 Poster: A snowHead
|
Just returned from passo Tonale (saturday to Saturday) and had a great time! 3 intermediates and 1 complete beginner. Beginner was in class all week and she loved it. Good tutor and was parrallel turning by day 3. Hadnt snowed for over 3weeks but slopes were in great condition considering! Well groomed each night (bit icy first thing (8am) but as soon as sun hit them and a few people had been on the runs, the ice cleared and had some lovely runs (around 1pm was best as a few hours later it would turn a little slushy), but could easily ski from 8am to 5pm without worry of bad ice.
P.T. is a great ski area with all runs connecting and can ski from top left to bottom right (plenty of runs and good choice) Fantastic dead long red at top of mountain and great "fun" blue on far right. The jump park is good fun and there is a slalom built into one of the runs. Just about enough runs to keep you occupied for a week (2weeks would start getting a little boring) but some great runs.
NO QUEUES AT ALL!!! We ski'd straight into every chair and gondola. Had to queue for 2mins for one of the chair lifts, but thats only because it was the most popular and stopped working 2mins before we got there so the numbers built up a tiny bit. Some good fast lists (a couple of slow ones but they are right next to the fast ones). Noticed it was quite busy the day we got there (sunday) as all the locals were hitting the slopes, but really quiet the rest of the week. A couple of resorts must have brought some of their skiers to us as a few coaches turned up one day, but still no queues and slopes very wide so plenty of turning space if somoeone in front of you
Resort was very quiet at night - only negative thing! Went to a couple of bars and only people in there so went back to hotel bar where everyone seemed to go. Stayed at grand hotel paradiso which is right on the slopes. Ideal location as a lot of hotels had to walk to slopes. Food was nice but posh (small fancy portions), bit of a pain at times as some nights u just wanted a pizza for burger (they offered Veal, chicken, soup etc) Loads of courses though! breakfast was great - continental and bacon, scrambl;ed eggs, sausages etc. very nicely done. Waiting on staff were great. Drinks prices good value in hotel (4euros a pint, 4euros glass of wine. 6euros a cocktail)
Got ski equip from Cinto Sports which I WOULDNT recomment - hire them from the hotel when you get there. Cheaper and better equipment (plus their shop is in the hotel where Cinto Sports was a 15min walk....easy in normal shoes but hard work when carrying skis and boots!)
All in all, a fantastic week. Anyone there at the moment or going next week will be very lucky as 15cms of snow fell today - some areas were starting to get in need of it. Would deff go back and deff stay in same hotel (their spa/pool ect was beautiful and free for guests staying there) Only drawback was lack of nightlife outside of hotel (hotel club "snow white" wasnt open when we stayed there which was a shame as looks nice). Could do wityh a couple more restaurants too. We were to a pizzaria under a hotel and food was lovely. About 8euros a pizza and 12europs a bottle of wine.
We also went into verona on last day and was deff workth it - trip into the Colliseum is really good. Deff one for bext year or year after! if you want to see photos of resort and runs, check out http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=605430&id=587275166&l=49742c46ca
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Is there a cash machine there? We are going there in March, and would hate to run out of beer/wine money.
Thanks 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Yeah, I think there were two cash points that we used. One was next to a pharmacist in a small complex of shops and another was at the other end of town opposite the Paradiso hotel and next to a ski shop. Our rep said that the cash point by the Paradiso was more reliable than the other, but we didn't have a problem at either. Both were only about 5 minutes walk from each other.
Where you staying?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Hotel Adamello, booked after reading the trip advisor reveiws. We do not mind a little walk to the snow, it warms our legs up. How hard is the black under the cable car? I read that that was the hardest run in P T. I have done La Face, and blacks in Les Deux Alpes, Zermatt etc. I get nervous when I read that the run is not for the faint hearted. Why is it hard?  Thanks for the info on the cash machines, my husband always needs a drink after skiing with me, would hate to run out of money....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
margaret, none of the black runs in PT are tricky. Probably more like a deep shade of maroon in most French resorts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Great, I can keep up with the boys with a smile on my face 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Good bar on the top road called El Bait-child friendly as well with plenty of games
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
margaret, the Black under the cable car is not especially steep for a black, but it's long and very sustained at that steepness. It's definitely a proper black run. Other than that, it's fairly wide and no other deal-breakers. Easier than Face I would say, if only because the snow is usually better!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
My recollection of the black under the cable car is of increasing dread of the steep bit which never came (as in, when a black starts easy the longer the easy bit the steeper the steep bit when you get to it). I seem to remember steep bits of blue runs in LDA of the same gradient. Definitely one of my favourite runs in any ski resort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi Guys
This is my first post on Snowheads (Ive been an avid watcher for a while now).
Having already had a week in the Grand Massif at the end of Jan where the conditions were not the best (but we still had an awesome time). Im itching to get some more skiing in this season and have just seen a deal to the grand hotel paradiso for £395 half board for next Saturday.
Im very tempted by this but was wondering if anyone cold tell me if Passo Tonale has a skiable link to the other Skirama areas? If not how do I get to them?
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Paul
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Great report we are going to Passo 12th March and reading your report has put my mind at rest, your photos make it look beautiful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
There is a skiable link to Ponte D'Legno
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I was a rep for Neilson in Tonale about 5 years ago. If you're a good intermediate there's just enough skiing to keep you entertained for a week.
You can ski all of the runs on the south-facing slopes of Tonale in a day then head up to the glacier for a piste that is about 80m wide for some carving fun (the black under the gondola when you've finished). Next day Ponte di Legno which was my favourite area to ski - all North facing reds and blacks through the trees. It also has the best mountain restaurant in the area, Rifugio Petit Pierre at the top of Corno D'Aola (fantastic porcini ravioli with sage butter), great views up and down the valley.
Each week all the TO reps joined together to organise a coach to Madonna di Campiglio, although only 2 of us (me and the rep from Equity) ever went along as the reps from Thomson, Airtours and Crystal didn't ski!). It's about 1hour 20min to get there but well worth it. It's a far more extensive and varied ski area with stunning scenery. There's also a local bus that runs to Campiglio daily, which I think is free with the full area lift pass.
Any other questions and I'll try to answer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
John,
thanks for that - going on th 5th of march and looking forward to it, haven't been to Italy for years.
Anybody know if you can rent a ski locker at the Base Station or are we better off taking them back to the Hotel every night - staying at the Orchidea.
Thanks in advance
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
BillyJohnn, there isn't really a base station as such, the lifts are strung out along the side of the road and the gondola up to the glacier is a bit further down on the other side. Most hotels are no more than a five minute walk to at least one of the lifts although I can't remember which one the Orchidea is (it was five years ago after all!).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Ta, skis and boots to Hotel it is then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Billy Johnn
Their are ski lockers you can rent opposite the ski school office where the ski school meets. Can't remember the exact price but pretty cheap I seem to remember. If your staying in a hotel more than 100 - 200 metres walk away (say adamello for example) worth getting the lockers as its a nagging incline up to the watershed where most of the lifts are.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Ive just got a late deal for this weekend. Cant wait.
Can anyone suggest any good bar / restaurants on the slopes and in the town.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
I thought Italy was supposed to be cheap! 4 euros for a large beer is good, but I wouldn't expect to have to pay as much as 4 euros for a glass of wine in a small French resort - unless it was a really good wine, which wine "by the glass" isn't normally. I think a glass of 
