 Poster: A snowHead
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I spent last week in the Dolomites being guided by Francesco Tremolada http://www.proguide.it/
He is a great guide and has a vast knowledge of the area, having written the local guide book
http://www.proguide.it/index.php/2009/12/10/freeride-in-dolomiti-ii/?lang=en
We were based in Corvara at a great little B&B (Garni Edera) run by a lovely Family.
We really hit the jackpot with snow this year in the Dolomites, as a couple of Genoa lows steamed through while we were there so I would rate conditions as 9/10!
It was a slight gamble as we booked in the Autumn, and last year the Dolomites basically had no snow.
Firstday it dumped, so we stayed fairly low in the trees hitting loads of untracked pillows and pow while getting a feel for the area.
Day 2 we got a morning weather window so headed up the Pordoi Cable car into the Sella Massive. We had the pleasure of being the only ones allowed up for the first run
as in high avalanche conditions only guided groups allowed up..
Francesco opens the Forcella Pordoi ( the local classic descent)
Couloir Jack opens it up
Jim lays one out, this is fun!
Normally a mogul field, we got pow...
3 variations down the front and then a a long Val Lasties off the back down to an amazing resturant which served home made wild deer ragu,
followed by tiramasu...delicious
On that note I have to mention that the food all week was amazing and incredible value...especially compared to most of France!
Nice end of the day with a Bombardino chaser and several Weiss beer!
It dumped again overnight so more epic tree action on day 3. Avi risk was getting pretty high by this point. Slabs popping out everywhere and a snowboarder
killed in a slide above Arraba on steep terrain. Francesco did a great job keeping us all safe
I got arty with this one of Matt
Spot the gondola
Tail end of the storm,tomorrow will be good!
Day 4 was very cold and sunny. Perfect for 2 of the local classic runs, nothing really steep just an amazing Adventure first of all from the top of the Marmolada at 3300m down to 1600m!
Warm up run to the Marmolada cable car !
Amazing Views from the top
About 10 pitches down the glacier like this
View back to where we started in the sun over 1200m above us!
Then we had a rather fun adventure down an old military road used in WW2
Final bit of tree skiing to a taxi pick up
Taxi round to the Pordoi for the second run, first a 30 min boot pack up to the start of the Val Mezdi (the local valle blanche !)
a rather scenic bootpack though!
Jim
Thats me! Pordoi in the background
Francesco dropping in to the Val Mezdi, a few tracks but for the time of day still really nice
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An atmospheric end to the day
With a good weather forecast and settling snowpack it was time to step things up on day 5.
Francesco got the rope out for a nasty traverse over a steep rocky cliff
It got us into some nice terrain
and some more classic trees, really like BC here
Back up again for a Corvara classic couloir which involves riding under a rock!
Took a while to find the entrance
I waited out the way while francesco set a belay/abseil up for the guys. Apparently sometimes not needed but
this year the wind had blown it away so had to abseil about 6 metres down
Jim starting his abseil
Pretty darn steep at the top and not much room to gear up.
Francesco makes the first turn, luckily its all soft!
The amazing rock!
Final turns of the day above Colfosco
Last Day
Weather was set fair so off we go to bag the highest peak in the Sella (Piz Boe 3300m)
Crampons on
Jack with his shiny new dynafit tech
Spicey Section
Nearing the top
A few had gone down the South face, Francesco had other ideas...
Yep thats me!
More hiking
Keeping up with the Jones...
Traversing to the Couloir Entrance - can you work out where it is!
In the Entrance, Francesco clearing out the windslab! There was some tension in the group at this point!!
Jack drops in. Its an incredible place and to ride and with light pow was amazing...
From here you coould really relax and open the throttle a bit. 40 degree pow couloir..perfect.
Final turns into Val Mezdi
What a great week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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norris, Utterly stunning, thanks for sharing 
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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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I 5hit myself just looking at the great pix!
Must go to Dolomites sometime ... but I wont be doing that stuff 
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Stunning. Time to book a trip to Sella
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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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That looks like a metric poo-poo tonne of fun, some great photos too!
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that is all pretty cool but the final couloir is ridiculous! thanks for sharing
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norris, looks horrible! Still, a problem shared... 
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norris, great stuff - thanks!
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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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Arno, underwear change after the final couloir...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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norris, one of the best TR's we've seen IMHO - thanks for sharing, really enjoyed it 
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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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Chasseur, thanks! It was pretty good to be in it!
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awesome guys - trees, chutes, towers, pow. Beautiful place, great TR
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You know it makes sense.
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Sierra Whiskey Echo Echo Tango.
Hope we have conditions remotely like this in the SR next week on the BB.
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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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Just how narrow was that old military track you guys were riding down? It scared me more than the couloir 
Superb effort!
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Poster: A snowHead
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400m drop at one point. Francesco was shouting SLOW DOWN as we all came hammering round the first corner..he looked more concerned there than in any of the couloirs!
probably where more accidents happen as you let your guard down after the main event.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Stunning photos! I went to the Dolomites last year, and while my level of ability is way below yours, it is a fabulous place! I definitely want to go back, but having read more on SH would get a guide next time. I reckon we only scratched the surface in a week there!
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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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| norris wrote: |
400m drop at one point. Francesco was shouting SLOW DOWN as we all came hammering round the first corner..he looked more concerned there than in any of the couloirs!
probably where more accidents happen as you let your guard down after the main event. |
With that kind of drop off, no bloody wonder.
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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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Amazing
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Just incredible. Thank you.
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WOW! And that's all I have to say!
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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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Nice, very nice. You really did score with the weather 
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Great trip report. You do take a lovely line norris.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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norris, some fantastic pics there ... I think I need to go to the dolomites.... thanks!
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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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norris, thanks, great pics, we went up the Pordoi cable car this summer on a tourist trip so great to see what it's like in winter
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| Patch wrote: |
| norris, some fantastic pics there ... I think I need to go to the dolomites.... thanks! |
Saturday - bring it!
although I shall mostly be sticking to the snow of a groomed variety, I thing this TR has whetted the appertite nicely...
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You know it makes sense.
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Amazing photos...Was there for 2 weeks last year (didn't manage any of that!), but loved the place, Corvara in particular. Thanks for sharing!
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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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Great pics and vid. Heard that Italy has seen a lot of snow this season. Thanks for posting, now I'm really looking forward to my Italien ski trip in March.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Right, that does it - to the Dolomites next year.
Thanks for the great report
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Absolute respect
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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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Outstanding!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Brilliant TR, many thanks for sharing.
Idea of costs please.
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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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great read to kick off a Friday!
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Thanks for brilliant pics and TR!
Timely too for me as we have Francesco booked for 11 and 12 February. I suspect we are not going to get the fantasic pow conditions you had. bug!
Very helpful to see some of his routes - now might be a good time to tell him all about my crippling fear of heights, rope and crampon allergies, multi phobias about cold temperatures,
claustrophobia around big rock walls....etc etc
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Wow, fantastic skiing/boarding and fantastic photos. Super envious! Thanks for sharing
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Fabulous photos, I love the area, how I wish I were a better skier.
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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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Thanks all for the comments. missing those views now sat in the office !
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I've watched people ski down the last bit into the Passo Pordoi on many occasions and it always looks really tricky.
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