 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm going out with 5 friends to Ortisei on Wednesday.
Wondering if anyone has recommendations for areas to ski in/itineraries/We are all intermediates and we have a hire minibus.
Is the Hidden Valley worth doing and is it easy to ski the Sellaronda in a day?We have 4 days skiing.
Cheers
Iain
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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yanto, Hi there and welcome to  's. I am just back from Selva val Gardena - for the 3rd year running. The Dolomites are absolutely wonderful, very spectacular! The area is absolutely huge and you practically will never ski the same area or run twice (except for the runs home to wherever you are staying!). Depending on your ability, the Sella Ronda can be done in 5-6 hours max, although we did it in about 3½!. The Hidden Valley is worth a day out, if even just for the horses later. We did the Hidden Valley through the Tour Operator but you can do it on your own.
To get to Hidden Valley, by yourself: From Corvara, take chairlift no. 29, go down to button lift no. 13 (which is called Capanna Nera), staying on this (it is a moving carpet!) to go to button lift no. 14, at the end of no.14, turn right and go down towards charlift no. 15 (which is called Pralongia 2), at the top, turn right and follow direction for Campolongo, halfway through there is a button lift that takes you to Armentarola. From Armentarola, you need to get a taxi (reasonably priced!) to Lagazzuoi cable car - there you are!!
It will be clearer when you have the piste map but, as far as the Dolomites are concerned, you won't be disappointed - we are already looking to book for next year!
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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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Yes and yes. While you are driving over to the start of the Hidden Valley, don't miss the Cinque Tori. Get there early and you will have it to yourself, even on the busiest day. It is a magical place.
Lots of discussion about this area recently. It is in danger of becoming a snowHeads legend, like La Rosiere!
Hoppo and I went there for half-term in February. A guy I shared the chalet with was always trying to get his wife to agree to go over to Ortisei, but she was reluctant. He thought it one of the best areas and he knew the place well. He spent a lot of the week going off down the "side alleys". I would certainly recommend Colfosco on that basis.
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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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yanto, Ortisei looked very smart when we passed through! The scenery around the Dolomites is fantastic, the foo
We did the Sella Ronda in about 3.5 hours (either direction), although we started directly on the circuit. I think the Hidden Valley is well worth the visit, although if you don't like lengthy queues (30 minutes or so by late morning) for the cable car either don't go or take advantage of your minibus for an early start. I've heard the Marmolada glacier is similar in every respect.
If you want to see where went you can plug my liftpass number: 101/05733 into the Dolomiti Superski 'Performance Checker' here. The circuit we did on the Friday (15th), basically up onto Alpe di Siusi and across the gentle alpine meadows to Saltria then a rather exciting 15 minute bus ride to Mont Seura (buses run about once every half hour, entertaining as you seek to get both your skis and your person onto the same bus!). After Mont Seura you head up to the top of the Saslong world cup run (to my mind the world cup black is easier than the alternative red) and head down that into St Christina, take the underground train then the bubble up into the Col Raiser area and finish off with the 11.5km Seceda run back into Ortisei. There's no really challenging skiing on this circuit so you might like to try it for a gentle day.
I'd be interested to hear your opinion of Ortisei, to me it looked the nicest of the Val Gardena resorts but likely the least well connected to the skiing.
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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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| We have 4 days skiing |
I wouldn't call this is enough to become "intermediated" or able to do Sella Ronda circuit in a day.
In my book I wouldn't be happy if I haven't got 4 to 5 trips skiing on my back and feel comfortable with red runs before attempting Sella Ronda. The red runs dominate this circuit in both directions. I believe the Italians also set out to make it as an attraction and so some red could have been black runs elswhere. Making the circuit with only red and blue will attract more punters.
It isn't a difficult ciruit in either direction but there is non-stop skiing of 26 to 28 km. The total distance including those on the chairlift is about 40km.
One should have no apprehension to go down any red slope, be able to reach the half way point before having the lunch break and will not hang around. The circuit actually passes 4 different resorts of Selva Gardena, Alta Badia, Arabba and Val di Fassa. If one fails to catch the last chairlift back to the original starting point one may be trapped in another valley or resort overnight. Depending on the weather condition the link roads between the 4 resorts are not always open.
As a test of your own strength the Ortisei itself has its own loop good enough for a day's skiing. You can go up from Ortisei to Alpe Di Siusi with Gondola No. 1, try to cover the area as wide as you can and reach Saltria. From Saltria there is a bus ride (free with the ski pass) to take you to the terminal point at Santa Cristina where there is an underground Funicula taking you up to gondola No. 14. This route takes you to the top of Seceda and so you can ski back to Ortisei. You should try this shorter ciruit out first before attempting the Sella Ronda. The above route is the same one described by Hoppo. It is a less known circuit with stunning scenery.
I may be overly harsh with the "4 days skiing" experience you had but doing the Sella Ronda may be an achievement for some folks. If it can be done with less than a week of skiing experinec then you guys are cut out for such sport and should talk to the British skiing racing team as they would be interested in your talent.
One should also allow for bad weather and unfavouable piste condition. In other word you should have spare skill to cope with less than ideal condition.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Good point, saikee, I will confess to misreading your experience as 4 weeks!
saikee, is right about the reds. And the one to the right (on the way down) in the 5 tori area is as steep as anything I have skied for a while (which isn't saying that much, actually!)
You should most probably (many would say definitely - you may be very capable, young, mad or boarders for all I know) be in ski school.
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saikee, Chris Bish - I think you've misread yanto's post in the same way I originally did. I believe yanto's party are all intermediates and for this trip they will only be skiing for 4 days.
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Hoppo,
Good point. Think you are right.
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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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yanto, Ortisei is a pretty little town, I'm sure you'll have a nice time there.
A bit of non-skiing fun is the 5km toboggan run accessed by the Raschotz/Rasciesa chair up the back of the town, the guys there will rent you a sledge for a few euros, it's fun overtaking on the hairpins if there are a few of you.
Sella Ronda and Marmolada are doable in a day with some pleasant stops, but to make it easier maybe an idea to drive up to Plan de Gralba (just up beyond Selva) where parking isn't usually too difficult. The snow may be suffering in the springtime sun in the lower and south-facing parts of Seceda and Alpe di Siusi areas, snow is often better preserved above Selva (Passo Sella, Col Rodella, Piz Sella, Piz Seteur) as it's higher, north-facing and in part-shadow of the Sassolungo through the day.
Sella Ronda is often best used to access other less busy areas (Alta Badia above Corvara, Edelweiss Valley above Colfosco et al), but I guess you need to do it once, but you can get queues at some bottle necks.
Hidden Valley is unforgettable, again recommend you start from Selva (Danterceppies gondola), make sure you leave enough time at the end of the day to get back up the Gardena pass from Corvara, taxis don't come cheap!
Hope this helps, have a great time!
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Hoppo, Thats how I read it, going to the region to ski for 4 days!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well, in that case, yanto, I suggest you get one of the local O/S type maps. If you want to get round the Sella Ronda fast then you have to know where you are going! (ask Hoppo!).
If you are really determined, I think you could get up to the Marmolada and back round the circuit in a day. (But you would be tired!)
I suggest you might want to do: Day 1: local explorations in Ortsei area. Day 2: Marmolada and the circuit. Day 3: 5 Tori and the Hidden Valley. (Though as a one-way trip you will have to plan to get you minibus back some way) Day 4 the other way round the circuit from day 1 with digressions in Colfosco or wherever you fancy.
Super area.
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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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Chris, I don't know - I suspect Jon identified me because I was exclaiming loudly that you'd probably arrived in Selva by now (whilst we were waiting for you above Colfosco) - so giving the impression of not knowing where you were going was invaluable 
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Thanks for all your replies guys(and girls)
It's very helpful as we hopefully won't waste too much time on roads/lifts.Can't wait to get out and the snow is looking good right now
Cheers
Iain
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