Passo Tonale report (3-10 Feb 24)

A snowHead

Just had a week in Passo Tonale with Crystal. Fitted the bill this time, only had that one week available and no time to self-organise. Wanted something good value where a few beers wouldn't break the bank and with one of the two a not-overly-confident red runner who hadn't skied for 4 years, didn't need a huge or challenging ski area. Overall had a great time and although I wouldn't seek out that resort again I definitely wouldn't rule it out if circumstances fitted in future.

Runs from Passo Tonale itself lack variety (mostly just up and down the same face of the mountain apart from a couple of reds either side) but good for warming up and building confidence, although can be a bit of a melee at the bottom with all the crossings, drags and learner areas. With the warm conditions early in the week these did heap up by early afternoon, being south facing.

Glacier black run was fun and much better snow over there. Not an unfriendly black although quite dark most of the day.

Most enjoyable area was Ponte di Legno - much more attractive runs in the trees, better snow conditions (despite lower altitude) and less crowded. Blacks over here seemed generously graded and more manageable than parts of the 4.5km red run on the edge of Passo. No blues though, so only really accessible to fairly confident intermediates.

The snowmaking did a good job of keeping the pistes open despite the above-0 temperatures and no snowfall (til Thursday night) for the preceding 2 weeks or so. However the runs aren't really that high, not as much as you'd think from the literature - almost all the runs in Passo come straight down to village level so you fairly rapidly descend below 2000m (and the Ponte di Legno/Temu area is below 2000m at the top). There is one blue and one red on the glacier (both short) so relying on that for 'snow-surety' isn't going to give you much skiing.

Had the combi pass so did one day in the Madonna area (now on the list for a potential future stay). Lovely scenery and some great slopes although I don't think I'd do it as a day trip on the public bus with hindsight. Was also surprisingly busy for a Wednesday in early Feb. Fortunately got on at the first stop in Passo because the bus was turning people away at the second stop after a large tour group (25 people) got on. Got the lift up from Marilleva and inevitably hit the bottleneck at the first chair (big queue and 6-person chairs going up with 3, even 2, people on - a massive bug-bear of mine in European skiing vs US!). Having taken the first bus and spent no time doing anything other than travelling it was 10.45 before we got to a slope. There's only one link run over to Madonna and being a red it was a mixture of sheet ice and fake snow moguls by the time we got to it, so not the best intro for the less confident skier (better snow conditions would likely alleviate this somewhat). Buses back were 15.30 or 17.40 so not wanting to risk the last one, given how busy the way out had been, that left only about 4 hours of skiing time.

Only visited a couple of bars in Passo but they were friendly and good value - Magic Pub had good beers, Nico's had Premiership football. Enjoyed the bombardinos at the bar made of glass at the bottom of the central chairlift too.

Hotel Savoia was friendly and comfortable. Half board food was plentiful if a little same-y but couldn't complain for the price.

Help!!

Passo Tonale report (3-10 Feb 24)

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