TR: a week in the Dolomites (Canale Holzer), April 2006

**squaremountain_local** · 05-14-2006, 01:22 PM

This trip is already a while back, April 2nd till 7th to be exact. We booked a week in Arabba in the Dolomites to ski some of the interesting terrain in the Sella area including Canale Holzer which was featured in High Life.

We had been in Arabba in February but had snowfall and low clouds all week so we didn't get to ski any of the lines we had planned. We were hoping this week would be better. Skiers are two dutchmen: Edwin one of my best friends and myself.

We left the flat country on April 1th, no joke.

Spring time!

Nice cruising speed, Dolomites here we come!

Our hotel for the week 200 meters from the lift!

Getting settled.

Next day was bluebird and we basically saw the Sella area for the first time!

Room with a view

After a quick breakfast we were of to ski. Our first goal was to ski Canale Col Anton a tight 40o couloir. Nothing to spectacular but a nice start.

our goal

View from Sas Pordoi, this tram takes you right into the Sella area.

To get to Col Anton you follow the trial to the popular Val Mezdi (the vallee blanche of the Sella area less the glaciers). Snow was firm spring snow with a dusting of fresh. The slopes leading to the couloir were nice to ski. In the couloir there where deep tracks made the day before by some people with bad spring skiing timing. The tracks where now refrozen making the skiing horrible.

The hike to Col Anton.

The entrance of Col Anton, the valley in the background in Val Lasties

Edwin in Canale Col Anton

We managed to get some nice turns after reaching Val Lasties. Lower down the snow got really hard again as temperatures where not high enough to melt the top layer. It was not bad but not great either.

On our way back to passo Pordoi we skied the standard line on Col the Cuch which had surprisingly good snow. For the afternoon we decided to ski Val Mezdi.

Edwin in the couloir at the entry of Val Mezdi

View from the top of Val Mezdi. Some scenes of the movie Cliffhanger where shot here.

Super view!

Beer!

Monday April 3th

We had to ski Val Mezdi again to look for the crampons Edwin lost the day before... We skied the whole route in search mode while the weather was closing complete with lightning and thunder. Nice. We never found the crampons.

In the afternoon we decided to take a chance with the weather as it seemed to open up a bit. We were went to Sas Pordoi and where lucky. With the weather not looking to stable we stayed on familiar terrain and opted for Val Lasties. With some 10 cm of fresh and no one before (or even behind) us it was nice to ski.

First tracks

Edwin the second part of Val Lasties

On the way back we did Col de Cuch again. It takes a 15 minute hike from the lift. Snow even better than the day before. The sun still peaked through so you could pick up some speed. Nice!

The hike to Col de Cuch

Tuesday 4th
Open up the curtain and yes! Bluebird. We had discussed our options the day before. The good weather option was to ski Canale Holzer first thing in the morning. So of we went. Trying to warm up a bit on the way to Sas Pordoi.

The upper part of Canale Holzer

Edwin in action in the upper part

Directly after this it got pretty steep especially for our flatlander legs and brain. We had to navigate a gully with was just about the length of our skis. The snow was hard but pretty grippy but some blown in pockets made for variable skiing.

Edwin in the gully

some 450 vertical meters to go.

The waterfall half way down was almost completely covered and only a meter or so long. It was possible get over it without a rope. But as we were skiing pretty close to our limits we decided not take any changes and rappel this part. Better be safe than sorry.

After the waterfall

Edwin in action

Holzer is done!

We wanted to skin up Val Largia to reach Val Setus. Due to a navigation error we completely missed our target and ended up at Val Mezdi which was now familiar terrain.

**squaremountain_local** · 05-14-2006, 01:23 PM

Wednesday April 5th

Arabba as we knew it from our previous trip. Low clouds and snowing some 15 cm were predicted .

Edwin not in the best shape of his life felt the consequences of the days before and wasn't the quickest out of bed. We stayed on the pistes in the morning as they were groomed with some 5-10 cm fresh on them. Not bad. With our lucky experience with the weather on Monday we took the change to head up to Sas Pordoi. At the top it was a complete whiteout so we took the lift back down. For the rest of the day we tracked the couloir below the old Porta Vescovo gondola. It was closed this day so we had to hike up from the top of the new gondola.

Edwin in the couloir below the gondola.

In the evening we met with mountain guide Francesco who also wrote a guide book on the area which we had been studying for months. He said the weather forecast for Friday looked good so we agreed to meet him at the gondola at 08:45

Thursday April 6th
It has just started to snow again. The guide had giving us the tip to head to Passo Campognolo to ski the in the trees there. We decided to follow his advice and headed up there. The line directly below the lift where tracked out but there was plenty of untracked left deeper in the trees.

Passo Camponolo

Passo Camponolo

After some 6 runs their we had enough and went over to Corvara to ski trees there. After some difficulties finding the entrance to the woods from the pistes. A short couloir let to a more open field which provided some avalanche risk. Some snowboarder had gone the down the couloir and the fresh had slugged away there causing no troubles further down. We decided to give it a go and headed in the trees. We sessioned this route a few times until our stomaches told us that is was later then we thought.

In the trees above Corvara

We headed back to Arabba to get something to eat. Edwin called it a day after that and I sessioned the Porta Vescovo gondola a few more times. The last run even in the sun! Things were looking good for tomorrow.

Friday April 7th

Bluebird !!! Of to breakfast. Francesco our guide was early as he was in our hotel at 08:30. We catched the first gondola up. After a few hundred meters on the piste Francesco starts a long traverse and we end up at the lower part of the Forfesc run. With no one before us and 30 cm of powder we're of to a flying start! The connecting chair to Passo Pordoi just opened as we show up. Excellent timing. We just miss the first gondola to Sas Pordoi. But still have to make tracks to Canale Joel. With the argument of limiting avalanche consequences Francesco hooks us up to his rope for the first turns in Canale Joël

Our guide Francesco.

First turns in Canale Joël

Nice environment

Francesco skiing to the characteristic part of Canale Joël

Wierd steeze Edwin!

Cheese!.

After some traverses and smaller gully's we ended up a chairlift taking us back to Passo Pordoi. I managed to hit a rock on the way down which had left a core shot of 15 cm long just along the edge which was already broken. Better not hit another rock with that edge.

From the top of Sas Pordoi we started along the route to Val Mezdi. There where some groups before us stopping right before the traverse which can be tricky after a snowfall. Francesco on his choice of route 'if they stay alive we do the traverse otherwise we take the safe route!'. The traverse turned out to be OK. We reached the Boe hut at the entrance of Val Mezdi. We booted up to the Antesas as the climb is too short to bother with the skins. The descent was short but beautiful.

Tracks!.

From here on we continued on skins. We reached one of the couloir leading to Val Piscadui in around 20 minutes. We took a break for lunch enjoying the scenery. The couloir was super to ski a nice 20-35 degree gradient and untracked powder! Our final target was Val Setus. Earlier we noticed some choppers dropping of a large group. They also had Val Setus has their goal. This put a end to our dream of skiing Val Setus in untracked powder. We later found out that this group was a bunch of ski teachers on a free ride course.

Edwin in the entrance couloir!

Edwin at the beginning of Val Setus

Looking back up to Val Setus our tracks are in the middle to the lookers right of trees.

We still had time for one more run. We headed up to the Boé gondola which we had also used to get to trees from Corvara the day before. From there we headed up to the Valon chair booted up a ridge, skied down a bit traversed a bit and ended up at Val de Litres. The entrance was a bit narrow but the valley itself was really nice. There were some track in it but plenty of room left for us and the snow was still powder. We continued through the trees to reach the pistes leading us back to Arabba.

Looking up from the top of Val de Litres. There is a line below the rock.

Val de Litres

At the bar the Francesco told us that this was one of the top days from the entire season. We were really lucky to be there! Arabba more than made it up for the week in February.

A movie from the week.

Click here for the video (35MB)

**hemas** · 05-14-2006, 01:29 PM

NOICE trip...

Great 1st post..

And nice car (Aero, I presume).

**squaremountain_local** · 05-14-2006, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by hemas

NOICE trip...

Great 1st post..

And nice car (Aero, I presume).

Thanks, no Aero though...

**hemas** · 05-14-2006, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by squaremountain_local

Thanks, no Aero though...

Oh, well the reg. ain't that bad either

Now, please post a few nekkid pics of you GF or sister

**squaremountain_local** · 05-14-2006, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by hemas

Oh, well the reg. ain't that bad either

Now, please post a few nekkid pics of you GF or sister

Just asked my wife for a naked photoshoot...

do you happen to know a good marriage counciler!?

**hemas** · 05-14-2006, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by squaremountain_local

Just asked my wife for a naked photoshoot...

do you happen to know a good marriage counciler!?

No, but I can ask my friend from Den Haag for a good divorce lawyer

**squaremountain_local** · 05-14-2006, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by hemas

No, but I can ask my friend from Den Haag for a good divorce lawyer

Thanks, but I think I'll stick to her a bit longer

**KillingCokes** · 05-14-2006, 02:19 PM

Awesome looking terrain. Great pics. I think I might need to go to Italy next year

**jpcm** · 05-14-2006, 06:09 PM

nice work man. Great pics and good TR. thanks for the stoke.

**INDY GS** · 05-14-2006, 06:47 PM

Sweet shots. Visited there last winter and loved the area. Can't wait to get back. Hopefully soon. This doesn't help the jones I am having for another Euro Trip this year.

Oh, and welcome.

**Lone Star** · 05-14-2006, 07:04 PM

lookit all those beautiful couloirs!! hell of a good TR!!

**schindlerpiste** · 05-14-2006, 07:20 PM

Nice shots! Great TR!! Well Done!!!

**mtnbikerskierchick** · 05-14-2006, 07:28 PM

So, I take it the Dolomites have better snow than the Netherlands

Looks like you guys had some great snow! Nice pics! Makes me want to go ski the Dolomites sometime!

**Steven S. Dallas** · 05-14-2006, 08:24 PM

Tiiiiiiiitties!

**splat** · 05-14-2006, 08:45 PM

FKNA! Great terrain.

**squaremountain_local** · 05-15-2006, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by mtnbikerskierchick

So, I take it the Dolomites have better snow than the Netherlands

Looks like you guys had some great snow! Nice pics! Makes me want to go ski the Dolomites sometime!

For sure better snow than the Netherlands, even better mountains

We went there to ski spring snow. Ending up in 30 cm powder on the last day is not a bad thing.

**Jiehkevarri** · 05-15-2006, 01:50 AM

Nice!

Dolomites = holy couloirs Batman!

Very beatufiful lines and scenery there. And I guess Italian athmosphere/culture doesn't suck either...

I especially liked the pic "entry of Val Mezdi".

**Meathelmet** · 05-15-2006, 03:21 AM

Yep.

I have neglected the dolomiti area in wintertime for way,way,way too long.

Now, things have to change.

Nice pics and TR, Square!

**Mulletizer** · 05-15-2006, 03:29 AM

Awesome! I really enjoyed reading about that, thanks for taking the time to share.

**shera** · 05-15-2006, 08:11 AM

That is the shizz, totally. I liked the woods as well as the coolies.

I met these northern Italian brothers once in Aspen. So hot.

**C-dale** · 05-15-2006, 08:43 AM

Cool pics, Squaremtn.
Holzer looked awesome. Didn't get in there, but did get a Sass Songher.
Here are a few scenics from a couple weeks earlier.

We had a nice run down Val Setus as well.
Looking back at the top half (Pisciadu)

Then around the corner over into the lower half.

Looking up at the last choke.

Looking down the Passo Pordoi tram.

The Gran Vernal. Went up the obvious wide couloir and skied down.

After, on the way down to the valley, we went through the “canyon”, a crazy, flat couloir.

In the tunnel at Serauta.

**squaremountain_local** · 05-15-2006, 09:28 AM

Nice C-dale! Sassonger is great. We wanted to do it with the guide as the approach is rather difficult. But as it is south facing and not so high it was to late in the season to do it. The frontal look of that thing is amazing:

Sassonger (picture from skirider.de)

**horizon** · 05-15-2006, 09:35 AM

Hey, great TR! I skied a lot of the same stuff just a couple of weeks before (there's a TR I posted here, you might want to compare the stuff...) When I opened yours, I was confused for a few moments ("don't remember posting THAT...")