 Poster: A snowHead
|
Managed to get to a second small resort close to Rome last week.
Rocarasso, www.roccaraso.net is no Grand Domain but it is a fair sized area of about 100Km of marked runs and I had a ball. It is about 2 hour + drive from Rome and also about 160KM from Napoli (very good for some fresh mountain air if all the rubbish is getting to you Neapolitans)
The drive up was a little further on the A24/25 from Ovindoli as I said before very beautiful and very good roads including the access roads. The other drivers well..............................................
You can access the ski area from various points I decided to go to the main Toppe del Tesaro gondola with parking right next to it for €2.50 for the day. There is a ski hire shop at the Gondola station but I decided to hire from one of the shops in the main town which is about 7KMs before the gondola station. I noticed a small chair lift in town but there was no where near enough snow for it to run.
Lift pass was €32 for the day and Ski hire € 25 again you had to pay €3 for the hands free card (Is it just me ore is this a blatant con, every hands free area I have used in France and Italy have had the same companies hardware at the lift gates surely it should be one card fits all.)
Anyway rant over and back to the skiing, at the top of the gondola it was very misty, so very pleased that I had purchased some yellow tinted goggles the day before. Decided to take a blue run due to the conditions and this brought me to the Valle delle Gravare fixed chair and a nice break in the clouds. A couple of runs from this chair were very good indeed but just a few brown patches close to the bottom, these were easily avoided. The cover in the resort did get a bit bare at times and I was glad I hired skis but it is no worse than I have experience in the Alps
After this warm up I decided to look for something a bit more challenging and skied back to the gondola and the by various runs and lifts got to the Vallee Verde. This had what would have been a lovely blue run down but unfortunately the cloud closed in just as I got off the chair. Skiing back down I got to the Aremonga Crete Rosa fixed chair, this accesses some great reds and also to the Monte Pratello Gondola.
From the top of the gondola you can access some stunning views as well as a long blue, some reds and a black. To be honest I did find some of the reds very challenging and good fun but did not find the black run from the Del Prato chair to be any more of a challenge. Overall the hardest run I found was a red (marked black on one sign) just off the top of the high speed Crete Rosa chair. I did this a fair few times and had it to my self, really surprising as it was a cracking run and as I said access was from a high speed chair (the only one I found)
Lunch was in a cosy bar and restaurant at the bottom of the Del Prato chair just a quick bar snack for €8 including sandwich, choccy and coke but the resto looked good.
The only criticism I have of the whole day was that the piste map and piste markings were really poor which made me hold back a bit in the morning when vis was pretty poor in places. There are no piste names on the map and also piste poles did not really exist and were not the colour of the run.
On the map there are two other areas you can ski on the lift pass but I did not get to them, there is more than enough for a day in the main area. I think you could have a great long week end in Roccoraso but watch the conditions, (this weekend Ovindoli and Campo Felice were all but washed out)
Overall this is a great wee area and I can’t wait to go back. A good mix of terrain, there appeared to me (no expert) to be ample opportunities for off piste and touring, a large amount of tree lined runs and a good linked lift network. If you have a spare weekend, cheap flights to Rome and the weather and snow reports ok then give it a go. Lots of accomodation in town and a few slopeside hotels.
We took the boys to Campo Felice at the weekend, but the weather conditions were so bad I want to go back before doing a report, which given the fresh snow and more to come won't be too much of a hard ship. A collegue has just told me to chek out Campo Imperatore as well.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 15-01-08 9:04; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
glad you enjoyed it! i'm enjoying seeing these reports. post some pics on the next one? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Arno, thanks, I had another Gilbert camera disaster this trip but took some on my phone now I cant get the phone IR recognised by my laptop. To paraphrase Neal from the Young Ones "even phones hate me man" 
Promise to try and sort the pics out soon
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
i am chuckling to myself at the memory of Neal from the Young Ones.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Gilberts Fridge, Thanks for that report, I was just looking for info on Roccaraso, may be in Rome first weekend in March and thinking of extending trip a little to investigate a ski resort! If the plan materialises perhaps we could meet up for a snowhead bash!
Do you know can you get to Roccaraso by bus? If the village is 7km away it might be a little awkward to get to the lifts with transport? Also when you hired skis did you notice if they have any twin tips?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Hi Peter Ross, Afraid I dont know anything about the bus, but once you get away from Rome and the GRA (Romes M25) the drive is easy, not sure about getting a winter pack on a hire car though. I will ask one of the guys at work about buses.
Would be good to meet up I am always keen to go, if I drive I like to be through the Rome est toll by about 7AM maybe we could work something out car share wise. The main problem is I cant plan too far ahead as I dont get my shift plan for work until the last minute(still no roster for Feb let alone March).
The hire shop that I went to had a good selection the latest skis for sale but not sure about for hire( My Italian is that bad I had to sort it all out in French  ). I am planing to go back to Roccaraso or to Campo Felice one day next week so will ask.
Arno, Have managed to get the pics on to the laptop from the phone but I'm getting error messages when I try to upload them to SH. Will persevere ..........................
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I managed to get a day at Roccaraso last year and although the snow conditions were terrible I still had a good time. I was surprised by the resort actually, expected it to be a lot smaller and not as well developed. If your close by and the snow is OK it's well worth going. I'm going over for a couple of days early February so will be giving it another try then. Peter Ross, I'm not sure about buses but I'm sure there is a train station so that may be an option from Rome. Gilberts Fridge, have you been up to Campo Imperatore before? There's a great looking black down from the top of the cable car but haven't been up there in the winter yet. It's very small with the cable car and just a few small chairs, we're planning on treating ourselves sometime and having a day there and a night at the hotel Campo Imperatore. For anyone interested it was where Mussolini was imprisoned during the 2nd World war before the Germans rescued him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
I went to Campo Imperatore a few years back with the intention of skiing Gran Sasso. As it turned out conditions cr@pped out completely so we made it as far as a hut. Spent the night there then retreated to the hotel at the top of the cable car. There looked to be a really nice off-piste line directly underneath the cablecar
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, hopefully the snow will hold up for when we go. I'll only get two days skiing in so I'm going to go to Roccaraso and one other to try.
Arno, it does look great underneath the cablecar. I've only seen it in the summer when it's all rock, which always makes runs look worse, but it does look steep even taking that into consideration. I've seen a piste map before showing that as a black, I'll have to get there and have a go sometime.
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, great report. I had no idea there was such a big ski area so far south in Italy. How high are the mountains ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Thanks brian, Top lift in Roccorasso is 2150M, For Campo Imperatore I think I have seen 2900 on the net but I am not sure if that is the top of the lift served area or the summit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Gilberts Fridge, I think the top lift at Campo Imperatore is something like 2200m. Here's a link to a number of the resorts in the area.
http://www.mercuriusrelocations.com/guide/id115.html
Also look at Pescara from Stansted for flights with Ryanair. Often very cheap and it's a great little airport, closer than Rome for a lot of the resorts and definitely easier, no Rome ring road 
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
|
Grimsby Ranger, just had a look at your sig, looks lovely (and a bargain !)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Grimsby Ranger, Cheers my wife found that page when we were getting relocated last year, you cant imagine the smile that came accross my face. Have you heard much of the smaller stations, I am getting the urge to look at Terminillo in Lazio
http://www.monteterminillo.net//index.php?module=webcam&
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, I haven't mate sorry. Spoken to a couple of people who've been to Passo Lanciano, very small and limited, nothing compared to Roccaraso, but I haven't been to any of the other resorts yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Great picture Arno, think we may need a TR from your time touring in Abruzzo. I thought there looked some great undeveloped terain over the back of Rocorasso but unlike Ovindoli did not see any tourers about
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Grimsby Ranger, Good call re the flights from Stanstead, if someone was doing a shortt rip to Rocarasso I would definatley say avoid flying into Fumicino its the opposite side of Rome from where you want to be and the driving on the roads is just truly frightening
We are still finding our feet in Italy and although shifts are good for me to go skiing mid week we dont get enough time to explore as a family. I would love to get involved with a walking group but no luck in finding one just yet. Even finding time to explore Rome itself is difficult.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, it wasn't the most successful trip to be honest. the weather was cr@p the whole time and we got avalanched (carried a long way but nobody hurt - one ski pole lost). it was a bit frustrating because on the rare occasions that the clouds parted you saw things like the picture above and there was great potential. i really liked the area generally and would be very happy to go back at any time of the year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arno, So you did really go in through the chimney!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, thanks for the info, great pictures, I'll keep you updated on plans. But maybe thinking of skiing on Sunday, Monday and maybe Tuesday of first week of March. Is Rome really that crazy for driving? Can you hire bumper cars in Rome!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi,
Read all the blogs about Campo Imperatore. I am going there Feb 22-24. 3 full days, can't wait.
I want to snow kite this spot. Althought I am familiare with the area I have never gone passed the hotel and the bottom of the cable car in summer. Does Anyone have any advice they would like to share, on where to drive too or wheres a good spot to stay ! What dangers to watch for other than Wolfes ....
what are conditions like there regarding the wind !!! ?
Many questions......
Its only Jan 23rd one full month to wait...
Bren.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Bren, I may be going there depending on conditions early in Feb but will be a day trip only. You seem more clued up on the area than I am. talked to my friend at work yesterday and he did say that the long black is good but does tend to be closed a fair bit.
Was ment to be going to Campo Felice on Monday but Mrs G was ill so had to be arround for the school run. Pitty because freinds went on Sunday and said the conditions were great apart from the bottom of the bowl.
Peter Ross, I am off the 28/29 Feb according to my roster so that means its pretty likley I will have to work the 1-5 of March. Wont find out for definate till late Feb but will post then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, no worries
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, Booked flights so will be skiing somewhere around Rome from 2nd to 4th March. Campo Felice looks handy, I was wondering is it possible to move around the resort without a car as could get the ski bus from Rome? If you aren't working I would be delighted to ski with another snowhead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Peter Ross, Would be good to try and meet up, My preference would be Rocarraso, we have only managed the one day in Campo Felice which was in really poor conditions. The main access to Campo Felice is on a high plateu with no resort, you just drive up and park, its quite bleak really and isnt helped that some of the hire shops are literally frieght containers. The other access is from Rocca De Cambo and I have no idea what the village is like.
If you want to stay in resort I would definatley suggest Rocarasso, there are quite a few slope side hotels either at the main lifts or in the town itself. For Rocarasso I saw a lot of hotel minibuses transporting guests to the slopes so should not be too much of a problem. The ski area will have enough terain to keep you amused for more than a day as well, although they look similar on the map Campo Felices runs are definatley shorter and they lose cover quickly at the bottom. Latest on my shifts is I will be off 1,2 March dont know much else at the moment and that could even change. I will know for definate arround the 25th of Feb so will let you know.
Looking at the web cam and the list of open runs it looks like Rocarasso and Campo Felice have had a top up since I last went and temps forcast below freezing all next week
Having said all that I am aiming for a day in Campo Felice in a couple of weeks time but I still think Rocarasso is the better bet.
cheers
Cam
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Hi Peter Ross, & Gilberts Fridge,
I skied Roccaraso on Friday and it was good. Snow was a lot better than I thought it was going to be. A bit windy so they closed the top gondola but apart from that everything else was open. I thought there was going to be a lot of ice about due to the warm spell just before we arrived but there wasn't hardly any. Some of the very lowest slopes at the bottom must have taken a hammering during the warm spell and they'd topped them up with some man-made stuff, still OK though. If you're going for a day or two Roccaraso seems to be the one to head for.
Had an afternoon at Campo Imperatore on Monday. It snowed quite a bit in the morning so there was a nice new covering but they only had one chairlift open at the top and 3 runs! Visibility was atrocious too with lots of mist and low cloud but the new snow made up for it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Grimsby Ranger, Glad you had fun, Very intersted to hear more about Campo Imeratore, how was the terrain and run length compared to Rocarasso. Any Pics. The impression I have is size wise its similar to Ovindoli.
Going to bring our own gear back from Switzerland this month, I have a week off at the end of Feb so hope to get a couple of ski says in then. The plan is a day in each of the 3 resorts depending on conditions
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Gilberts Fridge, My only worry about Roccaraso is that I think I would need to hire a car to get there as I don't think they have a daily bus from Rome to the snow service like Campo Felice. Do you know anything about that? But I think Roccaraso looks a much bigger ski area and would probably be my preference if I could get there.
Grimsby Ranger, Thanks for the update, on the webcams there appears to be a good covering in both Campo Felice and Roccaraso. Do you know is there much of a resort in Campo Felice, i.e. hotels within easy reach by foot to the lifts?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Gilberts Fridge, Campo Imperatore is very small compared to Roccaraso. They only had one chairlift open, it was the one that finishes at the Campo Imperatore hotel. There are three runs down from that, they're classed as a blue and two reds but I would class them all as blues. They were all short too. I don't know why the other runs weren't open, there must have been about eight people up there in total so perhaps that was why. Visibility was terrible for most of the afternoon with low cloud drifting slowly across throughout, we had one or two small breaks were we could actually see where we were going but it was all very brief. We got the cable car up from Fonte Cerreto, 12 euros each for an afternoon skiing so wasn't complaining at that. I think it may come more into its own for freeriders to be honest. I've always wondered why the skiing is so limited on the Gran Sasso compared to the Maiella and I've a horrible feeling that it may suffer with a lot of low cloud and mist up there in the winter. Our place is in the foothills of the Gran Sasso, on the coast side, we're about 650m up. I've spent a little bit of time there in winter and the mountains above nearly always seem to be covered in low cloud. Perhaps I'm wrong but it could be a reason. I managed to take a pic when we actually had a break in the cloud, I'll try and work out how you post them.
Peter Ross, I don't know anything about Campo Felice, never been, sorry. I think you would need a car to get to Roccaraso from Rome. I'd have thought you'd have to go Rome to Pescara then change for Roccaraso if you was using public transport but I could be wrong. Never looked into it. There are hotels right next to the slopes at Aremogna in Roccaraso. One was called Hotel Paradiso but it didn't look much like paradise from the outside, more like a prison made me laugh anyway. If you do drive to Roccaraso for the day I'd park at Pizzalto and get the lift over the hill to the main bit. It's lot quieter and has more room for parking. Get a ticket though, it's pay and display. I found that out the hard way last year with a fine  .
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Grimsby Ranger, Good to read the TR. conditions look good and for 12Eur cant be bad. Had a quick peek at your place very nice.
Peter Ross, Just had a sneek preview at March's roster and am off the Sat 1st to Monday the 3rd so that could be a go-er, unfortunatley it is subject to changes but looks good just now. Will be offline all week , Les Collons is calling 
check in with this thread when I get back
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, thanks for the compliment. The snow was very good on the runs, there was a bit off the runs that looked great from the chair but when we tried it it was hard and thin. Some areas away from the runs that had quite deep new stuff didn't have much of a gradient so it ended up a couple of turns then a stop and a pole. For people into freeriding with climbs involved etc. it looked great, once the mist cleared a bit.
One bit of Roccaraso that I forgot to mention before was that I thought some of the woodland just off the runs looked great to ski through after new snowfall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gilberts Fridge, swaying towards Roccaraso now as appears to be more to keep me occupied for three days, PM me if you want to meet up if you are off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Roccaraso is simply amazing. I enjoyed my honeymoon there and it was the best vacation ever. Loved it. Y husband and I stayed at Hotel Da Remo which we found on http://www.roccarasohotels.com/. Can't wait to return!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
I've put a few pics from Roccaraso in a folder too, there isn't many though, here's one.
