 Poster: A snowHead
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Some snowHeads will be aware of the excellent videos that Igor Tavella posts on You Tube of him skiing around the Italian Dolomites, usually accompanied by one or both of his young sons Rafael and Gabriel (who are now pretty impressive skiers for people of such a young age). Some sHs have visited his hotel the Usteria Posta in Badia village for lunch, but after having an excellent week staying at fellow sHs Cacciatore and Schuss in Boots place in Bad Ischl in Austria I've driven from there into Italy for a 4 night stay at the Usteria Posta. Badia is the village where the chairlift up to La Crusc/ Santa Croce/Heiligkreuz starts from.
Dinner tonight was very pleasant, I've attached a photo of the dinner menu below:
I brought an assortment of sHs buffs I've accumulated over various bashes as presents for Rafael and Gabriel, with any luck we may see them being worn in some of Igor's future videos!  
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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How lovely. I'm guessing the snow isn't great over there just now, though.
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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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@Hurtle, I looked at the snow at the bottom of the chairlift going up to Santa Croce at about 4pm and took a photo. Obviously the snow is soft as you can see, however I expect the snow will be better first thing in the morning and higher up. Also a bit of new snow is forecast for Monday 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Great. Enjoy.
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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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Enjoy, we are huge fans, and were to stay there last year but I can't remember what happened but we couldn't go. I do intend to go in the future though so a report on your trip is appreciated.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I remember one April being amazed at how well the Badian pisteurs kept the snow all the way from top to bottom of that piste in very warm weather, similar just along the road in La Villa. a best snow protection I’ve seen anywhere
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Pasta and then the Veal for me
Vegans can fuck right off
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Great stuff Alastair. Had a lovely and fun evening there back in January. Had my picture taken with Igor and he seems every bit as nice as in his videos.
The Santa Croce run is just perfect for tele skiing. Long live the free heel 
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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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| biddpyat wrote: |
| Enjoy, we are huge fans, and were to stay there last year but I can't remember what happened but we couldn't go. I do intend to go in the future though so a report on your trip is appreciated. |
Well to update on the breakfast arrangements they are the usual continental arrangements i.e fruit juice, cereals, individual jogurts, fruit salad bowl, bread rolls, croissants, various cold meats and cheeses and jams or honey. Boiled eggs available but no other hot food e.g bacon or scrambled eggs but I can get by without that. 
Also, as is common at quite a few hotels at breakfast they ask you to select your options for the evening meal:
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It looks like there's a daily (?) information leaflet put on your breakfast table....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sun 26-03-23 7:39; edited 1 time in total
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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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Alastair, would be interesting to hear from them how busy they think the season has been this year? It’s looked busy on the webcams. Lots of Germans coming south perhaps in search of better weather ?
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You know it makes sense.
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Fab. Such great videos
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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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Enjoy your stay, Alastair.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Alastair Pink, really enjoy his vids. Have a great stay. We are heading out to Selva next weekend.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Alastair Pink, looks a lovely place to be. Have fun.
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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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@Alastair Pink, fabulous. Feeling a tad envious.
Edit: in fact I'm envious of your whole trip, Austria included. I wish I felt competent enough to do such drives on my own. Eyesight problems haven't done a lot for my confidence...
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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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Excellent. Have a great time Alistair. Igor seems such a nice guy and it's been a real joy watching the two boys blossom into such accomplished skiers over the past few years. Igor is a wonderful ambassador for skiing in the Dolomites.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sun 26-03-23 18:34; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Smart of you to get to Gran Risa early. I was there about 2 PM two days ago and it was a mess. Glad I used to be a bumper.
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@Awdbugga, absolutely!
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The evening meal tonight started with a plate of Bresaola della Valtellina (an Italian charcuterie made from cured salted beef that I'd never had before), quite tasty.
It's nice that the menu includes some Italian and local Ladin specialties.
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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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| Peter S wrote: |
| Alastair, would be interesting to hear from them how busy they think the season has been this year? It’s looked busy on the webcams. Lots of Germans coming south perhaps in search of better weather ? |
@Peter S, I asked Igor just now and he confirmed that they were very busy this season as you surmised, because they had better snow conditions than a lot of other places. Igor was naturally very pleased about that. 
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This morning I drove from Badia village to Piculin to use the gondola to get to the Kronplatz ski area. However when I got to Piculin the car park was surprisingly empty and I then noticed that the gondola wasn't running. It turns out yesterday was the last day the Piculin gondola was running.  So I drove further on to Kronplatz itself, fortunately everything was running there. It's actually the first time I've skied at Kronplatz, it's been on my list of Dolomite Superski areas to do for some time. Anyway there's a bit of new snow up top and quite windy, here's a photo of the top.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Interestingly I recently changed my APRR (now Fulli) French toll tag for their multi country one that covers France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. When I drove up to the car parking barrier at Kronplatz the barrier automatically lifted before I had a chance to get out of my right hand drive UK car to get a ticket from the machine on the left side. It turns out the Italian Telepass system which my tag can use in Italy also covers some car parks!
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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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lay off the soft cheese - it could then be the Listeria Posta 
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@Alastair Pink, I’d love to stay there it looks lovely, and Igor and family also, I watch his clips regularly, the boys are wonderful skiers. Enjoy the rest of your stay.
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You know it makes sense.
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We dropped by for lunch on the going-home day of the BB. Very good lunch indeed, so will certainly be going back. We also came back with extra buffs.
I've been trying to get to the Dolomites for a summer MTB trip for a long time. Next year it will happen, and Ustaria Posta is my first choice of place to stay. The MTB trails in the Badia sector are all named after body parts for some reason (There are youtube vids of those trails as well as ski and road bike ones). Heck I'd be more than happy to go there in summer just for hiking/walking, and maybe a bit of via ferrata.
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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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@Alastair Pink, great report, have fun. Sounds a nice spot. It always amuses me that on Trip Advisor you find people complaining about Italian hotels asking for meal selections in the morning as I've found that more common than not over the years.
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Poster: A snowHead
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we had a nice meal there back in January when staying at a B&B up the road for 1 night
@Alastair Pink, hope you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay pn ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@richb67, for a single room (actually a double but single occupancy) with shower/WC and small balcony half board was €108 per night plus €1.90 tourist tax per person per night.
Although I should point out that I'm only staying 4 nights and Igor said it's cheaper for a week's stay. He said that in low season a double room (Austrian twin beds) for a week is £75 per person per night half board, obviously a bit more in high season, so if you're interested make enquiries directly at https://www.ustariaposta.it/en/
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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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The lifts open at 08:30 so I got the lift from Badia village at 08:35 over towards La Villa, took the gondola up from there and I'd reached Armentarola by 09:40. Got into a taxi with six other people to Passo Falzarego (fare is now €7) and got there by 10:00. I was intending to ski first at Cinque Torri, but there was a sign saying it was closed due to strong winds, so I went up the cable car to the top of Lagazuoi (the cable car was still running in spite of the wind). A picture from the top:
Lagazuoi was quite windy at the top, so I set off for the Hidden Valley run, by the time I reached Scotoni's it was more sheltered there so I had a hot chocolate there then carried on to Capanna Alpina where there was a sign saying the horse tow wasn't running but there were frequent taxis going back to Armentarola for only €3 per person.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Alastair Pink, Do you know when the lifts from La Villa to Santa Croce are scheduled to stop running?
Hope you enjoyed Kronplatz (despite the wind?) there are some cracking long, wide runs there.
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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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Ah .. Great memories. Stayed in Ustaria Posta a few summers ago. Absolutely loved it. (Cycling not skiing). Will definitely return for a winter trip.
Is his father still around? Elderly fella, sits in the bar most evenings chatting to visitors or playing cards with friends. Lovely lovely bloke, with fantastic stories (even though you have to communicate with hands if you don't speak Italian!).
If you fancy it, go to this place one evening ... http://www.masorunch.it/en/ Truly stunning experience and food. It's walkable from Ustaria Posta, and is incredibly memorable. It's basically a family farm where they have turned the living rooms into a restaurant. All guests sit down at the same time, and they bought out whatever they have cooked for the day. So much food! From the website it looks like they now have a more traditional menu style of service, but i would imagine the food is still excellent!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@dode, I've just asked Igor and he says those lifts close this Sunday.Edit: they close at the end of Sunday, so they are operating on Sunday. He said that there are a few connecting lifts in the Alta Badia region operating beyond Sunday and the Sella Ronda is still open beyond Sunday, but I didn't ask him when that is due to close.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 28-03-23 18:14; edited 1 time in total
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@Alastair Pink, thanks for that. Looks like we’ll just miss it, Sunday is our 1st ski day. Oh, well… there is always next season.
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@dode, just to clarify I spoke to Igor and he says that Sunday is the last day the lifts are operating to Santa Croce ( i.e they close at the end of Sunday afternoon), so if you want to visit Santa Croce you can just make it!
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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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| magic_hat wrote: |
Ah .. Great memories. Stayed in Ustaria Posta a few summers ago. Absolutely loved it. (Cycling not skiing). Will definitely return for a winter trip.
Is his father still around? Elderly fella, sits in the bar most evenings chatting to visitors or playing cards with friends. Lovely lovely bloke, with fantastic stories (even though you have to communicate with hands if you don't speak Italian!).
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Yes his father is still around and still plays cards with friends in the bar, Igor took this photo of me standing next to him at his card table
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@Alastair Pink, phew! Thanks for clarifying
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