 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Just carrying out some research for my 1st trip of 2011, in early Jan.
Staying in Pila itself, travelling solo, will obtain an area pass I so can ski other Aosta villages/towns.
Looking for any advice or tips relative to the area, what to do, where to go, and what to avoid.
General plan on any trip is to ski into oblivion each day (until legs are complete jelly) and to cover as much ground as possible and see the sights. Not overly fussed about the apres ski scene as like the tranquility of the mountains.
In addition to any general advice you may be able to offer, maybe someone can answer this, if I trip out to La Thuile for the day, will I be able to ski La Rosiere on my Aosta Valley pass/will I have reasonable time on a day trip to do so? And what other Aosta resorts are worth a go (did Cervinia/Zermatt last season)
Positive/negative comments are most welcome 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Arctic Fox, I've not been to Pila but I have been to both Courmayeur and La Thuile. If you have at least a 6-day lift pass for any of the Aosta valley resorts, it entitles you to a day in one of the other resorts so depending how long you are there you might not need to buy the upgraded lift pass. Courmayeur would be great for a day trip. You can get a free bus from Aosta that drops you off at the top of the stairs down to the town centre cable car. It's a small ski area so someone fit and confident might be able to cover the whole area in a day. La Thuile has a bigger ski area and of course there is the link to La Rosiere but I personally preferred the skiing on the La Thuile side. There are a lot of flat bits in the main bowl though so you might have to do a bit of poling.
For mountain huts, my favourites in Courmayeur were Chiecco and Le Vieux Grenier (marked on piste map) and in La Thuile, Le Foyer and Off Shore (bizarre hippy hut with ethnic rugs, Beatles music and incense burners!).
Enjoy!
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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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if you but the area pass you do not need to upgrade to get to la Rosiere as it is covered on the same pass. I would agree with Queeen Bodecia in that La Thuile slopes are much better than those in La Rosiere although I still love the fact that you can ski into another country even after doing it on numerous occasions. it is a good job you do not want much in the way of night life as there is hardly any in Pila. Are you hiring a car? if nto it is pretty difficult to visit the other resorts and get a full day skiing in, as the cable car from Aosta stops at 5 and taxi's are then the only way back up the hill. The other resort I would say to go to is Champoluc in the monte rosa ski area it is totally different scenery than all the other resorts and has a brilliant circular route whihc you can follow taking in Gressonay as well which gives a great days skiing. Aosta valley already has loads of snow this year so it should be brilliant skiing.
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Pila is a delightful place to ski but it is very small. If you are Km hungry as you seem, you will do it all in a day. Cervinia/Zermatt, Courmayeur (also small, but nice) and La Thuile are all very much in range, but you will need a car to get to them all.
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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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Had a great time there last year but it is small so you will need to get over to the others which I have not been too. You will need a car and it takes 20Mins just to get back down the mountain so best part of an hour to Courmayeur.
We went with Pilaski and she showed us round which was very handy, though there are guides to hire if you want to get off the main pistes. The Coulis1 lift was not open due to avalanche risk which cuts down the black runs. Avoid the Chamole chair between 9 and 10 as that is the link on to the ski area for everyone coming up the Gondola. Outside these times it is fine and Piste2 and 3 are great fun
Best food we had was at Yeti bar, book in the morning, dont get put off by all the kids there at lunch time they all go down the hill to Aosta at night.
Hope its good for you, we are going back in Feb for 5 days
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Aosta is a nice place to stay but definetly worth going to Courmayeur for the day it's only 20/25 mins away. Pila itself is fun for a couple of days. When we used Aosta as a base we also had a day in Cervinia so we could ski in Zermatt (about a 50 min drive). One of the best road trips I've done and the food is just the best.
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Some great bits of info thanks 
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Pila should be pretty quiet that week with most of the clientele being Intertski school groups - the vast majority of whom will be beginners. They will be all over the nursery slopes for the first 3 days, leaving the rest of the resort virtually empty (it's the 2 man chair from the gondola station up to the maison de jean that will take school groups up to the nursery slopes, so avoid that one in the 9 o'clock slot). The Maison de Jean, The Hermitage and The Yeti Bar take the Interski meal vouchers, so that's where to avoid at lunch time - they'll be rammed.
If you're lucky, you'll have the red under the Chamole chairlift all to yourself 
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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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Sounds fab Chris, great inside info!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Nice piece of work that. Enjoyed it very much.
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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, thanks for your kind words. I was trialling a new camera in Pila, and suffice to say, it all went quite well.
Am sure I have another short movie of skiing Pila somewhere, will see if I can find it.
I am returning to Wengen next month so will be putting another short film together of the skiing there, and have something special in store for the Schilthorn too.
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You know it makes sense.
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Arctic Fox, Did you try anywhere else in the Valley ?
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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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As it turned out....no. There was a chance to get to Courmayeur, however the weather wasn't great on the day, so decided to stay put and maximise time on snow locally.
Covered almost everything on the first day, found Pila a little limiting but very much enjoyed the trip all the same. If I were to ever go again, and I am generally not in the habit of going to the same place every year, I would go a week later as there were still a lot of young skiers (school age) about. Had a mixed bag of weather. These two factors kept me occupied, avoid queues and avoid clouds.
Any ideas for an Aosta location for next year?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Oh forgot to mention...all lifts are pretty slow and chairlifts are without covers.
Will see if I can locate other film and add on here.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Arctic Fox,
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| Any ideas for an Aosta location for next year? |
When I get the chance I hope to get back for a week, stay in Aosta and revisit a few small resorts on the Valley, plus have a day at a couple of the larger ones. If on the day the weather is poor, or don't fancy driving Pila is 20min up the gondala.
I'd aim to visit, say:
Champoluc / Monta Rosa area
Cervinia / Zermatt
Chamois
Crevacol
Pila
Torgnon
All are pretty easy as day trips, with Torgnon the 'wild card', a small resort I've not got too yet.
See http://www.regione.vda.it/turismo/prima_di_partire/in_tempo_reale/webcam_e.asp for more info.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Arctic Fox, Good vid. I'll be there 5th march for 2 weeks.
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