Hey everyone, we're off to Campitello Di Fassa this Feb half term. Family of 7. 5 skiers and 2 boarders. All have skied before but we are somewhere between beginners and intermediates. Where is best to ski at this resort for us? We were planning to get the cable car up to Col Rodella but they are all red runs at the top? We're probably going to need blues for a day or two... Any advice/recommends for where to ski to build up confidence before moving on to trickier reds? Also, is the cable car up to the Col Rodella a nightmare? I've heard the queues can be massive. Any tips would be great! Thanks so much. Jon
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
My experience of feb half term here is the queues for Col Rodella can be pretty bad.
The red runs from the top are fairly straightforward though probably not for complete beginners who I imagine will be in ski school.
The Buffaure sector is far quieter and very pleasant though you will need to get a bus or drive to either Alba or Pozza to get there. The queues at ALba for accessing the Sella area are far less bad than at Col Rodella though they can still be significant. The runs from the top of the Alba cable car on the Sella side are still not very beginner friendly, though you can get a cable car straight down to Pecol which is more beginner friendly.
Most will depend on your ski school meeting place though.
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?
@Jonathonrossm7773, awwwight, it's a vewwy nice resort, Jonathan, but would have thought you'd be in Courchevel or St Moritz with your BBC salary!!
Seriously though, it does get very busy in Campitello and Canazei at HT, as it's a real favourite spot for Danish families whose HT seems to clash with ours.
The cable car either needs an early start, get there before it opens or leave it until after the rush, maybe past 10am, otherwise you can be waiting 45+mins there if you hit it wrong! The good news is that the view at the top is mind-blowing! The reds that drop off aren't too steep, best to drop along the shoulder to the left after you reach Refuge des Alpes. Your best bet is to hook across to the Grohmann chair and get over to Passo Sella and follow the easy blue that drops toward Plan de Gralba in Val Gardena ski area. Lots of nice easy runs in this sector in the shadow of the Sassolungo mountain.
I would recommend you get the full Dolomiti Superski pass which allows you to stray into the other valleys and do the Sella Ronda if you're feeling confident on the easy reds.
The other options are the skibus along to Canazei for the gondola, which will also be busy, but the queue keeps moving. There are some nice runs in the Belevedere bowl, though the top pitches are a bit steep.
The Belvedere bowl can also be accessed via the new 3S Col dei Rossi gondola from Alba, though the top pitch is a bit steep. You need to stay on the skibus to get to Alba from Campitello. The other side, the cablecar up to Ciampac shouldn't be as busy and there is a nice bowl up there with some easy runs and more testing ones on the Panorama circuit to Buffaure/Pozza. It should be quieter this side away from the Sella Ronda.
And looking from the Val Gardena side, check out the blues above Plan de Gralba around Piz Seteur, you will love this sector, hopefully it's not too busy...
It's not the best cinematography and some dodgy whistling and singing , but this vid shows the first red pitch off Col Rodella when you reach the Rifugio des Alpes and the route across the bowl to the Grohmann chair to head over to Passo Sella...might help you decide if it's within capability or not...
Bear in mind that Italian 'Red' piste are not as steep as France say.
I would have thought the area above Ciampac (Alba) would suit
or take the bus down to Pera for the Vajolet lifts and their blue runs
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Jonathonrossm7773,
As Luigi says you can go further into the valley, but it can get very limited. Best would be to go up from Canazei, but not to take the next gondola to the very top as there is some difficult part for beginners to come down to the Belvedere area.
However, it is only the very first part after getting of the at Col Rodella that is red, but after that you could ski all the way down to Plan de Gralba without any problems,and coming back without steebs, jus keep left further down.
After comming back do not go the very top to Col Rodella again, but you can go down towards Canazei but not go up the valley on the other side again, but go back towards Col Rodella.
Your only challange will be be short first run after Col Rodella - but I woul try it, as it opens great easy runs for you, both down to Plan de Gralba, and after coming up again down towords Canazei, without going up to Belvedere.
This would be my suggestion with the lift from Campetilo.
I would not advice to take the Gondola from Alba up towards Belvedare, as the first part can be difficult for beginners, rather chose Canazei in that case.
@Luigi ?
After all it is free
After all it is free
Thank you very much everyone for your advice. Hugely appreciated
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swskier wrote:
@Jonathonrossm7773, I recommend skiing where the ski school/ instructors take you
There was no mention of tuition by the OP, but maybe it would be recommended to reach intermediate level and ski reds competently, then you could get around the whole Sella Ronda area.
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Quote:
There was no mention of tuition by the OP, but maybe it would be recommended
I was thinking that, as I read through the OP and the comments. An instructor will know exactly where to take you, and will get you through the queues quicker.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
luigi wrote:
swskier wrote:
@Jonathonrossm7773, I recommend skiing where the ski school/ instructors take you
There was no mention of tuition by the OP, but maybe it would be recommended to reach intermediate level and ski reds competently, then you could get around the whole Sella Ronda area.
It was a bit of a tongue in cheek response rather than just saying, you need to go to ski school if you're still at a lower level
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