TR: Corvara, Marmolada, San Martino Di Castrozza, Trafoi, Dolomites, Italy (13-19 Mar

[Mike Pow]

SUNDAY 13 MARCH 2016

After a fantastic four days in San Martino Di Castrozza the previous week I headed back to the Italian Dolomites hoping for more of the same prior to a family holiday at Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Austria.

TR: San Martino Di Castrozza, Trentino Dolomites, Italy (01-06 March 2016)
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...8March-2016%29


Travel day.

Caught the Cardiff Airport bus from Cardiff Train Station, Wales at 10.21 - a bargain at £8 return - and 50 minutes later I was having a coffee in the departure lounge. The benefit of flying from a regional airport.

I flew with KLM to Innsbruck via Amsterdam for £266.70

Arrived around 5 and after picking up my Opel Zafira Estate diesel through Argus Car Hire with Mega Drive for £424.57 I was on my way to Corvara, Alta Badia.

http://www.arguscarhire.com


Easy drive over the Brenner Pass and a little over two hours later I was parked up in front of Albergo Alisander, a short drive up from the main gondola and village 'square'.

Booked two nights B&B for 163 euros through booking.com

Albergo Alisander
http://www.alisander.suedtirol.com/


After unpacking I headed down the hill to find some dinner.

Great roast pork & mushroom pizza, bottle of red wine and bottle of sparkling water at Villa Caterina for 19 euros.


MONDAY 14 MARCH 2016

The view from my balcony this morning

The mighty Sassongher, home to the classic Dolimiti Canale (Dolomite Couloir) Val Scura, towering over Corvara





Great continental breakfast and then skied down to the Boe gondola and Vallon chair for the skin to Piz Boe (3151m) and the drop in to Val Mesdi

On the way to Piz Boe





The view from the summit of Piz Boe





Val Mesdi





















Val Mesdi
Corvara-Colfosco Ski Area, Alta Badia, Dolomites, Italy




Tremendous day and all for 42 euros and a straightforward skin

I tried to have dinner at the 1* Michelin restaurant La Stüa de Michil in the Hotel La Perla but they were fully booked.
http://www.hotel-laperla.it/en/servi.../142-9792.html


So I went to Posta Zirm Hotel instead and had a fantastic two course dinner with drinks for 48 euros
http://www.postazirm.com/en/gourmet/...ence-hotel-en/


Two very good articles for the opportunities in the area, skiing and eating

Couloirs and Michelin stars in the Dolomites
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/27c38f96-7...#axzz44qpqPMJD


Couloirs: An off-piste adventure
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/...e-9793340.html


And if you're looking for a guide then these are the go to guys
http://www.altabadiaguides.com/eng/H...me_49_357.html

[Mike Pow]

TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2016

Dawn broke grey and clammy so I put my plan to ski couloirs in the Passo Pordoi area of Arabba on hold.

Packed up the car and headed to the Marmolada glacier to see how the light was down there.

The car park was deserted and visibility was better so I headed to the top on the three stage gondola.

Before skiing I had a look around the impressive First World War Museum













And took in the view from the Marmolada viewing platform





The snow was great - boot top dry powder - and for the first couple of laps I skied the runs and between the runs (Punta Rocca, Sass Del Mul Fedaia, Variante Sass Del Muil) back to the base.

A whopping 1823m of vertical.

The next three laps were down to Lago Di Fedaia with the short traverse back to the Padon A run.





Had a quick lunch at the bottom of the gondola (panini, sparkling water for 7.50 euros) and then continued on to San Martino Di Castrozza.

I'd booked to stay at Hotel Villa Aurora again. The same massive room with balcony looking out to the Rosetta ski area and free off-road parking.

2-nights B&B accommodation for 102 euros (booked through booking.com)

http://www.hotelvillaurora.it/



It started snowing as I brought the last of my gear into the hotel and after a quick shower I headed to my favourite alpine bar

Meanwhile back at The Ranch
https://www.facebook.com/ranchthedolomitesbar/?fref=ts













An evening of gin, grappa, local pork burger and great conversation with Loris and Malika for 45 euros

Found a new favourite grappa too.

L'Ones Al Cumino Montana - Caraway infused grappa
http://www.grappalones.it/en/caraway/

[bigasshair]

Part 2 is looking as good as part 1 from all points of view.
Are you sure you don't have a little Irish in you because you certainly have the luck of the Irish.
Snowdar seems to be fully functional.
Hopefully you can find partners in crime for the couloirs in the future.
Keep up the great work Mike and looking forward to the next installment.
Its great hearing of your adventures and admiring your pics while trapped at work with no hope of snow adventures until next winter.
I also think your TR would be inexorably enhanced by the use of a personal cameraman for which I'd volunteer.

[LightRanger]

Nice work again dude.

[Mike Pow]

Part 2 is looking as good as part 1 from all points of view.
Are you sure you don't have a little Irish in you because you certainly have the luck of the Irish.
Snowdar seems to be fully functional.

Cheers. No Irish. Planning, flexibility and snow-forecast.com

Hopefully you can find partners in crime for the couloirs in the future.
Keep up the great work Mike and looking forward to the next installment.

Yeah need to plan that a little further ahead

Its great hearing of your adventures and admiring your pics while trapped at work with no hope of snow adventures until next winter.
I also think your TR would be inexorably enhanced by the use of a personal cameraman for which I'd volunteer.

Cheers.

[Mike Pow]

Nice work again dude.

Thanks.

[Mike Pow]

WEDNESDAY 16 MARCH 2016

Between 20-30cm of dry, light powder at village level and the sun breaking through the clouds.

Cimon della Palla (3184m) at first light from my balcony at Hotel Villa Aurora





Cimon della Palla (3184m) and Rosetta Ski Area at first light from my balcony at Hotel Villa Aurora





Rosetta Ski Area at first light from my balcony at Hotel Villa Aurora









Got to the Tognola gondola at 8.35am and it was deserted. Three quarters of the way up three guys were skiing down Tognola 1 and that was it.

Untracked, deep turns on and off piste all day. It doesn't get much better. Especially for mid-March.

Little Parcels Of An Endless Time




Deep turns off the Cigolera T-bar













Deep turns off the Scandola chair





San Martino church





San Martino Di Castrozza village









San Martino Di Castrozza memorabilia





San Martino Di Castrozza village





After such a great day it was back to Ranch for more gin, grappa & burgers.

[Mike Pow]

THURSDAY 17 MARCH 2016

Another bluebird powder day at San Martino - Passo Rolle Ski Area but I had an enforced day off snow.

Prior to skiing the line starting at the 2 minute mark in yesterday's video I hit some submerged rocks and got catapulted over the handlebars onto rocks.

My left shoulder and sternum took the brunt of the impact and both were heavily bruised.

So after breakfast and packing up the car I took the long way round to Trafoi, Ortler Ski Area, Sud Tirol.

Sass Maor (2812m)





Palazzo Sass Maor





I stopped into Ranch, The Dolomites Bar for a coffee and to pick up a bottle of L'Ones Al Cumino Montana - Caraway infused grappa before bidding farewell to Loris and San Martino.





















View from Passo Rolle Ski Area













I detoured via Bormio and Livigno to check out conditions - both excellent - then through one of the funkiest tunnels into Swizterland.

There was less snow - but better roads and drivers - on the Swiss side and no snow as I drove up the Stelvio valley to Trafoi.

But as I got past Gomagoi snow lay on the side of the road.

I was spending two nights at Garni Interski (2 nights B&B 101 euros)
http://www.garni-interski.com

The small hotel is in a great location about 300m from the beginners ski area and 100m to the lift to the top of Trafoi.

Tania the owner is an enigmatic host and the hotel bar is well stocked and well priced.

I had dinner at Hotel Post - pizza, bottle of wine, grappa, espresso for 24 euros

This is where it all started for me 30 years ago and the main reason I was (re)-visiting Trafoi.

My cousin & I had travelled by bus from London for a week's stay at Hotel Post and skiing at Trafoi.

[Rip'nStick]

That is awesome MikePow! I was just in that area as well around March 10th looks like they got some more good snow after I left.

Stayed in Canazei and skied all around the Sella Group for a few days. Sellaronda FTW. I would post some pics but I am two lazy to figure out hosting and they are all phone pics and a lot of selfies of me stoked out of my mind. That place was phenomenal. Maybe I will post a pic of that little refugio off Vallon Chair.

Thanks for posting these up.

[bigasshair]

Magical pics Mike.
Hopefully you're not too banged up after the snow snake attack.

[Mike Pow]

That is awesome MikePow! I was just in that area as well around March 10th looks like they got some more good snow after I left.

Stayed in Canazei and skied all around the Sella Group for a few days. Sellaronda FTW. I would post some pics but I am two lazy to figure out hosting and they are all phone pics and a lot of selfies of me stoked out of my mind. That place was phenomenal. Maybe I will post a pic of that little refugio off Vallon Chair.

Thanks for posting these up.

My pleasure. Fantastic area with unlimited terrain to explore.

[Mike Pow]

Magical pics Mike.
Hopefully you're not too banged up after the snow snake attack.

Cheers.

Got out on the Friday (pics to come later), then rested Saturday.

And then thankfully I had a week in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Austria skiing the groomers with my 7-year old nephew.

By the end of the week I had better mobility and less bruising.

Got lucky though.

[Mike Pow]

FRIDAY 18 MARCH 2016

My first experience of Trafoi 30 years ago was mixed.

Great company & laughs, amazing views, good food & drink at Hotel Post, and four days skiing & falling on sheet ice on the village slope.

By the third morning I was stuffing my spare clothing down the legs of my salopettes to cushion the blows and limit the bruising.

Our beginner group was finally allowed to go to the top of Trafoi lift system on the last day and I realised what I'd been missing. I was blown away by even grander views and there was snow up top!

-----

After breakfast I took the short stroll to the chairlift and made my way up the mountain.

The lower, south facing slopes were bare except for the pisted run. But from mid-mountain up there was plenty of cover.

I warmed up with a couple of runs off the t-bar and the second chair.

The shaded north facing slopes held dry, boot top powder, so I put the skins on and headed above the second chair.

Looking down on the t-bar, Ortler (3905m) in the distance





Ortler





As I crested the first hill I saw two people ahead of me skinning up the ridge. I kept my distance so we could all enjoy the views and solitude













Yesterday's tracks (not mine)





The couple ahead of me turned out to be Toni Stocker, Head Guide with feel-the-mountains based in Solda, and his customer Helen, from Val Gardena.
http://www.feel-the-mountains.com/


They were skiing down the ridgeline and then dropping into the north facing terrain, so I took a few shots before I dropped into the untracked N & NE facing bowl.

Toni





Toni & Helen









About to drop in





That Friday Feeling









I intended to cut a hard right at treeline and traverse back to the lifts but Toni and Helen skied down to me from a different face and Toni kindly offered to give me a lift back up to Trafoi from where they'd left the car.

Toni





Helen





So I followed them down though the trees and on the snow covered mountain road to the Deer Conservation Area just above Stelvio. Close to 1500m of vertical.

Into The Valley




Back in Trafoi I took the lift back up for lunch (spaghetti bolognaise, mineral water & espresso for 9.4 euros) and then took the home run back to the village.

Just shy of 1000 vertical metres of deserted piste to let the skis run.

After showering I took a walk to the other end of the village to the peaks that horseshoe the valley.

















Tania invited me to join her and her friends for dinner at Hotel Tannenheim.

Wondeful meal of carpaccio of beef, pork tenderloin, & drinks for 30 euros.

A VERY different ski experience compared with my first visit to Trafoi, but thankfully the welcome, sense of community and village hasn't changed in 30 years.

[panchosdad]

Nice to see that side of the Ortler. I was always very curious about that side when we were touring over there, but it seemed hard to get to.

[Mike Pow]

Nice to see that side of the Ortler. I was always very curious about that side when we were touring over there, but it seemed hard to get to.

Up and over a big deal by all accounts.

Drive round and tour up couldn't be easier.

[panchosdad]

We were based in Santa Catarina, and didn't have a car. Probably could have skied to Sulden and gotten a taxi.

[nutmegchoi]

Gorgeous shots!!!
Thank you!!

[Mike Pow]

Gorgeous shots!!!
Thank you!!

Thanks. My pleasure.

[Mike Pow]

SATURDAY 19 MARCH 2016

It would have been much of the same up there today but I was checking out and heading to Innsbruck airport to pick up my girlfriend Nerys, before heading to Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Tirol, Austria for a week long family holiday with my brother Matt, my sister-in-law Laura, and 7-year old nephew Sam.

This would be my first time skiing with my nephew. I couldn't wait.

Yet another room with a fantastic view, Hotel Garni Interski, Trafoi









I bade farewell to Tania at Garni Interski and made my way down the valley.

On the way down I stopped at one of the funkiest art installation / museums I've had the pleasure to visit. 1 euro admission in the honesty box.





























And just before I crossed into Austria I passed this magnificent statue with the Ortler Alps as the backdrop









A fantastic six night trip with four very special ski days to remember.


Costs

Bus from Cardiff Train Station to Cardiff airport £8.00
Flight £266.70
7-day car hire £141.53
Petrol £25.86
Tolls £10.00
2-nights B&B Accommodation at Albergo Alisander £131.74
2-nights B&B Accommodation at Hotel Villa Aurora £82.44
2-nights B&B Accommodation at Garni Interski £81.62
Lift Pass £125.26
Food & drink £28.28
£160.00

Total £1061.43 / 1314 euros / US$ 1496.87 / AUD$ 1978.25 for 6 nights (4 days skiing)

To convert to your currency please use this link
http://www.xe.com/


Travelling as a pair would reduce these costs significantly -

shared cost of car hire, petrol and tolls
single room rate per person more expensive than shared room rate per person per night

[Mike Pow]

Spent the next week skiing with my girlfriend, brother, sister-in-law & nephew (7-year old) on a family ski holiday at Fiss in the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis ski area.

Warning: Gratuitous kidstoke

TR: Sefaus-Fiss-Ladis, Tirol, Austria (19-26 March 2016)
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewt...880361#2880361

[bigasshair]

I mentioned to you before the possibility of you having the luck of the Irish, of which I was incorrect.
How about horseshoes up your ass Mike?
Perfect timing on the pics, especially with the cascading avalanche off the glacier.
Love the other postcard shots of the winter wonderland with Mother Nature's warning signs: the numerous avy paths
Congrats on finally hooking up with locals for some shared stoke.
Kidstoke is what keeps the circle of mags going.

[Mike Pow]

I mentioned to you before the possibility of you having the luck of the Irish, of which I was incorrect.
How about horseshoes up your ass Mike?

Ha ha

Perfect timing on the pics, especially with the cascading avalanche off the glacier.

Yeah very lucky to catch that release.

Love the other postcard shots of the winter wonderland with Mother Nature's warning signs: the numerous avy paths

Thanks

Congrats on finally hooking up with locals for some shared stoke.

Yeah that made a great run a fabulous run.

Kidstoke is what keeps the circle of mags going.

Cool. More added to the link.

[Mike Pow]

Can't change the thread title, so here goes for the second part of the Italian Job

TR: Bolzano, Verona, Pejo, Solda (26-31 March 2016)

SATURDAY 26 MARCH 2016

After a fantastic week at Hotel Lasinga, Fiss skiing Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Tirol, Austria with my brother, my sister-in-law & my nephew, my girlfriend Nerys & I headed to Italy.

TR: Sefaus-Fiss-Ladis, Tirol, Austria (19-26 March 2016)
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=125375


Because we skied until 3pm today we decided to break the trip to Verona up with a night in Bolzano.

We stayed at Guesthouse 37 on Via Rosmini through booking.com, which was a short walk to the centre of the city (1 night for 125 euros)

http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/gues...al&type=total&


There was free parking outside the guesthouse because it was a weekend, but it seems that parking is very difficult in this neighbourhood in the week.

For dinner we went to a very cool bar/restaurant Nadamas in Piazza Erbe where we spent the night drinking prosecco and grappa eating Italian tapas.

Excellent and all for 56 euros.

Bolzano looked a great place the little we saw of it and is a great gateway to the mountains.



SUNDAY 27 MARCH 2016

We took a leisurely drive to Verona on Easter Sunday, pasing through small villages on the way.

We arrived at our hotel on the fringe of the old town around 2pm and after unpacking the car and parking up in the private courtyard (15 euros per day) we headed into the old town for food and a wander

Hotel Arena (2-nights 150 euros)
http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/aren...al;type=total&


Our time in Verona was split between eating, drinking and wandering the streets.









Lunch was pizza, prosecco, gewurtztraminer & mineral water at Cafe Rialto (36.80 euros)

Followed by prosecco at a very charming side street bar, Oreste Cantina Dal Zovo (9 euros)









Then on to cocktails at the quirky Archivio on Via Rosa (2 cocktails each, 24 euros)
https://www.facebook.com/ArchiviodiViaRosa



Before settling down to dinner at Caffe Monte Baldo across the street (2 courses each, bottle of wine, 2 grappa, 2 prosecco, 2 coffee, 2 mineral water, 83.50 euros)
http://www.osteriamontebaldo.com/en/contact-us/


Fantastic day to night with sunshine and warm temps of 16C



MONDAY 28 MARCH 2016

Easter Monday was more of the same, except there were a few showers in the morning.

Breakfast at Caffe Wallner (9.70 euros)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caff%...07891369488530


Lunch at El Bacarin (2 courses each, bottle of wine, 2 coffees, 2 mineral water, 57.50 euros)
http://www.elbacarin.com/


Walking around









Nibbles at La Tradision (2 savoury muffins each, 2 glasses of wine each, 22 euros)

S. Giorgio in Braida from Pte. Pietra bridge









Nerys





Closing the night out at Osteria Del Bugiardo (4 glasses of wine, 2 coffees, 2 grappas, 30.50 euros)
http://www.buglioni.it/en/osteria/osteria-verona/


We loved Verona.

Easy to navigate, wonderful views, excellent food & drink, very reasonably priced. We didn't do any of the cultural stuff, but there's loads.

With a new direct flight from Cardiff to Verona with FlyBe starting at the end of April this could well be mid-point or end to a trip to the Dolomites and South Tyrol in the future.

[AmmergauerTele]

Sick!

[Mike Pow]

Sick!

Cheers