Staying in Marileva with an Italian friend.  Anyone have any "Don't Miss" suggestions??  I just intend to follow him around and do what he wants to do, but there is a special run or special restuarant anyone suggests I would try and fit it in.

I haven't but look forward to your report.  My father was born near there so it's on my bucket list.

So here is a quick after action report - 16 Jan - 25th.  Six days of skiing and 125K of vert.

If you have never been to Europe, resorts are different, lifts are placed in a mish mash arrangment. Sometimes you need three lifts to get to the top and there is some short skiing between the top of one lift to the bottom of another (not designed for boarders). It seems there is a "refuggio" (bar/restuarnats) at the top and bottom of every lift.  They don't rip off consumers on food and drink.  Lots of cruisers, no one talks on the lifts (except Americans), and they don't pack the lift.

I flew into Venice on a Wed-Thursday flight, got in about 10.  Toured Vincenza (my buddy's town).  He drove us to the Sella / Dolomite Super Ski area on Friday AM and skied 1/2 day at Civetta, Sat at Canazeum Sunday at Passo Sella.  All great, lots of broad sweeping cruisers that were mostly Red/Blues with the occaisional short strech of black.  Crowds were really easy, never spent more than 5 minutes in a line.  Not a lot of off piste available due to the shapes of the mountains in this are of the Dolomites.  AMAZING VIEWS.  Some really long runs (think 3-4K of vert, and 3-4 mile runs).  There are basically 5 or 6 main entry points to several resorts that surround a mountain called Cella (and you can ski "around" it if you want.  This area is served by a single ticket Dolomite Super Ski, or by buying a ticket to just the runs around each entry point.

We next went to Passo Tonale (Mon) and Madonna di Campiglio/Val de Sole (Tues/Wed). A bit more off piste and some outstanding runs, some glacier skiing (with a 45% degree decent down for ~2K and another 2k less than that on a 5 mile run.  There a is some "above the tree runs" and lots of cruisers throught Alpine terrain. There is a bit more opportunity for off piste at these two places. Tonale is one area and Madonna is 3 or 4 interconnected places similar to the Cella area. Madonna has a men's FIS Slalome run that you should try (some of it is 50deg+).

Unfortunately there was not much fresh snow to speak of which kept us on the runs the entire time.  

My key take aways.  

• You can do Madonna without a car (plane, to bus, to train, gets you to walking distance at two train stops to hotels at Madonna di Campiglio/Val de Sole; not sure about the other places
• Meals run about 6-13 Euros and are great
• Rental Skis are 15-25 Euros per day (depending on what you rent and for how long)
• Signage was pretty good (lifts are numbered and the signs point to lifts by "numbers" and "villages" by name, and runs by. numbers
• If you fly into/out of Venice, I recommend the train to Venice/Sainta Lucia and a hotel right there, a bus to the airport the next day starts at 4:30am . . .  I had no problem making a 0730 flight! and I got a great meal and wandered around Venice at night!!
• You can get a nice hotel for 85-140Euros and they generally have a SPA and breakfast included.  Sometimes by the name of the hotel you can tell whether the food would be Itailian or German/Austrian (the area was owned by Italy and Austria at various times).
• IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SKI IN THE DOLOMITES . . . DO IT.

I would be happy to answer specific questions.

I've skied half the areas in the Dolomites, but not Madonna. It is a fantasic place to ski and sightsee. Nothing like a ski run next   to  a caslte. If it is a bad snow year, take heart. The Itaians are fr better at snow making than the Austrians. You won't see many Americans, but you'll see lots of Brits.

If you can get to it, get to Val di Fasse and ski the Belvedere area. Belevedere contains a massif that was the scene of major WWII battles. Germans up and allies below. I don't recall the distance between Madonna and Belvedere.

to add to what you said, lift line ques are ahaped differently in Eurorope than in the US. In Europe they're funnel shaped - two fences wide apart farther from the lift and narrowing as you get closer to the lift. It results in what I call "lift line combat," where people push and shove and step on your skis in their effort to get to the chair before you do. Be prepared to play the game and try to have fun with it.I actually got pretty good at it the winter I spent in Europe. If you are not aware of it, it might ruin your day.

Heh, I remember one of my teachers mentioning the game and that people had no problem pushing, cutting, and stepping on your skis.  Aggressive use of poles to "split" the skis of someone trying to cut was recommended. :)

bob wrote:

I've skied half the areas in the Dolomites, but not Madonna. It is a fantasic place to ski and sightsee. Nothing like a ski run next   to  a caslte. If it is a bad snow year, take heart. The Itaians are fr better at snow making than the Austrians. You won't see many Americans, but you'll see lots of Brits.

 

If you can get to it, get to Val di Fasse and ski the Belvedere area. Belevedere contains a massif that was the scene of major WWII battles. Germans up and allies below. I don't recall the distance between Madonna and Belvedere.

 

to add to what you said, lift line ques are ahaped differently in Eurorope than in the US. In Europe they're funnel shaped - two fences wide apart farther from the lift and narrowing as you get closer to the lift. It results in what I call "lift line combat," where people push and shove and step on your skis in their effort to get to the chair before you do. Be prepared to play the game and try to have fun with it.I actually got pretty good at it the winter I spent in Europe. If you are not aware of it, it might ruin your day.

Agree with all your points!!  We were near Val Di Fassa, but did not make it there. One of the "ski tours" is "Cella Ronda" and the other is WW I sites; we did neither, just cruised the interconnnect areas and performed "lift line combat." As superguy points out . . lots of pushing, cutting, and stepping. I did use the technique of using poles to “split” the skis as an agressive defense :-). So many ski areas  . . . so little time!  I would be happy to ski the Dolomites again.

Thanks for the report.  I've always wanted to go to the Dolomites, but haven't made it yet.  Give us some pictures, please:-)

LOL Luv the report. Skied in Cortina. I asked: "What are all these little rocks in the snow". They told me: "Those are Dolomites".

superguy wrote:

Heh, I remember one of my teachers mentioning the game and that people had no problem pushing, cutting, and stepping on your skis.  Aggressive use of poles to "split" the skis of someone trying to cut was recommended. :)

Splitting skis won't work against a big guy like me. An Italan guy tried it with me as I was about to get in a chair ar Arabba that would take me back to Val Di Fassa where my car was.. I lifted my ski off the snow and kicked my right leg forward. His pole flew out of his hand, and he fell over as I sat in the chair. He was in the snow shouting something in Italian as i rode up the hill. I'm sure he wasn't complimenting me on winning the competition. That's extreme, but it does illustrate what can happen.

Edit add: splitting is used all the time by everybody against everybody else. The guy referred to above and I had been pushing and shoving each other for a good 200 feet before the incident referred to above happened.

JimK wrote:

Thanks for the report.  I've always wanted to go to the Dolomites, but haven't made it yet.  Give us some pictures, please:-)

I tweeted some pic's hope the links work (I tweet about money, skiing/boarding, DC sports).  Never come out as awe inspiring and impressive as the real thing.  I tweeted 10 pics that will wet your whistle for skiing the Dolmites, no other mountains quite like them!!

https://twitter.com/Accidental_FI/status/1090912703386959872

https://twitter.com/Accidental_FI/status/1090912501842305028

https://twitter.com/Accidental_FI/status/1090912865857560576

Agree with you wojo, there are no mountains quite ike the Dolomitis. I've seen lots of mountains in my life and frankly am  no longer easily impressed. When in the Dolomiters, I have my camera out all the time. What's interesting about the mountains is their ability to change color. I have one early morning pic shot at Alta Badia where an entire mountain is a shimmery gold.

They might be having a slow snow year    as only 432 of the 451 lifts are running today.  :-) Pardon my attempted humor.

https://www.dolomitisuperski.com/en/Experience/Ski-areas

-- 

Madonna di campiglio review 2018 & 2019

https://youtu.be/zoGAbziwMmU

I skied Cortina and Araba in the late 90s and loved it.  We got lucky on one trip and had amazing snow, but the other year it was really dry and poor conditions.  

When conditions are good, the Dolomites are amazing, but they are riskier than the higher resorts in France.

bob wrote:

If you can get to it, get to Val di Fasse and ski the Belvedere area. Belevedere contains a massif that was the scene of major WWII battles. Germans up and allies below. I don't recall the distance between Madonna and Belvedere.

Thanks Bob.  My dad was in that battle (and Riva Ridge, and Lake Garda...)   I didn't realize it was also a skiing area.  Seems like should add that to my list.

This is my home when I ski the Dolomiti's - Val Gardena. The pic gives you a hint of the scenery.

View the rest of the photographer's shots to get a lot more

https://www.deviantart.com/sergiba/art/For-lovers-of-Sassolungo-424036106