Dolomites Guide Rec for tame Refugio-to-Refugio

[doebedoe]

Anyone with a favorite guide in the Dolomites area for a refugio-to-refugio ski trip? Looking to do something in the 5-7 day range, probably can muster enough people to do it private with 5 or 6 total guests. Still a ways out, so no rush, late Feb/March of 2022.

Trip has to be planned around mostly piste-based skiing options. This is to introduce my life-long skiing mother to the wonders of skiing in a civilized place as a retirement present. She's a capable skier, fit and can get by in Italian, but I don't think we want to introduce the complexities of significant touring to this adventure. Guide is more about knowing the area, the refugios, where the best skiing will be, etc. And maybe being willing to sneak out for some quick early/late day off-piste laps with myself and one or two other guests.

So, a mellow guide who knows the area and who has a sense of the good life.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Anyone with a favorite guide in the Dolomites area for a refugio-to-refugio ski trip? Looking to do something in the 5-7 day range, probably can muster enough people to do it private with 5 or 6 total guests. Still a ways out, so no rush, late Feb/March of 2022.

Trip has to be planned around mostly piste-based skiing options. This is to introduce my life-long skiing mother to the wonders of skiing in a civilized place as a retirement present. She's a capable skier, fit and can get by in Italian, but I don't think we want to introduce the complexities of significant touring to this adventure. Guide is more about knowing the area, the refugios, where the best skiing will be, etc. And maybe being willing to sneak out for some quick early/late day off-piste laps with myself and one or two other guests.

So, a mellow guide who knows the area and who has a sense of the good life.

I know a guy. Not sure if he still does this, but if he doesn't he can recommend someone. I'll get you a contact within a couple days.

In my opinion the places you MUST stay on the trip are Rifugio Fuciade and Rifugio Lagazuoi. The former needs reservations many months in advance, but is one of the best places you'll stay and eat in your life. In the winter it's accessed by skis or by sleigh. There are parallel backcountry/ piste options for getting to adjacent valleys.

The latter has one of the best decks in the world. Best view in the Dolomites, plus multiple off piste options (from moderate to legit extreme) with an easy traverse or quick hike/skin.



I'll add that the people who lead this sort of trip are typically not mountain guides, but the guy I know is an accomplished ski mountaineer and a fantastic skier. IIRC his father started the business many years ago and he took over. Don't know if he is still leading trips, but I'd bet the business is still going.

[doebedoe]

I was figuring/hoping you'd weigh in. Thanks! Having a couple key spots to plan around is helpful.

Honestly, I figured we didn't *need* an IMFGA guide for this type of adventure. But more a hospitality guide/coordinator who also knows the skiing in the area.

For those who are looking for a full on mountain guide in the area, fellow mag @vendul's brother is a born-and-bred Dolomites guide.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Honestly, I figured we didn't *need* an IMFGA guide for this type of adventure. But more a hospitality guide/coordinator who also knows the skiing in the area.

Yup. I would make sure it's someone willing to help with some off piste itineraries.

One more thing: from Denver I prefer flying to Munich, taking a train to Brixen, then a taxi to Val Gardena. This Itinerary is very reliable. I prefer to avoid Italian an airports. And Innsbruck works, but I've had flights cancelled because of weather. If you start from Cortina that doesn't work though.



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[doebedoe]

Super helpful -- thanks ISBD. I'm sorta thinking we may book two nights in whatever place makes sense for both an off-piste ski days and skiing off lifts. A sorta down day for those who want it, adventure day for those that need it.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

For moderate- to-rowdy off piste with easy access Arabba/ Marmolada is very good, and pretty easy to figure out on your own.

But If I had just two days I'd do one skiing couloirs off the Pordoi trams, and one doing a traverse in the Puez-Odle wilderness (lots of options here depending on snow/weather/energy level).

If at all possible you should treat yourself to one day with a guide skiing off the Pordoi tram.

And you should watch this:

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Sent you an email with contact info.

[garyfromterrace]

For moderate- to-rowdy off piste with easy access Arabba/ Marmolada is very good, and pretty easy to figure out on your own.

But If I had just two days I'd do one skiing couloirs off the Pordoi trams, and one doing a traverse in the Puez-Odle wilderness (lots of options here depending on snow/weather/energy level).

If at all possible you should treat yourself to one day with a guide skiing off the Pordoi tram.

And you should watch this:

Another Bjarne gem! So cool, I skied Val Gardena with my wife and her daughter a few days but didn't know about all the coolies in the vicinity. Man, that'd be fun.

[BFD]

my friends used margaret wheeler.

[Buster Highmen]

FWIW, Ponte Gardena/Waldbruck is a slightly closer train stop to Val Gardena.
We got a 4 person taxi up to Selva for 50E.

link: https://www.valgardena-express.com/en/

[patxi]

For what you are describing, I think that you could go with gardenaguides to find somebody to show you around. They have something called ski safaris that sounds pretty close to what you want. We went with Ivo Rabanser for a day tour from Pordoi to Val de Setus several years back and had a great day.

[kix515]

Contact Francis at nosiesta.com Skied twice with him in the Dolomites and had a great time. Found him on the forums here.

[Mr. Mike]

Anyone with a favorite guide in the Dolomites area for a refugio-to-refugio ski trip? Looking to do something in the 5-7 day range, probably can muster enough people to do it private with 5 or 6 total guests. Still a ways out, so no rush, late Feb/March of 2022.

Trip has to be planned around mostly piste-based skiing options. This is to introduce my life-long skiing mother to the wonders of skiing in a civilized place as a retirement present. She's a capable skier, fit and can get by in Italian, but I don't think we want to introduce the complexities of significant touring to this adventure. Guide is more about knowing the area, the refugios, where the best skiing will be, etc. And maybe being willing to sneak out for some quick early/late day off-piste laps with myself and one or two other guests.

So, a mellow guide who knows the area and who has a sense of the good life.

Can I come?

Venice is a gateway worth investigating too. 2-3 hours with not much in the way of passes up to the eastern side of the dollies (cortina, Corvara etc.) and a fun place to sightsee for a day or 2 before or after.

[doebedoe]

Thanks for the links all. Have plenty of time to plan and find the right fit and now have a ton of good leads. I just didn't want to book blind through a general "SkiSafari" website

Can I come?.

Depends -- is your wife in?

I'm aiming to figure out how to do this private in order to design our own itinerary of refugios we really want to hit. A day or two of touring/off piste skiing w/o moving huts. Should have room for an additional couple or two if folks are interested.

Likely to pair it with a few days of wine tourism afterwards.


One day there will BBI-Euro-Hut. A bucket load of mags renting out full huts in Euroland drinking them dry.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

FWIW, Ponte Gardena/Waldbruck is a slightly closer train stop to Val Gardena.
We got a 4 person taxi up to Selva for 50E.

link: https://www.valgardena-express.com/en/

IIRC getting to Ponte Gardena requires taking a slower train.

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[Mr. Mike]

[QUOTE=doebedoe;6175016]Thanks for the links all. Have plenty of time to plan and find the right fit and now have a ton of good leads. I just didn't want to book blind through a general "SkiSafari" website

Depends -- is your wife in?

I'm aiming to figure out how to do this private in order to design our own itinerary of refugios we really want to hit. A day or two of touring/off piste skiing w/o moving huts. Should have room for an additional couple or two if folks are interested.

Likely to pair it with a few days of wine tourism afterwards.


One day there will BBI-Euro-Hut. A bucket load of mags renting out full huts in Euroland drinking them dry.[/QUOTE

She’s in. Has always said the dollies were her favorite ski trip ever. We did a weekend in Venice and then 3-4 days based in Corvara in 15 I think. Ate and drank mercilessly of course including at lunch. Great trip even though it was a low tide year for snow. He snowmaking over there is world class. And so is the pasta and vino.

[ianpnw]

Mirko Draghi is a cool guy, an excellent skier, flawless English, and has a great knowledge of teh Dolomites. He also leads gastronomic trips to refugios....my wife and I skied the Sella Ronda with him and had an amazing day of skiing and eating.

And in the summer he makes and sells gelato out of a restored vintage motorcycle truck

If you're interested PM me and I'll give you his number (or you can contact him through FB or LinkedIn if you wish)