 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It is the Sella Ronda by the way. Stella Ronda is a probably some sort of pub crawl.
I would have thought any of the resorts would suit Selva, Canazei, Corvara. Arabba may be a wee bit harder skiing.
You should be able to ski the circuit. It holds no terrors and does not take too long in either direction.
Earlier is better even though they have snowmaking.
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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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Latchigo, you beat me to the punch line by about 30 secs! 
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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My 5 year old has skied the Sella Ronda this week - so it shouldn't be a problem for you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Beaten to it as well. That'll be the SELLA Ronda!! Been in the pub a little too much? 
2) what resort would suit us both? Arabba, Selva, Corvara
3) Will I be able to ski the circuit with him?? Should be able to do it in both directions, not that many tricky runs,
4) will last week in March be too late , should I take him earlier in March? Earlier in March would be better but the snow cannon coverage is excellent.
The toughest stuff is located around Arabba.
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1) I would recommend Selva or Corvara to stay, Arabba is much more tuff skiing.
2) You could easily ski around the Sella Ronda with your Son, most of it is not tuff except around Arabba after a big dump and the runs have not been pisted.
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I would concur - its a lovely circuit and not too demanding. You could do it clockwise one day and anti clockwise the next. There's lot of misleading information around about how long it takes. You could whiz round in a morning.
Enjoy - I loved the Dolomites. Arraba looks like a lovely place to stay but if skiing a lot locally I belive the skiing is more difficult around there. We managed whatver we did around there but I belive some of it can be tough. We stayed in Canazie which was nice too. There are loads of resorts in teh Dolomoites that are all linked. Selva Gardena was alos nice if you wnat lots of choice of shops and restuarants. Seemed more German than Italian if you are after a more Italian experience.
Have a look at www.dolomitisuperski.com and select English if you are not great with Italian!
Ciao!
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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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aidancostello, we're thinking of skiing the Sella Ronda from Arabba (going out on Saturday) - is it one of those circuits where if you fail to make it before the lifts close its a seriously expensive taxi ride home?
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Hoppo, It does not take that long to get round if you do not divert off or over lunch it!! I have done it both ways a number of times and never had any problem getting home ( Arabba ) even with a good lunch and a few diversions of the direct route.
Can't comment on taxi fares but I am sure they would be long and expensive.
What you do 'need' to do is the Hidden Valley from Lagazuoi/Passo Falzarego - ski over to Armentarola ( North East of Arabba ) where there is a coach/bus stop ( easy to find as there will be other skiers doing it for sure ). You have to pay for the bus ride but it's not much and you will be deposited at the cable car station. Great scenery, huge frozen waterfalls, Scotoni's Rifuge for lunch and the horse drawn tow to get you back to Armentarola. It's all on piste and very well marked ( red mostly but blueish rather than blackish red ).
The local piste maps do not do the area justice, go to a tabac/general store and buy the local big boys map ( like our O/S ones ) called Sellaronda E Valli Ladine Carte Sciistica. This has all the main runs, routes, lifts and some of the itinery routes all mapped out. My copy cost 7,000 lira which was about 3p back before the Euro was inflicted on Italy.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I heards the Hidden Vallley was great - I didn't know about it until I got back sadly. My children were doing lessons in mornings so I was only at liberty in the afternoons really. The children would have been able to do the Sella Ronda. It is not too much skiing. There are lots and lots of breaks where you will be on lifts. From memory we set off after we left the children at school and had a nice luch after Selva Gardena and got back at maybe 3pm? My wife did not come and she was skiing with the children in the afternoon that day.
The three of us that did do it thought that if you set off early you could easily be back to where you started by lunch-time (and we are not brilliant skiiers - just average intermediates). It's not a race so take as long as you like (within reason). I'd suggest leaving by ten. If you are an early bird it would be nice to get away at 8 or 8.30 and you can take all the time in the world, stop for coffees etc. Wouldn't know how much taxis are but wouldn't want to find out. If you are in Arrabe you are well plaxced to do te Marmalada glacier. It was good at teh top. Lower down there are quite few stones on teh pste. We skiied late season at Easter when teh snow cover lower down wasn't great so this shouldn't be a problem when there is plenty of snow.
I think there is another route you can follow - the World War 2 route or something along those lines? We didn't do it but I quite enjoyed doing the Sella Roinda where you don't have to make too many decisions about where to ski. Just follow the signs (there are lots of tehm and they are generally great big signs so even fools like me shouldn't go wroog)! Imagine the other route would be similar but with some historical interest thrown in.
Have fun.
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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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I have taken a taxi after missing a lift on the way back to Canazei (after doing Laguzoi as a side trip). It was not horrendously expensive because there was a minibus full of us. The others were Italians. We went to Passo Pordoi and I skied the last bit.
Going to Lagazoi on skis is tricky because there are two places with the same name that are en route. Apart from that it is not too bad. Tour operators bus people out there and to Cortina but it is as easy on skis provided you know where you are going.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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CP, I'm taking my little Casio Exilim for photos it's pretty good for landscapes despite being credit card sized - I took my entry in the calendar with it:
I have a little bluetooth unit (can't remember the brand) that talks to my Dell Axim and I downloaded a little piece of freeware (http://aeguerre.free.fr/Public/PocketPC/NoniGPSPlot/index.php) to capture tracks in the absence of maps - this will be it's first outing for skiing... NoniGPSPlot exports to Google Earth KML format
Latchigo, thanks for the tip!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Latchigo, Are you saying that it is possible to get to the cable car at Lagazuoi from say Arabba without getting any form of motorised transport? If so please tell me more?
TIA
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| CP wrote: |
Latchigo, Are you saying that it is possible to get to the cable car at Lagazuoi from say Arabba without getting any form of motorised transport? If so please tell me more?
TIA |
No. Not at all. I am saying that tour operators (when I was there) organised coachs all the way from Canazei to both Cortina and Laguzoi.
It is possible to ski most of the way and then catch a bus for a short distance near the end. The only navigation problem I had was that there were two places of the same name on the larger area map that you can buy in the newsagents. I cannot remember the name of the place at the moment 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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Latchigo, The place we have taken a short bus/coach journey from is Armentarola, which is very close to San Cassiano. Also end up back here after the horse tow has deposited you and you have that long pole to pick up a short drag lift that gets you enough height to ski to the main chair lift at San Cassiano.
Only 8 sleeps to go for us now. I am very much looking forward to reacquanting myself with the area again.
BTW. Is Trapper's Home still a good place for a lively lunch?
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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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Hoppo, Saw a post elsewhere. Sounds like you had a good time. Saw some of the pictures - make me envious and determined to get back there some time! Glad you enjoyed it - spectacular scenery
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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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Just returned from Arabba yesterday, would confirm that if you go straight round the Sella Ronda it will take about 3/4 hours. Its best to make quite a few diversions and make it a full day out. The ski pass computer tells me i skied 148 kilometres in 6 days which is not bad as some days i was knackered and stopped at 3.30 pm.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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riverman, I'm out to Selva on Saturday, one aime is to try and move fast and do the Sela Ronda both ways in a day but time will tell if this is likely to succeed or not. The online ski pass computer thing looks really cool. How was the snow?
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Swirly,There was plenty of snow cover, the only problem was that the temps were often above freezing point which ment that after lunch the pistes became rather rutted in busy spots. It was colder on the last two days and therefore conditions were better. While i was there a girl did the Sella Ronda three times in one day ie straight line where possible lunch on the lift.
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Wife and I took up skiing after we were 50 and did Sella Ronda 6 years later.
Not a demanding circuit but in order to enjoy it skiers should have no fear of red slopes. Both directions are about the same standard but queues can be long if you hit it at the wrong time of the year. March/April time should be OK.
It is a memorable experience to ski round it. Not a short distance and you do have to pass through 4 valleys/resorts.
Try to hit the lifts as early as possible and lunch after passing 50% mark. Follow the color code of Green for anti-clockwise and orange for clockwise.
Also make sure you get the Sella Ronda ski map as each resort has its own local map. The overall circuit map is not always available, especially if you buy ski pass at a small station.
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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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I know this is a little off topic but i was wondering what the snow on the Sella Ronda is like around christmas time. I am considering planning a family holiday there for Christmas 2007.
Thanks
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thedavman
After this year lack of snow everywhere I doubt if anybody is brave enough to predict what would happen to Sella Ronda next Christmas.
I have been skiing Christmas time several seasons and come to knwo that the snow can be a problem. Even if you have a white cover the runs can be stony and won't do much good to the skis.
I would say you will find snow in Sella Ronda but whether there are sufficient lifts open for you to complete the loop is another matter.
If you have a car then you can choose to go up and down the valley to chase the snow. Afterall Sella Ronda do have 205 chairlifts and 510 km piste but the link road between valleys may not all open in Winter to the public. The Sella Ronda circuit itself has altitiude between 1500 to 2200m.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| saikee wrote: |
thedavman
After this year lack of snow everywhere I doubt if anybody is brave enough to predict what would happen to Sella Ronda next Christmas.
I have been skiing Christmas time several seasons and come to knwo that the snow can be a problem. Even if you have a white cover the runs can be stony and won't do much good to the skis.
I would say you will find snow in Sella Ronda but whether there are sufficient lifts open for you to complete the loop is another matter.
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Unless it is very warm, they will be. They have snowmaking covering something like 95% of the pistes in the Superski Dolmiti region, and that includes all pistes required to do the Sella Ronda.
They normally tend to have the first runs open (whether on natural or artificial) about the second weekend in December, and the circuit within a week of that.
| Quote: |
If you have a car then you can choose to go up and down the valley to chase the snow. Afterall Sella Ronda do have 205 chairlifts and 510 km piste but the link road between valleys may not all open in Winter to the public. The Sella Ronda circuit itself has altitiude between 1500 to 2200m. |
Most of them are. The tour operator buses to the hidden valley mentioned above start from any of the main Sella Ronda resorts, so it is possible to get between any pair of them by car, even if you may sometimes have to go through another valley first.
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FAQ
1) He's a good skiier , I am not (a nervous intermediate)
Have amended post! 
