 Poster: A snowHead
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02/01/2012
It's snowing quite hard at the moment but .....
At the moment the area is still surviing on the, not much, snow that fell just before christmas. The forecast keeps saying it’s going to snow, but then we get just a few flurries, and the forecast changes. We'll see if this fall keeps coming down for more than a few hours
Due to almost the whole area being well covered by snow-makers, all runs in the area are open and in good condition although the lower sections of Pinzolo are getting a little thin. The off piste is not a good idea due to the rocks just below the surface.
We wait and look up 
Sent via PC anywhere, back to the UK and then to upload. (so hope this works). Modem should be up and running by next week; I hope.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks Wayne, in Madonna on the 15th. You say it's all open, they're reporting that quite a lot of the runs are still closed (30-40%. Black 6 and red 8&9 are some of my favs from last year) - is that not true?
Web cams look the best they've looked all season right now, so got everything crossed. Don't need masses of off piste but would like all the reds/black open and the village to look pwetty...
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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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ishay,
Compared to this time last year the snow ain't brill.
But hey... there's snow. You can ski. It's a holiday.
All the runs are opoen are far as I can see - some of the lifts are shut, but that's more to do with bad planning than anything else. They'll open in day or so
(we could do with some more though, think the frenchies have pinched it all this year, just to get back at us for last year  )
No worries, it will snow again soon - it always does
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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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I drove up from Genoa through the Fréjus tunnel today. I was struck by how much colder it was on the Italian side of the tunnel - very mild on emerging on the French side. There was a lot of rain on the first section of the journey and my son says they have flood warnings in Genoa - so maybe the long spell of fine,warm, sunny, high pressure, winter weather they've had down there is coming to an end.
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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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Well it looks good this morning on the webcam  . My final concerns are now all but gone...
It might not be perfect but as you say "there's snow. You can ski. It's a holiday."
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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20cm in the town yesterday with the roads now cleared by the ploughs. Around 40cm up at 1700m to 2000m
Looking better now
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I remember being there back in Jan 2003. Arrived at the resort and there was no natural snow at all but nearly all the main pistes were open and in very good condition.
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A glorious morning. Sunny ("very" cold), lots of snow, etc.
But ......
The big storm that has been in the offing is set to hit us either tomorrow or Monday.
The chap on the TV last night said that this snow storm will last around a week 
So if you're heading out this way, check the chains are in the boot ?
Forecast here
Still using PC-anywhere as my wifi thingy doesn't seem to work with SH's.
So this post is going via various cables and satellites from here to our office server then out to you - ain't technology brill
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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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Err if you look at the dates on the forecast, surely its for the week starting 14th Jan ? And thats too far away to be accurate.
Hope the bloke on the telly is right though as off to the valley next door (selva) and would love a big dumpage.
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Nearly got excited, but that definately looks like next weekend not this... and I'm not getting excited by that unless it sticks around in the forecast for several more days.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ishay,
I have few lessons to do in madonna for the 15th Jan week. They have booked same time each day for a week so I'll be over there each afternoon all week. Send me a PM with your contact details and we'll meet up in cafe fiat (the best cafe up the slopes)
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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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16/01/2012
What can I tell ya ?
Went over to Madonna from Marilleva via the Orso Bruno link today and the entire area is open the pistes are all in good order for the moment – this is more due to good miantainace by the basher drivers than lots of snow.
So, we’re sitting here waiting for the next big dump. AT the moment there are no problems as long as you don’t want to ski off piste. But we will need to fresh stuff quite soon.
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Wayne, thanks for your honesty in summing up the conditions.
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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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Not much to report. The snow is the same as it has been for most of the season.
The pistes are fine, fully covered and well looked after.
The off piste is none existent – there is snow all over, its just that in places it’s not deep enough, so too many rocks and trees just under the snow. The problem being that you don’t know where they are, so best bet is to wait a while till the next big dump.
PS. Its snowing heavily right now. Only a few CM’s today but maybe it will keep coming, we’ll see.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Cheers, Wayne. Thanks for the update. Be there at half term!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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johnnyh,
Which hotel ?
send me a PM with your contact stuff and I'll pop over and say hi
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Its been snowing all day. The snow is falling right down into the valley - which means the local gov will soon pinch our ploughs to keep the main road (Val di Sole) down to passo tonale open.
Oh well.
Got to teach some groups from Neilsons holiday on Thursday and Fri.
Not fair
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A little more details this week as I’m sitting here eating my toast and (the last of my) marmalade; but a kindly SH, who will be here next week, has agreed to bring me a full new jar of Golden Shred – can’t get it out here, ya see. So, I’m feeling at one with the world.
Any chance of any marmite anyone ???
Anyway, where wuz we, oh yeah, snow and stuff
What a difference a week makes.
Last week the local tourist authority website loudly proclaimed that is was snowing across the region, which, whilst true, didn’t give the real picture. The snow last week was mearly a dusting – of the type that will halt the trains in the UK and cause anyone paid by the government to not go to work for health and safety reasons.
But this week has been a different story. It started snowing on Tuesday and it’s still coming down. The ploughs are out almost permanently so all the roads are open (chains needed if you don’t have good quality winter tyres). Up on the slopes the conditions have improved dramatically.
Winter has returned. Temp today -15’ to -20’.
But (unlike some websites ??) let’s not get carried away. Due to the lack of pre and early season big dumps the off piste just ain’t as good as it normally is. Of course it can be done and there are plenty of areas available with good coverage for those willing to look. (see below). But you do need to look around for some good OP-whizz areas. One of the problems is that the large (3m) bushes that would normally have been squashed flat in November, are still sticking up, thus cutting off many of the normal off-piste areas. Of course as most skiers never venture off-piste(as opposed to between- pistes) whatever the conditions, this will not make any difference for the vast majority of people heading out this way.
The conditions are the best we have had since before Christmas. Long may it continue.
******************************
For anyone heading out this way, here’s a few notes as I munch away on my toast.
New Link to Pinzolo:
For those of you with a full area pass: the new link over to Pinzolo from Madonna (completed this season after 3 year’s work) is now fully open. To find the station in Madonna di C. go up the small (Maramonte) chair at the side of the world cup run (shown as No. 14 on the Piste Map). At the top come off and turn right after about 50m and follow this run round to the right for about 200m. Take the next lift, the Patascosse Express chair, up (No. 15 on the Piste Map). From the top, after around 300m, cut right onto the Blue (Chinque Largi) run down, the station is about half way down on your right. Note – don’t continue down the red run (Largi Variantee) off the top of the Patascosse Express lift or, contrary to what it shows on the Piste Map, you will arrive too low to take the cable car over to Pinzolo; don’t you just love Piste Maps
Off-Piste News
I strongly recommend that you hire a local mountain guide and have off-piste insurance if you intend to ski off-piste (you wouldn’t expect me to say anything different, would you?).
At the moment the best areas for Off Piste are:
Madonna Di C:
• The area around Dosson Di Vagliana. - Take the Groste lift (No.6) and get off at the half-way station then follow the red Lame run (shown as 21 on the Piste Map) and then take the Larici chair up.
Folgarida:
• Wide Open – take the left hand turn onto the Green run from the top of the 1st steep section on Malghetto (run No.10 on the Piste Map) then after just a few meters turn right anywhere – you MUST keep to the left of the off-piste section so you end up back on Busa Del Vigo piste, or you’ll have to walk back up – which really is no fun at all.
• Tree runs - The whole area on the left hand side of Mastellina Piste (No.16) is great fun at the moment.
Best moguls:
Warning – this is an off-piste section and once you start (even a little way) down there is no way back up without a shed load of problems – if you’re not so good at the bumps steer clear. These are BIG and steep by any standard !!!!
From the top of the Spolverino lift in Folgarida turn back under the lift and follow (red) Spolverino piste down until it turns left. Here stop on the right of the piste and look over the edge. You’ll see the top section of the bumps. They get steeper around the corner which you can’t see from the piste.
If you’re up for it, drop over the edge and just keep going until the bumps stop when you rejoin the (black) Provetti piste.
Best Pizza – by far!!!
The 2ft wide gut busters (I think they may have a different name on the menu) at the Monte Spolverino Cafe at the top of the 4 man chair from the mid station in Folgarida.
Best coffee (which precludes, of course, anywhere in France where they drink some form of brown sludge).
Almost anywhere round here really, but if I had to make a choice it would be the cafe at the top of the Groste cable car (21 minute ride up) in Madonna di Campiglio.
Best view and place to take a photo:
Go to the Sabion Piste in Pinzolo and stand with Cima Brenta in the background – wow.
Worst place for ape-ski:
Anywhere I am doing karaoke
Loudest music in the entire universe:
Dream Bar night club in Folgarida
Biggest complaint (many times repeated) we have had this year:
In the Wednesday evening quiz which we hold in the Eta Beta bar in Folgarida and some people think the answers are wrong. Well, I wrote the questions and will always call upon rules 1 and 2 (there are only 3). Rule 1: I'm right, even when I am wrong. Rule 2: in the case of any disagreement rule 1 will apply. Rule 3: Rule 1 does not apply when I’m at home, when, of course, I freely admit to being always wrong.
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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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Wayne - do you still want Marmite? Arriving in Madonna on Saturday.... 
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Hi Sue
LoL – no thanks. I would never ask someone to bring something through an airport for me unless I knew them.
Mrs W is here soon and she will re-stock the marmite, walkers crisps, bisto granules, HP, etc.
Thanks for the offer anyway.
Send me a PM with your contact details and will pop by and say hi, I am working in folgarida and Madonna next week (Madonna each afternoon)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi Wayne
Staying at Hotel Italo, usually back by 4.30pm. Be good to say hi!
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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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Wayne,
Do you know if there are any lockers for hire at the Spinale Gondola,
Thanks,
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Not really much to report here in the Brent Dolomites.
There have been a few light dustings higher up but nothing that changes the overall state of the resorts.
The pistes are all in fine condition – and this will stay like this due to the vast number of snow-blowers round here. The off piste is now deteriorating rapidly. There are, off course some places that it’s still possible to make some fresh tracks, but you do need to know the area well to be able to find them. The majority of OP is now a non-starter due to the tree stumps and rocks just under the surface.7
Oh well, it’s still good skiing, if you (like the vast majority of people) want to piste ski.
| ScaredyCat wrote: |
| Do you know if there are any lockers for hire at the Spinale Gondola, |
Not that I know of
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You know it makes sense.
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The snowfall on Sunday and Monday this week (15cm in the town and 25cm on the slopes) replaced the layer that had been blown off by the strong winds last week. So all in all we are now back to excellent piste conditions.
The off piste has been improved, slightly, although you still need to watch where you’re heading as some areas still don’t really have enough coverage to make it skiable. I think that everyone has now accepted that the major off piste bowls will not be available this year, as we would need at 2m’s to get these up to scratch- oh well.
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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 here's a thing.
April has arrived (in February) or so it seems.
10' on on the slopes today, but in the sunshine it felt "much" hotter, and it was like skiing on a slush puppy.
Not good. We're hopeing for a drop in temp to what it should be at this time of year and, of course, another big snowfall.
We'll see what happens.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Spring is now here.
We have been told (by the Ital Met Office) that a cold front and snow is on the way for early next week – but the boy who cried wolf maybe be a good analogy
Of course as the majority of the piste are covered by snow blowers they are still fine order, although later in the afternoon is still slushy. The pistes that are not covered by blowers are now basically shut for the season and no amount of fresh snow will change this as the ground is now too warm so any snow falling will just melt into the fresh grass that’s starting to pop up.
Oh well, back to normal next year.
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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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do you think all the pistes will remain open until the end of the season, including ponte di legno, presumably if the temperatures low enough the snow making machines will operate.
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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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blimey, for some reason i thought you were in passo tonale, i got my wires crossed, sorry for gatecrashing your forum.
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FAQ
yipee
