 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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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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Someone called Wayne, I'm guessing 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Biddy Twiddle, I don't suppose you really want useful info like "it;s rubbish, don;t go, there are better places", do you?
welcome to snowheads. I enjoyed Folgarida. As paulio suggests, Wayne will be along in a while. He works there.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Biddy Twiddle, welcome to snowHeads. I'm sure Wayne will indeed be along at some point - he's an instructor based there. We went last March and were very pleasantly surprised with the skiing, helped by some stunning conditions.
If you use the search function, you will find reports and data on the resort which should be useful. I did a report in this section - hope it helps 
Personally, I think it's a fabulous area with quite easy links to Madonna di Campiglio opening up some great terrain. Which level are you staying at? We were at the lower level (1400?), which was quite quiet, but pleasant. Again, the search function will provide more data.
If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.
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Biddy Twiddle, Welcome to s
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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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Thanks for the warm welcome!
Re: Folgarida - did I read somewhere that there's a place at the lift station where you can leave your skis and boots overnight? Lockers? 
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I skied Folgarida AND Folgaria on the same trip about 3 years ago. One is near Trento and one is linked to Madonna di Campiglio. Can someone remind me which is which?!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Fantastic ski 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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mountainaddict,
Folgarida is linked to Maddona
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Hi Biddy Twiddle, there are two runs back to F from the mid station. A quite steep black (dead steep in places – you slip and you’ll keep sliding ??) and a blue. Some people prefer to just drop off their skis and leave them at the mid station and get the cable car down – you’ll need to take a pair of trainers up with you on the 1st day so you have something to change into. Costs about €20 per week for deposit, so not too much.
You don’t say where you’re staying in F
(lower F is “Folgarida” and upper F is “Belvedere“) so;
If you staying in Lower (where most of the shops are). When you come out of the cable car you will normally turn left down the small flight of step then out onto the slopes (opp the main four man chair). Instead of doing this, go forward, through the double door (to the right of the steps) and turn right. In front of your (through the next set of double doors) you’ll see and small shop (at the bottom of the slope that leads up to the ski school office). This shop sells fags, sweets, etc. Go into the shop and inside, turn left to the ski hire/deposit and ask for deposit.
If you’re staying Upper F then you will take a different cable car up – both cable cars (from Upper and Lower) stop in the same building. From the Upper Cable Car come out of the car (turn left) on to the slopes then turn right along the buildings. At the end of the buildings (under the café) you see a flight of metal steps going up to the café/ ski school office. Go up these steps, at the top go forwards and down the slope (after the café) – the shop is on the left of the bottom of the slope.
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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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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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What are the ski areas like for beginners and novices
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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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| Dek wrote: |
| What are the ski areas like for beginners and novices |
Fine
Beginners - unlike most resorts where the nursery area is quite low down and so the snow isn't as good as the rest of the area in F the ski schools and nursery areas are at the half way station, so no worries about the snow. Another bonus is that (normally) by the 3rd day of a 1st timer’s holiday they can take a fast lift all the way up to Spolverino (see here - http://www.folgarida.co.uk/folgarida_pistemap.htm) as there is a green run all the way back to the ski schools meeting point. This run (road in the summer) normally takes around 30 mins for school groups on day 3
On the 1st of a 1st trip you can take your skis (carrying) up a very slow lift (bamby) so you don't have to do the normal walking up and down like you do in some resorts.
Intermediates
Of course there are the normal steep blacks, like in every resort, but there are very few places that can't be reached by blues or reds. There are some really cruising blues where you can practice your technique. The main run back to F is blue (slight steeper than some blues so really only to be tried for people on their 2nd trip or more.
Down side
The main nursery slopes (above the bamby lift) are reached by button lifts which do cause some problems for people on their first trip. The other problem on the nursery slopes are little gits (normally teenage and British) doing a million miles an hour and using the beginners as slalom posts.
Some of the runs marked as red on the map have some quite steep section and sometime narrow at the same time. The map is a little mad as the Red run from spolverino is actually steeper than the black that runs parallel to it.
But all in all the area is really good for beginners and intermediates
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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"You don’t say where you’re staying in F"
We're staying at the Gran Baita - is that upper or lower?
Do you recommend leaving kit up at the lift station or skiing back down? We're both intermediate skiers but I don't like blacks much!
Thanks for all the advice so far guys. 
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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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OK then you are booked with us (we have the whole of the Gran Baita so you must be)
As for leaving your skis at the mid station - it's up to you. Really deends if you like doing the apres ski thing in ski boots? Don't forget that Ensa (the owner of your hotel) lays on a free mini bus transfer to/from the slopes so you could use that is you don't fancy the 250m walk back to your hotel from the slopes
Your hotel is in Lower Folgarida See Map of Gran Baita here
I'll see you when you arrive
PS, anyone who has skied for more than a few days can manage the blue back down the resort so you'll be fine
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks Wayne - loads of useful advice here - appreciate your time replying. REALLY looking forward to going now! 
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No worries
You have my phone number (on top of all the bits of paper you've been sent). Give me a call if you have any other questions.
I'll be in F (working hard) from next week (boxing day) so if you're going to call after this, ask for Lisa (resort manager).
See you in 55 days 
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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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Wayne, although we've now booked to Alpe d'Huez for Jan, we did look at Folgarida again and struggled to find tour ops covering trips there. Last year we went with Rocket Ski, but nothing at all doing this year. The only TOs offering anything were for groups. Is that normal?
Conditions seem to shaping up well there.
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Chasseur, slight problem here as I have two hats – I work at the major ski school in the town and am a TO. However, I’ll try and be impartial. If I fail, I “know” there are people on here who will point it out.
Ski Instructor’s Hat, which you can take as being part of the tourist system in the area.
The problem we are having in the town (apart from suffering from the ski market downturn, as is every other resort) is that is that a number of medium sized UK TOs have stopped coming for numerous reasons. One biggy went bust, another was bought out by a Swiss TO and they have cancelled all their Italian flights, another took booking from people last year to here then transferred the client to another resort (not sure if that was legal). The other big problem is (as I have repeatedly told the locals) is that our resort does not put on a stand at WTM, unlike almost every other ski resort in the world – this has the effect that we don’t appear in any of the major UK TO’s brochures – eg, Thomas Cook, Neilson, Crystal, ect.
So, what the effect of all this? well (may be wrong here) the result is we don’t attract UK Tourists as they can't book a trip here at the local thomas cooks. Most of the big hotel seems to do OK but are full of Italians, French (lots of) Germans, Swedish (Lots and Lots of coaches every week) and of course East Europeans – as we are within driving distance of many of the Eastern European population centres.
UK TO’s hat
Basically now lots of the other TO’s that used to come here have either gone bust or (for various reasons) chosen not to send clients to F, we are (very simply) the largest UK TO operating in the area. Not sure why but hey, not complaining.
I think the down turn in the ski market has caused a few problems in risk management with some TOs (keep the cash in the bank till it all blows over, so don’t take options on flights that "may” not be taken up).
We are not as affected by the ski market downturn as some other as our main operation (over 80% of turnover) is in Britain (15% inter continental and about 5% skiing). UK Outdoor Pursuits (which owns the Folgarida Ski Co) mainly runs trips / events with in the UK so we are not affected y the Euro Pound problems. (the skiing operation is affect – as is the inter continental option affected by the dollar/pound problems), but the main company (UK Outdoor pursuits) rents hotels and employs staff within the UK so…..
Maybe, as a result of all of this, our ski holidays are fully booked for 2010 and (believe it or not) some of our hotels and getting that way for 2011. it could be that we are the only big TO in the area, it could be that we run an excellent operation so people like what we do (I hope), it could be that we are much cheaper than going to France, it could be…..will leave it there as starting to sound like an advert. Whatever the reason, we seem to be weathering the storm OK.
Owner of a UK TO hat
Please book for 2011 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wayne, that's hugely appreciated. Thank you. Having been to Folgarida, I am certain I will go back - a fabulous resort IMHO. I was there end of March and was amazed there were so few people around. The hotels couldn't have been more than 25% occupied (lower F). You can't help wonder if UK TOs aren't missing a bit of a trick somewhere.
It may not have the party town atmosphere (although we managed ok ), but I'd have thought many Brits would like the area. In some respects it reminded me of a small Serre Chevalier (from a skiers perspective, not a boarders!). Mixture of above and tree-lined skiing, some challenging reds, cruisy reds and blues, some fun blacks, good off-piste areas, variety of terrain, relaxed atmospere, a bit more traditional, friendly people, well-linked to the other towns etc etc.
The SO would keeps saying she'd like to go back to Folgarida this year (always try for 2 trips and may not be able to make the EoSB). As someone who has the technical ability, but not the confidence, the resort there seemed to provide the right blend of runs/terrain. And if she's happy, I'm happy!
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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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This a question aimed at Wayne...or anyone else who has been there.
I'm considering a trip to Folgarida in Jan, staying at the Renzi or the Vecchia America.
I translated the Italian reviews of the Renzi on TripAdvisor.com, and a bit worried about what I read. It scored low on food... 'recycled' was a word mentioned more than once, and the service from the front desk was described as 'uninterested'... I found only one review of the Vecchia America, which was written by a UK dweller who said it was very good.
Can I have an honest opinion of both ?
I have read the reviews on this site, and the skiing would seem pretty good, and the closeness to Madonna is appealing... I'm just used to staying in 4* Austrian hotels which by all standards are pretty good, so am just a bit nervous about Italian hotels, and more nervous if they have bad reviews.
thanks for reading... comments appreciated
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I've been to the vecchia america and am considering a return trip to folgarida this season: if we do go, I'd choose the renzi. The vecchia america was not bad, basic but clean. Food was a bit bland and as we went with a tour op (Equity) it seemed that other customers got served first when dinner came out, so we ended up with smaller portions. I wouldn;t complain about going back there but the renzi is closer, I think
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You know it makes sense.
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We're looking at a return to Folgarida in Jan and are also leaning towards the Renzi - it is indeed closer.
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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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I'm following these threads quite closely, as I too am looking to book into the Renzi in January........
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Poster: A snowHead
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That URL is wrong but the way you display the piste map (IMHO) is TERRIBLE - that viewer thing is hopeless..
Anything wrong with a nice high-res jpeg that people can view, browse, save onto their local machine...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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well, I have gone for it today and booked a week at the Renzi from Jan 9th... here's hoping for some good snow..
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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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FAQ
) and wondered if anyone's been and, if so, do you have any useful info please? You all seem a friendly lot so I'm sure you'll help. Cheers, 
Oh well 
? Nah! That whole edge control thing worked absolutely fine for me in a few places thank you very much!
