 Poster: A snowHead
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Just returned from a week WOW what a fantastic place! We stayed with Crystal at the Chalet Traviata, there were 22 guests and we were really lucky that they were all a really nice bunch of people! The chalet next door The Violetta had the kids club etc which we didnt use but it was highly praised by the guests in our chalet that used it.
Firstly they had a huge dump of snow just before we arrived and we also had a fresh dusting on the first 2 nights, the weather then went on to hot, sunny clear blue skies, wonderful, if anything a bit too hot!
The Chalet is about 10 min walk to the main lift in Canazei or a few yards from the bus stop, there is an option to pay a small fee and leave equipment at the top of the first lift. The hosts were good and the food excellent, we were worried that as it was their last week supplies would be diminshing but all in all we couldnt complain, with the best breakfasts we've had in a chalet!
We pre-booked our equipment again with www.snowbrainer.com, as always they came up trumps with the shop and really good equipment.
We had no queues at all for anything. The ski area is by far the best we have experienced, mainly reds with only a few blues although some of the reds could have been blues and some of the reds were the steepest I have ever done! but it never makes sense to me how they grade them!
We did the Sella Ronda twice, once clockwise and once anti clockwise, it was brilliant, pretty well signposted with many alternatives so you could ski it again with an almost different route! we had to take off skis and cross roads a couple of times, but it was no big deal and far more interesting than just skiing up and down the same route all day!
Never got to do the Hidden Valley but will save that for next time! By the later part of the week the lower/south facing slopes were soft and mogully but still skiable and although thigh killers didnt spoil our enjoyment. There is so much there from tree lined pretty slopes that go on and on to wide open fast slopes, the lifts were very good, hardly any drag lifts, truly a fantastic place.
We did the Marmalada, I didnt like the 3 big lifts that take you up (but I'm a wimp) and was a bit wobbly when we first set off the top but the snow was great up there, such a long run down with the most breathtaking views! I personally found many of the slopes quite a challenge as I usually stick to cruisy blues, so feel my skiing and confidence has improved, just waiting for the technique to come 
There was so much we didnt get to do going back will be like a different holiday altogether, I'd happily stay in any of the villages on the Sella Ronda circuit, I think it was Arraba that looked better for beginners.
Prices in the mountain huts were reasonable with excellent pizza cooked in traditional pizza ovens for around 6-7 euros!
We will definately go back, personally I thought the ski area was as good if not better than France, as beautiful as Austria and value for money simply the best, it was truly a great holiday. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
the ski area was as good if not better than France, as beautiful as Austria and value for money simply the best
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Due to the terrian usually it is sunnier than Austria and Switzerland too!
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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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sounds a great holiday. I think that area is about the most beautiful in the Alps.
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Another convert to the most beautiful ski area I know. I would warn feefee, that Arabba, though nice, has the steepest skiing in the area. On the other hand, this hardly matters as you can get anywhere pretty quickly. Next time you are in the Val di Fassa, take a look at the area that runs from Alba to Pozza. Not steep, but delightful cruising.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| sounds a great holiday. I think that area is about the most beautiful in the Alps. |
Dolomites.
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| Chris Bish wrote: |
Another convert to the most beautiful ski area I know. I would warn feefee, that Arabba, though nice, has the steepest skiing in the area. On the other hand, this hardly matters as you can get anywhere pretty quickly. Next time you are in the Val di Fassa, take a look at the area that runs from Alba to Pozza. Not steep, but delightful cruising.
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Hmm maybe it wasnt Arraba then? I'll have to look on the map and see what lift we were on as there was a lovely flattish area that looked great for beginners.
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feefee, The area you desribe sounds like Colfosco .
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riverman, i thought that too
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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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Yes it was Colfosco! but also on the way up to the Marmalada around Arabba we went on a chair that crossed alovely flat area too, although this may have been th only flat one!
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feefee, I have fond memories of that bit too. As I recall, you ski along a valley with a gentle descent which makes it feel like effortless ski touring among the trees. Nice place.
Colfosco is also a very nice place to go and is the most obvious diversion off the Sella Ronda. It also has a very easy black that might be mistaken for a blue!
The World Cup downhill course at Selva is the genuine article though. Never all that steep, but it keeps on coming!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hmm. My main (indeed only) regret about having bought an apartment is not being likely to afford to explore the skiing in the Dolomites.
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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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pam w,
I stuck with a mobile home in Chamonix for 8 years and was liberated when the owner sold the camp site. Never looked back after skiing St Anton, Zermatt, St Moritz, Davos, Cortina Ampezzo........
Dolomites is indeed a major fantastic skiing area by any standard. It doesn't have the usual crowd problem yet as it is huge. Some of the places are not easy to get to.
I suppose no one sell a ski pass allowing more skiing possibilities than Dolomites Super ski pass.
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Chris Bish, yeah that black is no way a black, but it does always have perfect conditions, and its always emtpy and great for carving great big trenches at speed, always enjoy a diversion up there when ever going past.
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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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Well I will remember all this advice as we will Definately be going back! there is so much that we didnt get to do, cant wait!
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Poster: A snowHead
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feefee, Sounds like you had a great trip!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chris Bish, That black so is a black 
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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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The black under the cablecar at Alba is a nice one. I think the cablecar takes around 3 minutes to get down and the game is to race it. The run drops off quite suddenly through the trees and has some steep bits. There is never anybody on it as the rest of the area is gentle stuff. One of those little delights you gat in the Dolomiti. If you go to he other end of the same area, down to Pozza, you can get a noddy train which takes you to an unlikely-looking two-person chair by the main road. This takes you to another secret area where there are some nice runs with a choice of gradings. I think I would like to go there with a car and lots of time one day. There must be so many places to ski like that. The area is divided up into 12 zones. I have only skied in 4 of them!
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Chris Bish, All right, I claim Dantercepies as a bit harder - take the right hand fork to the restaurant at the bottom rather than going left back to Selva main runs. I also very much enjoyed the blacks at Arabba
I'd also like to find that area you are describing, sounds lovely
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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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The La Villa black run is a nice run down through the woods.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Interesting that a few years ago, nobody on this board was talking about the Dolomites. It seems to have become mainstream. I think the good snow record of the last few years has helped. There was a time (and I was there!) when Italy meant "no snow".
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| Chris Bish wrote: |
Interesting that a few years ago, nobody on this board was talking about the Dolomites. It seems to have become mainstream. I think the good snow record of the last few years has helped. There was a time (and I was there!) when Italy meant "no snow".
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I have only skied there once and that was almost thirty years ago!
I did however spend a walking holiday based in Arabba about three years ago in the summer. I was inpressed at the time by the investment, a lot of which was recent, that was being made into the ski area, including new lifts, improvements to the pistes and last but by no means least, snow making equipment.
I suspect that it those improvements that have resulted in a greater interest in the Dolomites.
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Wow sounds lovely. I have spent the last week looking at putting a DIY holiday together for 16 to Canazai and this has been really helpful. The Dolomites are so beautiful (have stayed at Selva and Corvara before).
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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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Christina1, Canazei is perfect for accessing the Sella Ronda, the village was very quiet as it was the last week of the season but it had plenty there and I imagine at busier times theres a lot going on there!
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Had the Sasslong to myself (well, and one highly exited 10 year old, mine) on Sunday morning. Lovely all the way down except for the odd patch of highly polished ice. Got to second (or third, fourth etc) all the comments above. That's our third, and probably best trip to Dolomites. Last week was simply fabulous, 24 degrees in the village (but still skiable into village if you don't mind wet feet). A couple of days it had softened up by about 1pm, most days it stayed reeasonably firm. And almost completely deserted. Never seen a resort so quiet (esp this Sunday). Resort closed as of Sunday, interestingly Esprit are selling week commencing 17 April next year, seems optimistic, snow wise, another week this season and then I would have thought it would be a bit iffy. Last minute will rule for Easter next year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| feefee wrote: |
| Christina1, Canazei is perfect for accessing the Sella Ronda, the village was very quiet as it was the last week of the season but it had plenty there and I imagine at busier times theres a lot going on there! |
Selva is better, It has mutiple routes out and in and has a more central location. The single Belvadere lift out of Canazei can produce some serious queues.
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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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I must get to the Dolomites one day. Once tried to get to Arabba, but failed as the town was basically full. Good to hear snow making seems to be having an effect on reliability. Always a good thing
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Mollerski, We were at Campitello/Canazei for Feb half-term last year and had no queue problems whatever. The queues may look big, but the capacity is huge and the queue moves at walking pace.
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You know it makes sense.
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Chris Bish, I agree. We've been taking groups of 40+ (good) skiers to Canazei for the past few years (late January), and whilst the initial lift queue may look large, the lift capacity demolishes it with only a few minutes delay.
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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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gortonator, Arabba is a good base for skiing the Dolomites.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
| Hmm. My main (indeed only) regret about having bought an apartment is not being likely to afford to explore the skiing in the Dolomites. |
I wonder if it might be possible to do a "swap" with someone having an apartment at the Dolomites?
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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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| abc wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
| Hmm. My main (indeed only) regret about having bought an apartment is not being likely to afford to explore the skiing in the Dolomites. |
I wonder if it might be possible to do a "swap" with someone having an apartment at the Dolomites? |
The Italians have a very strict 'locals only' policy re. property ownership. Non-local Italians can't buy in the area.
Hence, no Brits with Appts. 
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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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| Mollerski wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
| Hmm. My main (indeed only) regret about having bought an apartment is not being likely to afford to explore the skiing in the Dolomites. |
I wonder if it might be possible to do a "swap" with someone having an apartment at the Dolomites? |
The Italians have a very strict 'locals only' policy re. property ownership. Non-local Italians can't buy in the area.
Hence, no Brits with Appts. |
Doesn't mean Pam W cannot house swap with an Italian for a week or 2
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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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| Kel wrote: |
Doesn't mean Pam W cannot house swap with an Italian for a week or 2 |
Good luck, bearing in mind that most properties in the Dolomites are either 1st homes or businesses. Not really swapsie kinda places. 
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Mollerski, You want to open your eyes when you are in the Dolomites there are lots of second homes/apartments
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| riverman wrote: |
| Mollerski, You want to open your eyes when you are in the Dolomites there are lots of second homes/apartments |
You wanna chat to some locals rather than looking at buildings and making assumptions.
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Mollerski, So you are saying there are no homes/apartments to rent in 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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| riverman wrote: |
| Mollerski, So you are saying there are no homes/apartments to rent in the Dolomites |
Eh?!
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Mollerski, read the posts you have made
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FAQ
We were there last NY week and did plenty of queuing. I'm in the mid teens visits to Selva and have queued on peak weeks, but nothing like to the same extent. I like the central position of Selva, when based in Canazei, we were always conscious of having to get back before lifts closed.