 Poster: A snowHead
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Off there on 6th March. Had never heard of the place before but since we are taking our 4yr old and its his first time, we were impressed with brochure description of ski kindergarten (ski lessons for 4-6yr in one group) and the hotel (paradiso) has its own creche which is free cos we are a) staying there and b) have paid for ski kindergarten.
Just wondered what you think of the resort? Anyone been recently? The Paradiso has just been refurbished so hoping its ok!
I am early intermediate - can tackle 'easy' reds, hubby is black runs, moguls, jumps etc but happy to ski with me and he is looking forward to playing in the snow with our son. I am going to miss the full on apres ski bit (always needed a taste of gluvien to get me down the reds in the afternoon) but got butterflys of anticipation as the weeks count down. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hello Fruity. Tonale is the place I usually go to celebrate the end of the skiing season.
It's "only" some 150-180 km from my home. So I go there as dayly trips...
As its name says it's a mountain pass, which divides two regions/provinces
Lombardia (Brescia) and Trentino (Trento)...The pass is roughly N/S oriented
there are two separate lift served areas, one, the main, is facing mainly east, very sunny but tend to remain without snow early.... The other is the Glacier area with the Gran Paradiso run. There one can ski until end of April.
Passo Tonale was once the border between Italy and Austria, WWI was fought on the glacier. A small memorial has been erected midway from the glacier to the gondola. Also there is a big memorial chapel at the pass itself, since the glacier tends to give back WWI soldiers every now andthen.
Passo Tonale is not a village, there are Hotels, restaurants and the like, but the real villages are down, the Lombardy side, Ponte di Legno (there's a swimming pool there, iirc) and Vermiglio on the other side...
Runs are easy to intermediate...http://www.passotonale.it/ing/piste.asp and some black
A couple of links:
http://www.passotonale.it/ing/
http://www.adamelloski.com/indexen.html
A teaser:
http://srv2.realcam.it/live/105/live.jpg
Here a link to something I wrote two years ago on Tonale for the Bears:
http://www.epicski.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=000988#000000
Tonale can be very sunny, especially in March, but in Dec-Jan is a cooold and windy place (due to its N/S axis).
One thing, beware of your stuff. My mother had her gloves stolen, and she had laid the gloves 30 cm from her nose, on a window (at the bottom statio of the Paradiso glacier gondola). This can be said of everyplace in the world, I hope I'm not putting you off with this, I beleive we were unlucky, that's all, but since it happened in a place I know and I use(d) to feel at ease at, I think I have to warn you.
From which side will you reach Tonale? Are you going to get a plane to Bergamo (Milano Orio al serio, its http is : http://www.sacbo.it/inglese/homepage.htm) airport? Are you goingto stay there one week?
Many Happy turns!
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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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Thank you so much Mattao, I couldnt have asked for more!!!
I will check out your links..... we are going to Bergamo and staying at Hotel Paradiso at the foot of a black I believe..we are taking our 4 yr old son, it will be his first time! We will only be skiing for one week/
I do appreciate the warning about our stuff, have had this happen to friends whilst in Austria before and its annoying! So no, you havent put us off - we are just too excited for that to happen!
Enjoy the remainer of the season, I just wish we lived closer to a slope! No such luck in London!
Fx
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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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Fruity,
Hi, my first proper ski holiday was in Passo del Tonale in 1997. I think you will have a great time in Passo Tonale as an early intermediate, but your husband may have trouble finding a challenging run. There is a black run on the glacier and a black run back to the resort level. As far as know neither were particularly difficult. I don't know if they still use it, but there used to be a ski-mobile and rope to tow you across the flat area to the gondola up to the glacier - worth doing, if only for a laugh!
Back then Crystal used to organise a daytrip to Madonna di Campiglio and Marileva (covered by the area pass) which is definitely worth doing. Ponte di Legno, a short (free) bus trip from Passo Tonale is also worth it. There are lovely runs through trees and it's good for lunch in the sun and a nice view.
Beware though, Matteo is sadly right- I had my skis stolen as did one of my travel companions (in a separate incident). Strangely we were assured by the rep. that this was unheard of. Possibly coincidence, but I have skiied every year since and have never known this to happen.
Hope you have a great time, we are off the week after you - so can't wait until you are back!!! (in the nicest possible way  )
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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.
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You are welcome, Fruity.
Usually, the Glacier is open by that time of the year.
Unless it's really cold and weather is bad , that is. Be aware that it is not a big glacier, there are two T bars and two main runs, and two smaller button lifts.
Don't let the colours (black, red) impress you, the run down from the glacier, called the Paradiso Run, is a scenic and wide run, only in a couple of places one could feel it steep...
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Its those 'couple of places' where it feels steep that could see me sitting on me bum, refusing to move............................
If the runs are wide open I hope I will 'feel' confident! I hate the narrow tree lined runs of some resorts..... I always worry about ice!
Fruity x 
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Then you'll be happy, no trees whatsoever at Passo Tonale. It is well above the tree line there. 
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I am afraid that the weather up there is not that good this week...
Hope Fuity and her family are happy anyway...
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