I'm looking at popping over for a long weekend there to coincide with the World Cup GS race, winter markets etc
Anyone done this?
I'd be interested in hotel and restaurant recommendations - for the hotel,somewhere nice for the missus, maybe with a spa. If it is handy for the skiing, that is great but we will probably have a car so not a huge deal
Given those requirements, would it make sense to stay at Cortina and drive over to watch the skiing? Or would we miss out on the atmosphere?
I guess the snow will be a bit hit and miss at that time of year but any recommendations for nice Mrs A friendly runs (she likes burning around on blues/reds, not particularly into steeps and moguls) with good access to hot chocolate stops
Finally, flying into Venice looks the best option, but other views welcome.
Cheers!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Arno wrote:
I'm looking at popping over for a long weekend there to coincide with the World Cup GS race, winter markets etc
Anyone done this?
I'd be interested in hotel and restaurant recommendations - for the hotel,somewhere nice for the missus, maybe with a spa. If it is handy for the skiing, that is great but we will probably have a car so not a huge deal
Given those requirements, would it make sense to stay at Cortina and drive over to watch the skiing? Or would we miss out on the atmosphere?
I guess the snow will be a bit hit and miss at that time of year but any recommendations for nice Mrs A friendly runs (she likes burning around on blues/reds, not particularly into steeps and moguls) with good access to hot chocolate stops
Finally, flying into Venice looks the best option, but other views welcome.
Cheers!
Been in the Alta Badia for Christmas several times - as you say snow can be mixed bag. Flying into Venice or Frankfurt would work, I suggest staying in Covara - some nice hotels, short trip to watch the GS on the Gran Risa. Also you are on the Selle Ronda (which should be on every skiers bucket list) and easy access to the Prolongia has some lovely rolling blues and reds.
Am sure you'll have a great time, its a lovely area. Hope this helps.
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?
Quote:
Flying into Venice or Frankfurt
Venice or Innsbruck would be better (or Munich for a longer transfer).
Corvara would make sense. Bus ride to the GS, or assuming it's snowy enough by then, straight up the gondola from town (yellow one iirc) and it's mostly all easy blues up there.
Arno, Having just recently looked into booking a holiday in Alta Badia (Colfosco) in March next year, I would agree about flying into Venice being the best option. I note you say you will probably have a car, but if not Cortina Express do a coach transfer service from Venice Marco Polo airport to Cortina, and I believe at certain times of the year (Summer and Winter seasons) this service is extended beyond Cortina to the Alta Badia resorts, see example timetable : http://www.altabadia.org/2799.pdf which I believe costs 32 Euros p.p.each way. Alternatively private taxi transfer from Venice Marco Polo to Alta Badia can be arranged through venicecab.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks for the tips, all
reckon I could persuase the missus to do the sella ronda on a nice day so nice to have that as an option
Arno, The Melodia Del Bosco, http://www.melodiadelbosco.it/index.php?setlan=en in Pedraces, just a 2 minute drive from the GS course in La Vila. Book one of the panoramic view rooms on the 4th floor. They currently have a "book 4 nights, pay for 3" offer on, €90 pp half board for the best room. The panoramic room, Sante Croce, has an utterley fabulous view. We stayed in the other one and that was pretty damn good. Great food, lovely spot and very handy for the GS race.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Arno, make sure you do the Hidden Valley. Easy to get to from either Cortina or Corvara and nearby villages, especially if you have a car. Nothing steeper than a red, and mostly blue down the length of it. High at the start, so good if the early snow is a bit marginal. Astonishing scenery. Outstanding restaurant two thirds of the way down. Option for a horse-drawn tow at the end. A unique piste.
After all it is free
After all it is free
This is what I got when asking around and knowing your a posh London lad.....
The standard of accommodation is usually quite good. The tourist office have a good accommodation section: http://www.altabadia.org/
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kitenski, living in London, anything with a bathroom bigger than a shoebox seems pretty posh to me. my head says Frosty's suggestion looks excellent; my heart says the trip is coming around bonus time...
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Arno, for true alpine luxury have a look at this place. Skiing from the door (mainly blues and reds), spa, awesome restaurant but the only downside is that it's in the Val Gardena valley. Journey would be about the same as driving over from Cortina but you'd need winter equipment too.
http://www.alpinadolomites.it/en/
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I don't know quite how big the bonus is going to be, but there are 2 Michelin starred restaurants in San Cassiano (next village along from La Villa twd Cortina) and one in Corvara, all 3 are attached to hotels so you can stay onsite:
Great choice of area for a luxury (romantic?) weekend away. If you want to see the racing, stay in one of the Alta Badia villages, there are plenty of good accommodation/eating options there. Don't bother trying to commute from Val Gardena or Cortina, both involve high passes that can be closed after an overnight snowfall.
The Alta Badia ski area is blue heaven with chocolate stops with unforgettable views galore, gnarlier terrain over in nearby Arabba. Hidden Valley is a must-see. Cortina is special too, so quiet midweek. Sella Ronda, more to say you've done it, but amazing views all the way round. Kronplatz has some great long runs. There's the World War I skitour, the Marmolada 3-stage cablecars. You could easily spend a fortnight in the area and not get bored with over 1200km on the Dolomiti Superski pass.
Easiest self-drive access to Alta Badia is from Innsbruck over the Brenner motorway, via Brunico. Venice is another option which involves a bit more mountain driving, but could make a stopover in the World's most Romantic City possible.
Snow conditions can be variable at that time of year, but with near total snow-cannon coverage, you can bet that the pistes will be complete by mid-December.
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.
luigi, this all sounds just great.
Did a bit of research on the area in the last few weeks and would love to go this winter.
Do you have any experience of ski buses?
I presume the one to Hidden Valley would be rather straight forward? Assuming we will be based in Corvara.
But is it doable by bus to Kronplatz, Cinque Torri or Cortina?
I know there is a 20min bus to Kronplatz somewhere from Pedraces so it will require a change over.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Tom W, We did the Hidden Valley and Sella Ronda ( different days ) from San Martino in Badia ( which is near to Kronplatz and on the same bus route ) last year, no problem. Superb area and Kronplatz is well worth a few days skiing in it's own right.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Tom W wrote:
luigi, this all sounds just great.
Did a bit of research on the area in the last few weeks and would love to go this winter.
Do you have any experience of ski buses?
I presume the one to Hidden Valley would be rather straight forward? Assuming we will be based in Corvara.
But is it doable by bus to Kronplatz, Cinque Torri or Cortina?
I know there is a 20min bus to Kronplatz somewhere from Pedraces so it will require a change over.
The Hidden Valley is accessible using the private minibus guys from the Hotel Armentarola in Armentarola at the northern extreme of the Alta Badia ski area (you can ski over from Corvara), for €5pp they will run you up to the Falzarego Pass and the Lagazuoi cablecar. Across the road is the little used Cinque Torri/ Col Gallina/Averau ski area, coffee stop at Rifugio Scoiattoli or Averau. You can do this circuit before you go up the cablecar to do the Hidden Valley. Leave time for lunch at Rifugio Scotoni two thirds of the way down. At the bottom of the run you can do the horse-tow or a minibus back to Armentarola for another €2, where you can link into the lift system again, after a bit of poling!
I believe there are ski buses running between the Cinque Torri chair and the Tofana side of Cortina, but I've only done Cortina on a Tour Op organised trip. It would be quite a long trip on skis and skibuses, you probably wouldn't get to see much of a chance to explore Cortina, esp the far side Faloria/Cristallo area. Better to be done on an organised trip or with your own car to explore both areas fully and to be sure of getting transport back at the end of the day.
For Kronplatz, you can ski over to Sompunt (just before Pedraces proper and easy to miss the bus-stop) from Corvara where there are regular buses down the valley to Piculin. A gondola takes you to into the Kronplatz area, that would be a good day trip, just make sure you leave enough time to get back. I got as far as the Kronplatz peak from Arabba by just before lunchtime and had to turn back having lunch on the way back down above San Vigilio.
There is also the World War I tour which with some use of free and paid skibuses takes you over to the Civetta area and in it's anti-clockwise variant includes the Hidden Valley and clockwise, the Marmolada. It can be done in a long day as long as you stick to the route and don't stop too long:
luigi, Many thanks for your detailed info. Helped a lot with bigger picture of the area. It will be great to go there this winter!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
[quote="luigi"]
Tom W wrote:
luigi,
I believe there are ski buses running between the Cinque Torri chair and the Tofana side of Cortina, but I've only done Cortina on a Tour Op organised trip. It would be quite a long trip on skis and skibuses, you probably wouldn't get to see much of a chance to explore Cortina, esp the far side Faloria/Cristallo area. Better to be done on an organised trip or with your own car to explore both areas fully and to be sure of getting transport back at the end of the day.
There are indeed buses doing that route. I was in San Cassiano in March and took a day off skiing but took opportunity to do some research on behalf of admin yet to pay my commission
Gist is: one bus route heads up from La Villa via San Cass / Armentarola to Passo Falzarego, and back. And another heads up from Cortina stopping at various points to Passo F - crucially it covers its tracks heading back downhill towards Cortina. (Am not sure if a public bus goes from Arabba up to the passo F.)
IF you are staying in the La Villa/Corvara/San Cass area then it is definitely possible to do a day trip on ski/public to Cortina. In effect that is what I did, minus the skis. Rather than skiing in Cortina I ate, drank, went up/down a cable car etc. The timetables for winter will be available in a few months but you'd do something like this:
OUT
Bus from San Cass at about 9 to Passo F - this public bus also stops at Armentarola. Ski Cinque Torri area for a bit, get 10.30 ish bus from car-park at bottom of 5 Torri lift towards Cortina. Get off about 1/2 way to Cortina either for lift 14 or 17 - ie you'd be on the lift/slopes in Cortina by 11.
CORTINA
You then have the whole of Pecol/Tofana to go at. Cinque Torri is a stunning area and a must-go, but up at Tofana IMHO the scenery gets cranked up yet another notch to something that is extraordinary, and v v few skiers there mid-week. You'd have a tad under 4 hours ski/lift/lunch time before needing to get your bus back.
BACK
Heading back: bus from same place you got dropped off at, circa 3.15pm, up to Passo F. Then up the cable car, do Hidden Valley, and at end of which there is a car park on your left where you can get the bus back towards La Villa. From memory that bus is just before 5pm and so time for a shot in Scotoni!
This seems like a faff, and for a big group obv wld be far better sorting private transfers, but if on the San Cass side of Sella Ronda and on your tod or say 2-4 then definitely doable and would be a real adventure with surprisingly little time off the slopes if you take a good peek at the timetables before setting out. The buses were running bang on time the day I tried it. I paid something like e10 for the San Cass-Passo F bus return; the Cortina bus didn't charge.
Luigi is def right in saying that you'd not be able to take in the Faloria-Cristallo area, but I'm not sure that I'd want to try to cover both that and Tofana in a single day even if only staying a hop and skip away.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
DoubleBombardino, Thanks! Corvara looks like a very good base.
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?
DoubleBombardino, thanks for the proof it can be done!
On the tour op trip I did, we spent the morning on the scenic Tofana side, first up on the Ra Valles, then down the black Forcella Rossa and over to the Olympia run where the ladies were doing practice runs for the World Cup racing, riding the chair and seeing them fly over the wall was something else:
We then explored the wooded runs at the base of the mountain that weave in and out of the Olympic toboggan run. Like you say the scenery and setting of the runs in Cortina were amazing.
We then crossed town to get the antique Faloria cablecar, almost deserted up here, we went across to Rio Gere where we stopped for a late lunch of pasta and meats before heading up to the Cristallo area, only a few runs but absolutely spectacular and eerily quiet as the weather wasn't sunny enough for the Italians to venture out.
Time to make our way back over to Faloria where we played until it was time to drop back into town. Had an apres drink and a shifty round the poshest co-op in the world, saw a few of the legendary fur coats and lap-dogs too! LOL
We saw pretty much all the best of Cortina even if we didn't do every run, we had Sueski as our guide (resort manager for Ski Total in Arabba in 2010/11 and long-time Dolomite resident) and there were just 3 of us all pretty competent skiers so we really scooted around trying to keep up with her.
There's definitely nowhere else like it, it would be a great place for a week as you practically have it to yourself outside of weekends and Italian holidays. I don't think any UK tour ops offer it, but maybe that's a good thing!!
Week surely not enough to even scratch the surface of this area. Maybe it is time again for DIYing another 10 day trip.
Lots of small villages around Kronplatz so maybe possible to get 2 night there and then move for a full week to Corvara.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Just to add here's some more info on the Hidden Valley run, known as the 'Pista Armentarola' locally, check out the link to the PDF too:
You can also ski the steep front face 'Pista Lagazuoi' under the cablecar first if conditions are good, but you will need to catch the cablecar back up again to do the Hidden Valley run. There is sometimes a long queue, I've waited for 50 mins here on the first clear day after a few bad weather days.
At the top it's worth climbing the stairs to the Rifugio Lagazuoi terrace for the panoramic views of many Dolomite peaks:
After all it is free
After all it is free
luigi, Yep, the Lagazuoi and the adjacent Cinque Torri area are stunning imv.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
juliad wrote:
Arno, for true alpine luxury have a look at this place. Skiing from the door (mainly blues and reds), spa, awesome restaurant but the only downside is that it's in the Val Gardena valley. Journey would be about the same as driving over from Cortina but you'd need winter equipment too.
http://www.alpinadolomites.it/en/
This hotel is in the village of Compatsch up on the Alpe Di Siusi plateau above Ortisei. It is located next to the gondola that comes up from the village of Siusi below and not the gondola that comes up from Ortisei. By car you would need to drive back down to the village of Siusi, then drive through Castelrotto and down to Ortisei. Then you would have to drive through the Val Gardena valley through St Christina and Selva and then over the passo gardena to Colfosco and Corvara. The drive is doble but it will take you a long time.
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jimmybog, agree with your comment as it is a bit of a drive but only suggested it because the OP was potentially looking at Cortina as a base. Probably a few minutes longer in the car but not much. For convenience it is a better idea to stay more locally in Alta Badia as the roads/passes either side (up and over to Selva & Cortina) can be a problem in snow. I've used both Venice and Innsbruck airports in the past but would tend to select which one based on which part of the Dolomites I'm staying. Nice Xmas market in Innsbruck but haven't done Venice at that time to compare.
juliad, having looked at that hotel you recommended, I am not investigating going for the Val Gardena downhill. Looks very nice indeed!
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.
luigi, Thanks for info again.
So at the end of this "Hidden Valley" run - you can take:
A - horse drag lift back to the T Bar lift?
B - Minibus to the same T Bar for 2Euros or for 5E back again to the cable car?
Only asking as if there is minibus option I would probably choose it over horse lift as it might not be fun on the board (if I understand the map distance on the horse lift will be 2.4km?)
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Upss sorry I think you already mentioned earlier that you can take minibus or horse lift.
Shame the minibus is only to the drag lift, not a bit further to the chair lift closer to S.Cassiano.
I hope that Armentarola drag is not too long
It is a bit hard to find any decent piste maps on the internet for those areas around Sella Ronda. Specially the one for Arabba is strange and confusing.
Hope they have better paper maps to pick up while there.
Cheers
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Tom W, The drag lift at Armentarola is not very long, it serves a nursery area. It just gives you enough height to drop into San Cassiano. I have to say that I have never seen a minibus on the way back, we have always taken the horse tow as it is quirky and fun.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:
Hope they have better paper maps to pick up while there
Yep they do.
Best to pick up the local one (Navigating Alta Badia / San Cassiano etc. is much much easier on the Alta Badia map than on the Sella Ronda side of the Arabba map, for example).
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Tom W, as CP said about the draglift, very short, but the horse-tow doesn't get you all the way there, so there's still about 300m of poling to do.
The minibuses are in the car park of the Capanna Alpina restaurant just before you get to the horses and drop you back at the Hotel Armentarola which is only 50 m from the drag, but obviously nowhere near as fun as the horse-tow and all it's possibilities for disaster! LOL
The best cartographical ski map of the area is this one, not in stock with Amazon at the moment but is available in newsagents/tobacconists/skishops in resort for about €5:
luigi, So they still print that map - I have the one I bought on my first trip to the Dolomites from the tabacco shop in Arabba in 1995 - price on it is L. 7.000 It still works for planning purposes as it seems that most of the major arterial lifts have not changed much since then.
This thread is getting me thinking that I should get my planning head on for a trip next year ( first one since my hip replacement )
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?
Tom W, With regards to the Cinque Torri and Hidden Valley ski areas, this video I took on the 5th Snowheads Birthday Bash back in 2009 gives you some idea of the scenery and slopes, including the horse drawn tows at the end of the Hidden Valley run - although you can only see skiers using it on my video, snowboarders can also use the horse tow if they want.
think the horse tow can take a few people in the sleigh part too?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Alastair Pink, nice vid, gives a great impression of what it's like.
2009 was a record snow year in the Dolomites IIRC.
Yes, you can ride in the sleigh...but you've got to live with the shame!! LOL
After all it is free
After all it is free
Saw some snowboarders riding down the Hidden Valley on your videos, surely they had used to horse tow. I will give it a go then
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Just don't fall in the horse crap.
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tiffin wrote:
Just don't fall in the horse crap.
Or do it when the snow is marginal. Someone I know ruefully pointed out that he had just paid €5 to scratch his bases for 2km while staring at a horse's arse, then had to skate along the flat for another few hundred meters before getting to a drag lift. I helpfully pointed out that I had paid the same amount to get a private taxi to the nearest gondola which gave me enough time to get up the hill to the usual restaurant for a sundowner glass of Prosecco.
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