 Poster: A snowHead
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I am a long term lurker, now diving in! I've always found this sie to be a mine of useful information, so am hoping you can help.
Inspired by the Dolomites threads, I have booked a long weekend at the beginning of March to Selva for my wife and myself. I was wondering how feasible the World War One tour (Selva to Arabba, Marmolada, bus to Alleghe, ski to Pescol, bus to Fedare, new lift over to Lagazuoi, Hidden Valley and back to Selva via Corvara) would be in a day? We are both fast skiers, but the transport arrangements look to be potentially the week link. I guess we could skip the Marmolada element if running slow to save time.
Is Saturday a good day to do this (empty because of changeover day like in France) or will it be full of weekend trippers?
Thanks in anticipation.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rg1, It would be possible if you leave out the Marmolada and have a short lunch break. On a Saturday you might have a wait in Alleghe if its a nice day.
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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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without putting yourself under pressure, try the hidden valley, unbelievable scenery. The Sella Ronda connection can be busy on way home, so the route you mentioned is quiet long and if a lift breaks down....
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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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rg1,
I am sure it can be done if you are good. Physically in addition to the World War I tour you are adding
(1) Ski from Selva to Alta Baida's Colfosco/Covara
(2) Ski from Covara to Arabba
(3) ski from Covara back to Selva
You have also to allow for the following
(a) The bus from Malga Ciapela (Bottom of Marmolada) to Alleghe is a regular bus so you can leap in and go. You may need to ask the ski pass office to find out where the bus stop is. You can see the bus stop at the bottom of the run from Marmolada.
(b) The bus from Pescol to Fedare is by a special bus. The driver can take 30 minutes to issue tickets and collect the fares. The 15 km journey is quite slow as many hiarpin bend are involved. The first 15km journey from Malga Ciapela to Alleghe is reasonably fast but the bus does have to stop a few times in between.
(c) The end of Hidden Valley to Armentarola is flat and requires quite a bit of walking. This takes time. If you take the horse drag, which only covers about 50 to 60% of the flat walking distance, the driver can take more than 30 minutes to wait for enough skiers to take up one rope. Then he throws out another rope! My wife counted there could be 50 to 60 skiers for each drag. Think of the time each skier trying to get 2 Euro out and get changes sorted when the driver goes round the two rope queues.
Skiing distance wise you are effectively doing the Sella Ronda and the World War I tour in one day. This is because you are skiing to the diagonal position of Sella Ronda and back so you are going through half the loop twice. On paper the World War I tour goes round the 4 areas of Arabba, Civetta, Cortina and ALta Badia. You are adding Selva to it. Thus in one day you are skiing 5 out of the 12 areas in Dolomites! Catching the last lift back to your staring point will be your major challenge. In addition you need good weather and short queues at the lifts.
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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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saikee, I'd like to go and ski in the Dolomites next season. Could you please transmogrify yourself into a satnav that I can put in my pocket? It would be an invaluable resource. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Are you wanting to actually see the first world war remains? There are actually rock-cut trenches and machine-gun emplacements at the top of Lagazuoi and skiing off piste we saw proper gun emplacements in a cliff-face and ruined barracks. (you can buy a book about it there which is very interesting - for a while one side were at the top of Lagazuoi and the other directly below under the overhang!!) There are also several pieces of artillery left along the trail - including one on the way from Arabba to the Marmolada.
A few years ago very few people on this web-site seemed to know how good the Dolomites are. What a change - now there are regular threads about it.
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snowball, in the battle where the two sides were on the top and under the overhang no troops died from fighting*, IIRC the Austrians were on the top and began throwing explosives at the Italians on the ledge under the overhang. This prompted the Italians to tunnel into the hill in an attempt to blow the Austrians up from below. Obviously the Austrians became aware of this and started their own tunnel network. More and more of the mountain was dug out in a series of bomb chambers and decoy tunnels until the troops were called away to fight elsewhere. In summer (snow may well prevent it in winter) you can walk through the mountain to the big ledge.
* sadly many died from hypothermia due to insufficient equipment to survive the harsh winters.
A large section of the Marmolada was also hollowed out to provide a hospital; this was recently dug out (~10 years ago) and now tours are available in summer. If you go in the summer the Cicerone Via Ferrata guide has a lot of info on what happened during the war which was responsible for the creation of many of the Via Ferratae in this part of the Dolomites.
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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 replies - very helpful. We'll give it a go and let you know how we get on. I imagine we may skip the Marmolada, but we'll see how we get on. Maybe the beginning of a new challenge a la Paradiski.....?
Do you think that clockwise from Selva to Arabba in the morning would be quicker than anti-clockwise?
The main focus is obviously the skiing, but I had read about the world war 1 history and will be iterested to see it. I hadn't realised the two sides were actually on top of each other though - must have been terrifying. Was this the place where avalanches were used as a weapon?
Just two weeks to go - very much looking forward to it. It looks a truly beautiful area. Up to now I think my favourite has been Monterosa (Champoluc and Gressoney), so will be interested to see how this compares.
Thanks again for the input.
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rg1, No contest, Selva and the Sella Ronda has got to be one of the most beautiful parts of the Alps! IMO it ranks along with the mighty Matterhorn (Zermatt view)!!
Have fun, I am envious!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Do you think that clockwise from Selva to Arabba in the morning would be quicker than anti-clockwise?
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Yes, assuming you mean via Corvara.
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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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Thanks for all the advice. We got back on Monday night and I thought I'd report back...
We are now confirmed fans of the Dolomite area. Fabulous scenery, huge area and a great feeling of travelling around. Skiing perhaps a little limited in terms of tough stuff and Selva was pretty quiet, but the positives way outweigh the negatives - we will be back.
We managed the planned trip above (we skipped Marmolada). Actually it was pretty easy - despite missing a bus whilst looking for the stop at Malga Ciapela, we had time for lunch at Scotoni's and were back in Selva before 4pm - time for a couple of runs over there as well. Adding Marmolad in would definitely be possible (if you know where to catch the bus.....). A really epic day - no idea how far we travelled, but it seemed a lot!
We caught the first Ciampino lift up (actually the second bubble, but hey..) and skied to Arabba on the green route on completely empty untouched corduroy under clear blue skies, making it to Arabba by 9.45. Malga Ciapela by 10.15, missed the bus, and finally made it to Alleghe for 11.15 (Alleghe seemed like a really special place, with the frozen lake). Another 20 minute wait for a bus at Pescul, and made it to Fedare and then Lagazuoi cable car for a bit before 1pm, no queue, so in time for lunch at Scotoni's. Managed to time the horse lift right as well - we got the last place on the rope just as it was leaving - a very surreal experience. We finished the trip by completing the Sella Ronda in the green direction back to Selva, a couple of runs there and a hard earned Lubumba in the hut on Dantercepies.
All in all a really good weekend. Selva was easily reached in under an hour and a half from Innsbruck and the Hotel Oswald looked after us well. Thoroughly recommended!
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rg1, Most of the tough stuff is at Arabba / Marmolada plus down from the Passo Pordoi cable car (that last includes lots of tough off-piste and the Val Mesdi).
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You know it makes sense.
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snowball, yep -we did the Val Mesdi with Admin and Sharkie and a few others in February. Not difficult at all - but a great run.
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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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Top of the Val Mesdi in July
It's a long way and still a bit further to the top of Piz Boe where we were headed. Always wanted to board it, don't think it would be that hard but very atmospheric.
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