Once again we stayed at the Hotel Continental. This was our second visit and we will be returning again next year. Truly ski in - ski out (Well perhaps a few metres walk to the Dantercepies lift right next to the hotel).
For our "old friends" ski-ing holiday we need good ski-ing, superb surroundings and the comfort and convenience of a first class hotel (at a reasonable price). It's all here in Selva, a vast 1200 km of piste of which you cannot tire and the best mountain scenery in the World. The family Linder do a great job running the hotel too. Nothing is too much trouble. The hotel also runs a ski safari. Skiing in a group with a local ski instructor. This is challenging ski-ing, starting at 8.30 in the morning and finishing at 4.30 in the afternoon. Well done boys.
On Monday - Marmolada
Tuesday - Gran Risa - Santa Croce with lunch in a typical hut and a ride in a carriage.
Wednesday - Ciampac - Val Jumela to do the famous black run on "Alberto Tomba".
and Thursday - Gourmet ski safari with a wonderful aperitif.
I have listed all their ski lifts at the end of this blog.
Too much for Pauline and I - so we joined ski school and had a wonderful time following Giorgio (a former member of the national ski team). Boy did he ski fast and we had to follow. Excellent.
One of our party doesn't ski but Rosie really enjoyed winter hiking in the nearby fairy tale like winter landscape. Snow-white ridges, unspoilt nature and impressive views. She said she was able to forget the hustle and bustle and stress of everyday life within minutes and didn't feel lonely because there are lots of walkers and the paths are clearly marked.
On the Friday though we decided to ski with "our boys" and set off on our own ski safari to The Hidden Valley.
The Hidden Valley drops-in from the top of the Lagazuoi mountain at 2,752 m. After a few kilometers on gentle rolling undulations on a gradually narrowing piste, the piste drops to the right, directing you to face the opposite valley wall. You are confronted with the enormity of your surroundings, cranking your neck back and from side to side, to gaze at the high Dolomite wall. Then, a twist and a turn, takes you passed the only building in the Hidden Valley. The Scottoni Rifugio. It was too busy for lunch so we pressed on.
A short distance further along is the frozen waterfall. It isn't a waterfall really, this is water that has seeped through the rock to be frozen on it's passage to the valley floor. The colours, shapes and scale are mesmerising. The echo is good here too.
From here, being careful (remembering Phil's accident in January) carry as much speed as you are comfortable with, as, at the bottom of this gradient, the slope flattens for a couple of hundred metres, finishing with a slight upward gradient.
The piste eventually gives way to a frozen river bed along which we glided until we spotted the two dog restaurant. We called it this because of the two dogs on the roof. I don't know its real name.
After a delicious lunch outside we headed for the horse and sleigh tow, just outside the restaurant. The final highlight of this memorable piste.
The horseman lays out a long rope, with carefully tied hand-sized loops along it's length to tow as many as 50 skiers the final kilometre or so towards Amentarola for the sum of E2.50 per person.
We used 18 lifts and skied 16 km to do the round trip from Selva to the Hidden Valley. The lifts were:-
1. DANTERCEPIES
2. BOREST R
3. COSTES DE LEGA
4. CAPANNA NERA
5. PRALONGIA 1
6. PRALONGIA A
7. PRALONGIA II
8. LAGAZUOI A
9. ARMENTAROLA
10. PIZ SOREGA A
11. LA BRANCIA
12. BRAIA FRAIDA R
13. BOREST A
14. SODLISIA
15. PLANS-FRARA A
16. VAL SETUS
17. CIR A
18. DANTERCEPIES
(At Armentarola there are taxis and ski buses which take you up to the top of the Falzarego pass, where you catch a cable car up to the top of the Mountain).
Below are the lifts for the boys ski safaris.
Monday 23 lifts 34 kms
1. CIAMPINOI A
2. PIZ SETEUR A
3. CITTA DEI SASSI
4. SASSO LEVANTE
5. PIAN FRATACES - GHERDECIA A
6. SASS BECE
7. ALPENROSE
8. CARPAZZA
9. S.D. VEGLA
10. PADON I A
11 MALGA-SERANTA A
12. PADON 2A
13. MESOLA
14. ARABBA FLY A
15. BURZ A
16. LE PALE
17. COSTORATTA A
18. BOREST A
19. SODLISIA
20. PLANS-FRARA A
21. VAL SETUS
22. CIR A
23. DANTERCEPIES
Tuesday 25 lifts 23 kms
1. DANTERCEPIES A
2. BOREST R
3. BOE A
4. COSTES DA LEGA
5. COL ALTO A
6. BRAIA FRAIDA A
7. BAMBY
8. FERATA GRAN RISA A
9. COLZ A
10. DONINZ
11. GARDENAZZA A
12. PRADUC R
13. SANTA CROCE A
14. PRADUC A
15. SPONATA A
16. COLZ R
17. PIZ LA ILA A
18. ROBY
19. BRAIA FRAIDA R
20. BOREST A
21. SODLISIA
22. PLANS-FRARA A
23. VAL SETUS
24. CIR A
25. DANTERCEPIES R
Wednesday 25 lifts 41 kms
1. CIAMPINOI A
2. PIZ SETEUR A
3. CITTA DEI SASSI
4. SASSO LEVANTE
5. PIAN FRATACES-GHERDECIA A
6. KRISTIANIA
7. PECOL-COL ROSSI A
8. ALBA- COL DEI ROSSI R
9. ALBA-CIAMPAC A
10. SELLA BRUNECH A
11. SELLA BRUNECH A
12. PALA DEL GEIGER A
13. CATINACCIO A
14. PIAN PECCEI-PRAMARTIN
15. PIAN PECCEI-PRAMARTIN
16. CATINACCIO A
17. PIAN PECCEI-PRAMARTIN
18. POZZA-BUFFAURE A
19. COL DE VALVACIN A
20. ORSA MAGGIORE
21. ALBA-COL DEI ROSSI A
22. PRADEL-RODELLA A
23. CAVACES-GROHMANN
24. PLAN DE GRALBA
25. FUNGEIA
Thursday 26 lifts 45 kms
1. CIAMPINO A
2. TERZA PUNTA
3. CIAMPINOI A
4. PIZA PRANSEIES
5. SASLONG A
6. SOCHERS
7. SOCHERS-CIAMPINOI
8. RUACIA-COL RAISER A
9. COLRAISER A
10. CISLES
11. CISLES
12. CISLES (Obviously liked this run)
13. FERMEDA A
14. ORTISEI FURNES A
15. FURNES-SECEDA A
16. CATORES
17. RUACIA-COL RAISER R
18. SASLONG A
19. SOCHERS-CIAMPINOI
20. PIZ SELLA A
21. FUNGEIA
22. COSTABELLA
23. DANTERCEPIES A
24. VAL
25. DANTERCEPIES A
26. DANTERCEPIES A
What a lot of ski-ing. I hope you can follow the route on a lift map. I can't - I am useless. Need to have a nice instructor to follow!!!!
Selva is the perfect place to please body and soul.
