TR Losing myself in The Italian Alps

Inspired by Buster’s Train Trip, and not wanting to fully hijack his thread, I’ll share my cherry popping experience in the Italian Alps.

Fall 2017, I took a family trip with mother and sister, to Italy, a place my grandmother wishes she had visited when she could. We did a week of history, hill towns, Tuscany, and all. It was great, I do recommend going at some point. And renting a car was a great way to explore back roads, surprise villages on our own schedule.

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But this is a ski forum and we like mountains and skiing. We drove up to Trento at night and then went to hike Compaccio outside of Siusi. It started out looking like this.

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But eventually cleared up to this

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Then the hits just kept coming. Passo Sella

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Passo De Tonale

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Adamello Ski

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Passo Gavia

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Passo dello Stelvio

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Madonna di Campiglio

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Here is a map of our wanderings

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So my appetite for more has me going back and doing something like this.

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- I am here for the stoke

Sweet! Nice Trip.

Nice circuit with early snows on Italy.

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Originally Posted by

So my appetite for more has me going back and doing something like this.

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- I am here for the stoke

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I'd add Venice into that itinerary if you are going at a quiet time of the year. We started there for 2 days on the way to the Dolomites in January 2015, and it was a pretty cool add on to a ski trip.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Mike

I'd add Venice into that itinerary if you are going at a quiet time of the year. We started there for 2 days on the way to the Dolomites in January 2015, and it was a pretty cool add on to a ski trip.

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Thanks Mike, It is definitely an option that I have been considering. I have much more of draw to get into the Dolomites and continue the exploration from last year. But if I can get into Milan-Malpensa on time, pick up the car and get over to Venice at a decent hour, and dependent on how much sleep I get on the airplane. It sure would be a fun way to spend the first night of the trip wandering around the streets of Venice after hours.

As much as I have been daydreaming about this trip, looking at maps, watching YouTube, reading articles and blogs. Here is my travel philosophy: There is only so much available to learn from a far. And all of that concentrates you with other travelers. I do prefer to wing a trip, before locking myself into an itinerary. We did pretty good last year traveling like this and found so many wonderful places and experiences. No regrets if I miss shuffling through a historical site with a crowd of tourists, I can come back and do that when I am older.

That being said, I’ll be at a conference in Innsbruck for part of the trip and I have booked a motorcycle rental and tour for one of my days there.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mr. Mike

I'd add Venice into that itinerary if you are going at a quiet time of the year. We started there for 2 days on the way to the Dolomites in January 2015, and it was a pretty cool add on to a ski trip.

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Oh, also where did you ski on your trip?


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Originally Posted by Bruce Springskiin

Oh, also where did you ski on your trip?


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stayed in Corvara and skied 3 days around the Sella Ronda, and then drove to Madonna di Campiglio for 2 days there.

That sounds very nice, being in Madonna Di Campiglio and near Corvara both areas left me wanting to come back and explore them more. Previous to the trip they were not on my radar at all so such a nice surprise to discover. From afar they look to be a little mellow, compared to the places I had heard about. But access so much area, and the option to hop valleys is very intriguing. In my day dreams skis skins, backpack, and a map I imagine hopping valley to valley. The ridge lines above a lot of lifts look to be interesting to explore.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruce Springskiin

That sounds very nice, being in Madonna Di Campiglio and near Corvara both areas left me wanting to come back and explore them more. Previous to the trip they were not on my radar at all so such a nice surprise to discover. From afar they look to be a little mellow, compared to the places I had heard about. But access so much area, and the option to hop valleys is very intriguing. In my day dreams skis skins, backpack, and a map I imagine hopping valley to valley. The ridge lines above a lot of lifts look to be interesting to explore.Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

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On piste is mellow. Off is as rowdy as you want. Not Cham; but not as crowded either.

great trip

I have been day dreaming about twisty alpine roads for this falls trip
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grossglockner high alpine road

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Passo San Boldo

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Lake Como Motorcycles

Edit:
And thanks mods for nuking Stephani Jhonson and her time traveling AOL self


- I am here for the stoke

Man...such fantastic photos/scenery. I love Swissland...but since there's no way I can afford it, I've always wanted to retire and move to Trento.

Col de Braus,
https://gpsrepublic.files.wordpress....l-de-braus.jpg

Col du Montgenevre:
http://a405.idata.over-blog.com/600x...2/SAM_0636.JPG

Les Lacets de Montvernier
https://media.moto-trip.com/upload/t...a1ff834477.jpg

Someday I’ll make it to the French Cols, but not this fall.


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My second choice: Chambery!

Nice. Only place I've seen a cop in a Lamborghini before. Lotsa crazy bullet bikes to catch up there. Wish I remember our route, I was just following another car and didn't pay attention. I hope to go back in the winter to ski someday, but I'd be happy to just go fro a drive there.

Fucking Rad! I lived in Europe and never made it to Italy. For shame. Those roads look like they'd be fun on a bike if its allowed.

Further Lost in the Alps: I took another trip to Europe this fall, because it is amazing and there is so much more I want to explore.

First stop San Boldo Pass. Just amazing what was built for WWI. Attachment 253120Attachment 253121

Just kilometers from the first hiking mission of the trip, Passo Falzarego, we got a flat tire. We had to abandon plans and swap out the car, but got to check out a rescue helicopter in action.Attachment 253122Attachment 253123

The next day we were headed out to hike in the drizzle around the Marmolada Massif. Our drive was interrupted by a car rally, Dolomite Streets IX. There were some really nice Bobby Stainless level cars super cars, but mostly road going version of rally cars, and street racers. It brought me back to my import days. My personal favorite are the old Lancia Delta street cars.Attachment 253124Attachment 253125

In the mountain between Arabba and Marmolada we got into some WWI mountain warfare trenches, and a memorial. The recreation we enjoy in the mountains now has roots in this area.Attachment 253126Attachment 253127

The next day we made it back to the Lagazuoi Tunnels, another place of interesting WWI history. Here the Italians built a network of tunnels in the mountain to undermine the Austrians, and take the ridge line. You can essentially climb the mountain from within. Attachment 253128Attachment 253129Attachment 253130Attachment 253131

After a couple days of playing we made it into Innsbruck, and I nerded out on Snow Science for the week. Midweek a field trip got us out of the lecture hall, and near St. Anton am Alberg. In that valley and a lot of the Austrian Alps they build and do some wild stuff to mitigate avalanches, is just amazing.Attachment 253135Attachment 253136Attachment 253147 Attachment 253133

Post conference and with a few more days to get back to Milan, we explored new areas. We hiked outside Galtür Aus, near the Silvertta Mtns and Swiss Border.
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The next day we wandered through Switzerland past Klosters-Davos. Switzerland was surprising in how much of it is unchanged, almost stuck in its ways. Holding onto the character of their regions. At least in the more rural parts. But so beautiful.
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On the final day we finally got onto a little Via Feratta which I had really wanted to do. This was down on the edge of Lago Maggiore. It was not overly difficult, but a lot of fun.Attachment 253144Attachment 253146

So that is my trip in brief. Still only scratching the surface, and so much more I want to explore, or just hunker down a spot and access all the trails available.

For the next trip I am looking at a training in Chamonix the week after New Years. I’ll also have a few days there to just ski.

Oh and finally, in a tip of the hat to DSM’s trip reports we did a lot of this too.Attachment 253149


- I am here for the stoke

That's so cool! Can't wait for a visit to Italy!

Solid trip!

Thanks. I’ll do my best to keep up the stoke in Chamonix in just over a month


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That's one epic journey around Italy!