Dolomites Newbie -

A snowHead

Hi all
Planning a family week in Dolomites Feb 26 (w/c 21st). We are all about the skiing- covering as much ground as our legs will allow each day. A lively apres scene is not important to us, just a late afternoon beer on the slopes or in resort.

Some advice appreciated. Currently considering a hotel in Pozza Di Fassa, HB.. my only uncertainty is that there seems only a single lift up the mountain - and a few runs to complete to get to the wider ski area - and we would have to cover that ground every day, morning and afternoon.

Am I being too picky - or would somewhere such as Arabba / Val Gardena be more advisable??

Any other tips for the area welcome.

A snowHead

@rich moulson, welcome to snowHeads

If you're interested in covering as much ground as possible then Arabba is probably a better location as it's directly on the Sella Ronda which helps getting round it and on to other areas for excursions like Alta Badia, Armentarola and on to Lagazuoi and the Hidden Valley, Santa Croce/La Crusc, the Marmolada (Arabba is the closest part of the Sella Ronda to it so lets you beat the crowds getting there), and the WW1 ski tour.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@rich moulson, welcome. There's a lot of great skiing near Pozza di Fassa. I understand your concerns about one lift and so forth. I stay in San Cassiano, also with just one lift. Never had an issue. I'm actually considering P di F myself for a future trip.

When there is so much skiable terrain, I think you'll be covering plenty of ground no matter where you sleep. Arabba is good, Val Gardena is good...not sure you can make a mistake. Besides, if you base yourself at "first and main" (wherever that is) you'll pay for it in cost and in population.

You're going to hear endless stuff about the Sella Ronda and Hidden Valley. Both are worth doing if that strikes your fancy*, but the reality of both is that they are the most crowded runs as are the lifts serving them, and they are crowded with tourists of all abilities who are looking for signage rather than watching out for the rest of us. Given your stated goal you'll want to keep this in mind.

*Hidden Valley provides you with the possibility of using the horse tow at the bottom. This is definitely fun to do once just for the hell of it.

Have fun on your first trip to the Dolomites. It won't be your last.

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@rich moulson, If you do not want to ski the Pozza every day to get the Ronda, just jump on the bus to Campitello, Canzei or Alba. The bus service is very good but no longer free....

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Arabba or Selva. Forget anything not on the SR, particularly Pozza if mileage is your thing. You'll waste an hour minimum each day tracking in and out to access the Sella Ronda. You may save a few quid being out there, but inconvenience factor will be high.

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@albob, What time do the buses stop running that route? Most ski buses stop shortly after the lifts, so they will need to be careful with the timing of the last run to get home.
If they're going to get a bus to Canazei or alba every day, they might as well base themselves there. Plus they won't have to allow skiing time to get home.

@rich moulson, Welcome to snowHead

If it's distance you want, then the Sella Ronda is the right place, with the advantage of skiing a different area each day.
I wouldn't concentrate on doing the circuit too much. You can easily get round in 3 hours. Most of us just use is as a ring road to get somewhere, often completing it on the way home.
If you do, look for the alternative options (smaller signs), which are often quieter.

You might find this useful.
https://openskimap.org/#10.27/46.5026/11.8364

There are lots of options for days out. Many of us go to Kromplatz for the day. Plenty of challenging skiing. Easy enough from Arabba/ Alta Badia. Not so much from Canezei or Val Gardina areas, as you need to allow another 30 minutes to get home.
Many people enjoy the hidden valley, Cinque Tori. I find it too busy, and you can often have a long wait for the cable car.
Plenty of other options.

Will you have transport? from the Arabba side you can drive to Fedare, or from Alta Badia, to Falzarego (you will ski Cinque Tori on the return), take the sky link and have a few hours in Cortina. I think the Olympics will be over by the 21st, although some of the runs used for racing may not be, or will still be icy.

If you want advice on rifugios, then we also have our own resident experts. wink

Hope you have a great trip.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@brianatab, last bus from Alba is 18.00 - in Pozza for 18.30

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agreed re the norm!!

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Need to factor in the olympics also next year

A snowHead

@rich moulson, I've done Pozza 3 times, the last being 2022 when we were first released again from the UK for winter holidays!

It's less convenient than being directly on the Sella Ronda, but it isn't too much hassle in my opinion, as long as you're ok with using the busses. You're only 15 minutes or so round to Campitello and then up the cable car to access the Sella Ronda. The ski area at Pozza is nice, and really quiet, and we always tried to get our timings that if we were coming back from the Sella Ronda we'd try and ski back over in to Pozza as the long valley run down is very picturesque and so quiet.

I'd go back to Pozza again no issues, although having only stayed that side, if I were to go back, I'd more likely try to stay on the northern side of the Sella Ronda to explore that area more.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Spooky - looking at the Portavescovo last night - and prob book today - Ingham’s seem to have best deal for flights and Accom here - presume easy enough to sort ski hire & lift pass out locally once everything opens again!!

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

@rich moulson,
I've stayed in Val di Fassa a couple of times including Pozza in Feb.
In early Jan it was great with few queues, I wouldn't go back in Feb as the queues for accessing the Sella Ronda were very bad at Campitello and Canazei though a little better at Alba.
The local skiing at Pozza is great fun though not particularly extensive.
We have subsequently been to Val Gardena and Corvara where we have returned.Corvara has excellent connections and is less queue ridden in the morning.
Arraba would probably work just as well, but we've found a place that suits us and will return, it is though significantly pricier than Pozza.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

If you have transport ( or even the bus) Alpe Lusia and San Pelegrino -Falcade are 2 nice area (about 100k together ) worth visiting just down the road ..but the run over to Alba is a nice way to start the day to get to the Sella ..especially the black down to Alba under the cable car

After all it is free

… which is called Ciampac, a great run.

It's so good, last year we did it twice on the same day. Toofy Grin

Looked fantastic on the way over to Val di Fassa, so we looped back onto it.
Then again on the way home. Still in great condition, even with flat light and poor vis.

Belvedere was a white out. You couldn't see anything in the bowl, and once in it, you could only see about 20m, but still managed to navigate straight to the correct lift. wink

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There's a lot good to be said about Pozza, especially so if you have a vehicle at your disposal.
Yes, it's a bit of a schlep to get on to the Sela Ronda, but it's not an unpleasant schlep. In fact it's nice enough that Pozza is actually a very popular destination as a daytrip from Arabba for snowHeads on the Birthday Bash.
You have the cute little area between Vigo and Pera there too and lesser frequented areas like Carezza, Obereggen, St Lusia and San Pelegrino easy hops away if you have a car.

That said, I think the appeal of this applies more to people who have 'done the Sela Ronda' a lot and are looking to expand their horizons. If you've never done the area before, I think (personally) that Arabba is the best spot.

It's true that the Sela Ronda route itself is not the best skiing to be had in the area - and can get rather busy - but it's a most efficient route to get to all the great places around it (kinda like the M25). At that time of year, the lift out of Arabba opens at 8:30 so, because it is right on the Sela Ronda route, if you're out promptly, you can be zooming round a quiet Sela Ronda to where you intend to spend the day, before all the people in the satellite villages have made it in. By late afternoon, it's rarely busy (unless the sun has just come out after a few cloudy days) so you can head home on quiet runs too - but watch out for lift closing times! Shocked

If that sounds like too long a day, the key to experiencing the area to its fullest is to realise that a day without lunch, is a day wasted! The refugios are so welcoming and the food so good, it's never a loss to take a longer lunch - or stop for coffee/cake in the afternoon.

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A word of warning to all those who ski the Superski ....if you miss the last lift anywhere its cheaper to find hotel room than get a taxi...I know Sad

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You know it makes sense.

There is also a path that runs between Colfosco and Corvara.
It can be accessed on the right approx 50m before the Borest gondola (opposite the Edelweiss lift station).

In the right conditions it is skiable.

Igor used it on one of his videos during lockdown. wink

@rich moulson,
Incidentally, if you want some suggestions for routes, Igor posts some fantastic videos on Youtube. under the name of his hotel, Ustaria Posta in Alta Badia.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Thanks @brianatab - subscribed!!

A snowHead

My first time using this site - have to say I am impresse with the number of comments and the detail many have gone to!!
Thank you all.

Weighinng everything up - we have booked at Val de Fassa with Crystal 21/2/26 - always gone independantly before - but the package looked to be the best option this time! we will see!!

A snowHead

@rich moulson, That's the beauty of this site. Everyone gives advice where they can.

You haven't asked about food yet, and snowHead

has a couple of resident experts on the best places in the Dolomites, although it's very rare to find anything sub standard. Just avoid the fast food and burger bars. wink

Once you've decided on a few routes, just ask for suggestions in the various areas.

That's a couple of weeks after the Birthday bash, so keep an eye on that thread.
There will be many miscellaneous posts, but somewhere amongst them will be updates on conditions etc.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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I've had to taxi back from Corvara to Selva, not cheap, but cheaper that a hotel and dinner.

Re where to say, no-one has suggested Corvara, which would be my pick. It gives you instant access to Alta Badia and the Sella Ronda and means you hit places that can be a bottleneck/littered with beginners falling over before it becomes a problem. Just don't stay at the Greiff, nice hotel, dreadful food.

Sunweb have some good deals for Selva and Arabba BTW, which include Flights and Lift Pass Hotel Al Forte for £1447 pp for example for your dates.

Help!!

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