 Poster: A snowHead
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Back from an amazing trip to Selva last week so here are the details:
Boring things first:
Resort Selva (Val Gardena)
TO Crystal
Accomadation Chalet Soldanella
Background Two fairly advanced skiers and one snowboarder (me!)
The first problem we had was a flight change (about two weeks after we booked) where the typical early morning ski flight was changed to a mid afternoon flight, as a result we didn't get to the chalet until half nine, however, the chalet hosts cooked us dinner. The main proiblem with this was the hanging around before depature and the fact the hire shop was closed by the arrival time in resort, some shops were still open though just not ours. Also we didn't get a chance to mee the others in the chalet as they were either in bed or in the pub by this time.
Sunday
Up for breakfast at 7.30 and out by 8.30 to the hire shop, used Olga Sport for one set of skis, the others had their own kit. Olga is a very small shop but they were very efficient, all the shops had the same prices so this wasn't an issue, it was also very convinient for the Ciamponoi gondola which was were we headed next.
This gave an interesting choice at the top: 3 reds and 2 blacks, not such a problem for me as I'd been to Morzine not that long before so was "board-fit" but it was easy to see why the reps had christened it "Lemmings Leap", we headed off down to Plan Grabla for some easier blues. After a couple of hours cruising these we had gradually moved into the Val-di Fassa and realieses we were 1/3 the way round the anti-clockwise Sellaronda circuit. We decided at this point that we may as well carry on! We had pre-booked packed lunches from the chalet and the weather was boling so we ate on a rock at the side of the piste. It was 16 degrees C that day and the snow had been soft all day, the fact that the pistes were in perfect condition despite the surroundings being green and brown is a tribute to how hard the pisteurs had been working all season. After lunch we carried on to Corvara and went back up the Boe gondola to do he Valons black (twice). By the second run into Corvara the red had become very rutted with the passage of returning skiers, the bottom near the lifts ahd formed a gully of mud which we walked over. The return to Selva from Corvara consists of 5 lifts and is a bit of a drag when you consider the slushy links between lifts, however, for a 1st day this was a lot of skiing.
Monday
Snow! the temperature dropped to about -10 after some rain it turned into fairly heavy snow for the rest of the day. We headed out to St Christina and the slopes above that were still in the trees. By midafternoon the was close to a foot of powder lying on the piste with more at the sides, the visability wasn't too bad due to the trees although heading back over the top was slightly interesting. This night two chalet guests spent their time in Corvara due to a mix up on the lifts and when trying to get a taxi the found Passo Gardena was closed and it would be 200 euros to go the other way! They found a B&B instead.
Tuesday
It was still cloudy with a bit of occasional light snow falling so we headed back to St Christina, this time down the Sasslong downhill course which became the first proper black I'd done on my board without a fall. For a change we used the funicular to Col Raiser, however a lift was closed so we didn't get quite as many runs over there. For the afternoon we headed over to Plan Gralba t do the reamining runs there. It's worh pointing out the Sasslong Gondola station is a great place to eat a packed lunch although the posh stone walls are actually plastic, nice toilets though.
Wednesday
Beautiful weather although still cold so we headed to Arabba clockwise around the Sellaronda, Arabba lies in the opposite corner to Selva and this way involes a lovely blast down into Corvara under the 5 lifts used by the anti-clockwise circuit, however, there's a long drag/T-bar and a flat section beofre you get to Arabba (boarders beware). Arabba is often mentioned as a brilliant resort for advanced skiers and it is, the slopes are long, high and North facing so the snow was excellent, they are also very steep although quite wide. The grading on certain maps is also rather questionable; the one in the top cable car station being a case in point, the run on the left of the mountain is certainly not a blue. We did all the blacks, having lunch in between and leaving the last one till after lunch. Unfortunately for me this was the steepest and I fell about 500m down it in a big cloud of snow, fortunately I didn't flip or rotate so it was a fairly safe fall just cold! After these the weather appeared to be closing in so we carried on around the Sellaronda. It broke in the Belvadere bowl, however the signposts are very good off each lift and junction that you don't need the occasionally confusing piste map. We got back to Selva to glourios sunshine so had a nice beer before deciding to take the lifts up and ride back to the chalet rather than walk up the hill. Our chalet was about 1 minutes walk from the piste running into the town, very handy.
We ate out as it was the staff night off there are quite a few good value restaurants, the only problem was getting the bill off them!
Thursday
One of the most pushed excursions in the Cinque Torri/ hidden Valley/ Ski boot bop day, however, they don't need to push it at all. It's amazing and although you could definately do it cheaper by yourself you wouldn't get the atmosphere of the bop or the morning at Cinque Torri. The reps also book tables at one of the busy restaurants which is quite handy. We finished before the bop by doing the GS course down to La Villa, another steep windy black although not as hard as the ones in Arabba
Friday
Last day so we decided to head to the Marmolada glacier, this was another excursion altogh lkike the Coortina trip it didn't run due to lack of interest. There's no need to get the coach, we skied from the first lift and were in Arabba in an hour. from here it took a further hour and a half to the first of three cable cars to the top of the glacier. When we got there there was no queue but some others from our chalet had to wait for 3 cable cars an hour later. The run is very easy for a red on a glacier and we got the slow chair back to haf way up. This was the only place where there were stones on the piste and I have a bit of repair work to do as a result. We finished off above Colfosco.
Other thoughts
The dolomiti superski lift pass covers 1220km of piste although not all of this is lift linked, however, from Selva somwhere in the region of 500km is so there's plenty to do. The lift pass also allows you to check distances on the website after you get back so if you like stats this is a brilliant tool. I rode 208km including over 50km on the last day and almost 10km of vertical distance. The lift system seemed very efficient we queued once for about 5 minutes and nowhere else although this could be different in busier times of the season. The Sellaronda circuit is quite nice in places although the clockwise circuit is much better, however, it's not that much of a challange, we think that if moving at top speed we could have done it in close to an hour and a half, however, it is brilliant for getting to places.
I did hardly any off-piste only going off the sides occasionally. I did want to do the Val-Medsi, however, there didn't appear to be enough snow. A group were slowly picking their way through the lower part on the Friday afternnon, however, i would want another couple of feet before trying it. Still that gives me a reason to go back.
Selva is probably not the best place for begginers, Corvara or Canazei have more blues, to get anywhere from selva involves at least one red, sometimes quite steep or a bus journey. Arabba is the place for experts, however, if you are that good it's not hard to reach from Selva which is cheaper.
Do the hidden valley trip, it's excellent.
I've not commented on the food as it depends on the chalet staff you get, it wasn't as good as some but was still nice enough.
Prices are significantly cheaper than France e.g. for a beer etc.
As I said the pisteurs had done an absolutely amazing job, it was snowing when we left so they shold finally get some respite from the severe heat they'd been having.
Afternoon flights are a pain, you get there late and spend half a day hanging round at the end, in future I'd get an extra half day on my lift pass but it was snowing and I got up too late to make the most of it.
Photos to follow
Roll on the EoSB 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Swirly, thanks for the info. We are seriously considering this resort for next season so just a few questions.
How was the apres ski. We love Austria and the cheesy apres ski, does this exist in Selva? Plus, we have been spoilt in recent years in Saalbach and Ischgl with an excellent lift network. I don't know if you've been to these resorts and can compare but generally, how were the queues and standard of lifts. Finally, are all the slopes groomed?
Thanks in advance.
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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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Hayls, I didn't go out that much but there were plently of lively bars with cheesy music! The atmosphere is slight;y more Austrian than Italian so this probably reflects that. I've not been to the resorts you mention but we only queued for 5 minutes at a lift once and generally walked on. On one day we were joking about the huge queue at one point as there were people in front of us. We used three drags all week, there are a lot of cable cars and gondolas and tonnes of chairs about 30% with covers.
The slopes were groomed everyday, the work done on them following the warm spell was amazing, they generally stayed together very well with no bare patches forming and only reasonably sized moguls. The exception was the day it snowed where there was so much snow that the pistes were covered in powder but IMO this was a brilliant thing!
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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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Swirly, thanks for the info. It sounds good. Now I just face the task of finding a hotel that meets the group's standards!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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tp023, that looks nice. Did you book DIY or via an operator? Is it close to a few apres ski places?
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Hayls, From the map that appears to be just the other side of the piste from the chalet we stayed on, about 2 minutes from the bars, restuarants and lifts. It looked very nice in real life too, not just on the website!
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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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Swirly, I was in Arabba in early March and would say that is ok for intermediates and experts but not for people looking for easy blues. It is not the place to go if you are looking for a hectic night life.
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| Hayls wrote: |
| tp023, that looks nice. Did you book DIY or via an operator? Is it close to a few apres ski places? |
Booked with Inghams to Bolzano with Austrian airlines (great flight). One hour transfer.
Hotels about 3 mins from the centre of town and you can ski in ski out. The main nightclub is about 3 mins from the hotel on the same road. Most après is just 5 mins walk away. Great location.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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tp023, thanks for that. To be honest we prefer the 4-7pm apres ski followed by a civilised dinner! So providing there is some of that Selva looks like a go!
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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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At the hotel they serve a great four course meal after après (7 to 9pm). Very good selection of food each night. We went with a mixed party of 20 to 50 Year olds (younger ones opted for the club later, 12 people).
We found some good bars with cheesy Austrian après.
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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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Swirly, This is certainly on my must do list now
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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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I did Selva one week last year after skiing Garmisch Partenkirchen and St Anton first. There was no comparision because we had sunshine most of the time in Dolomites whereas it was snowing all the time in Austria and on the border with Germany.
This year we did the Sion Valley (Crans Montana/Verbier), Cervinia/Zermatt, Milky Way and the LDA/Alpe d'Heuz. Again we had excellent days in the Italian parts of the Milky Way. In Cervinia the link to Zermatt opens only in good weather and so our memory with Zermatt is always superior to Cervinia.
The wife is convinced that the Italians are obsessive in grooming their piste to the perfect condition and I tend to agree with what we have seen, including the experience from La Thulie and Courmayeur.
Personally I prefer the Italian resorts to the French ones. They seems to have less skiers, less queues and a more relaxing atmosphere, especially those further away from the French border.
This is of course can change if every snowhead switches to there.
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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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saikee, cheaper too.
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FAQ
