the way back, if it is just ski back down, the queues seem to ebb and flow (there was a waiting time sign there last year so you can judge if it's worth it).
2) Hidden valley (again mentioned above) - I'm not a massive fan of the run (sacrilege!) but it's a good day out, there are plenty of threads about this but it's easily doable from Val Gardena, just get out early and check the Lagazoui cable car is open as it closes when the wind gets up (the Dolomiti Superski site is good for that). Great scenery and a horse tow which is fun. Note that the Tour Operator will probably try to sell you a day trip which is Cortina the morning and the hidden valley mid afternoon which is a low risk way of doing this and gives you a few hours skiing in the prettiest part of Cortina where you can do some of the world cup runs.
3) Sella Ronda - it can get busy, some people love it, others hate it, but if you've not been to the area before it's a good way to have a look around. You can follow it either way and have time for some side trips (e.g. Alta Badia, Arabba, Val di Fassa or Marmolada). We allow 1 hr per 'side' which includes coffee/chocolate stops.
4) Santa Croce - beautiful Church at the top of a quiet run, go via Alta Badia/La Villa (take the world cup black if you feel up to it). Avoid at weekends as the local ski clubs sometimes use it but is quiet during the week (as is most of Alta Badia).
Alpe di Suis - we had a nice day out there but personally from Val Gardena I'd use the bus, (maybe ski there and bus back). It's a bit of a schlep across Ortisei in ski boots and you can spend a full day there so why put pressure on yourself to leave early, walk across town, risk the bottleneck at the cable car etc. You take the Val Gardena Express https://www.valgardena.it/en/winter-holidays-dolomites/mobility/
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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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@timmythedog,
If you haven’t been before and even if you have, you will struggle to come to terms with the extent and the variety of the skiing. It feels far more extensive than anywhere else I’ve ever skied. It’s like skiing through the whole Lake District with every valley connected by lifts.
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The Grande Guerra tour includes the hidden valley and is a really scenic and enjoyable ski tour. Its a long day though and you will need to set of early to complete it.
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You know it makes sense.
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T Bar wrote: |
The Grande Guerra tour includes the hidden valley and is a really scenic and enjoyable ski tour. Its a long day though and you will need to set of early to complete it. |
Definitely needs an early start, some swift skiing with no missed turns, a quick lunch stop and some luck with the bus/horse-tow timings and cablecar queues to complete it from Selva
Might be a step too far...but if you're feeling confident, check it out here:
https://www.val-gardena.com/en/tours/detail/ski-circuit-grande-guerra-dolomites/
https://www.altabadia.org/en/winter-holidays/italian-alps/first-world-war-ski-tour.html
https://www.altabadia.org/media/erster-weltkrieg-grande-guerra.pdf
You can do it in either direction, but the Red route (anti-clockwise) is arguably the best as it includes the Hidden Valley. From Selva you would go up the Ciampinoi lift, do half the Green (anti-clockwise) Sella Ronda and join Grande Guerra Tour at Arabba. Then on the way back you would peel off at Corvara and return to Selva by completing the last quarter of the Green Sella Ronda.
So you can see that you would need to do 3/4 of the Sella Ronda plus nearly the entire Grande Guerra to do it from Selva. Think carefully if your group is up to it, as it could be a long expensive taxi ride back to Selva if anyone can't make it.
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