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Am heading out there for a week as of Saturday, and am wondering if conditions are as bad as reported? According to snow-forecast.com there's only 5cm on the lower slopes - best take some rock skis.
Have also seen bits and pieces reported about the Redbull Huckfest being cancelled ,so it must be pretty serious. Will be 'interesting' to see the impact of the new cable car in any case - hope it hasn't turned the Alagna side into a sprawling mass...
Any info greatly appreciated.
"Is Alagna, Italy...paradise?"
I was there last week. Yes, Alagna really is that bad. The top is fine, but the snow runs out at the bottom of the new Salati gondola. The Inderen runs are ok, if a bit icy. the La Balma area gets a bit rocky as you go over the final roll-over towards the Balma lift.
edg
Holy Jesus!Quote:
Originally Posted by edg
:eek:
Did you go to the gressoney side? In what shape was that?
Situation seems nice...leaving in 3 weeks and no new snow in sight.
Well, allways possibility to take the climbing gear with us.
Gressoney side was better... You can ski down to the Stafal Gondola via the black quite nicely (The snow's pretty soft, f-ing sweet for carving big turns down) and there was snow all the way down to the Jolanda lift (was staying at the Jolanda Sport hotel, so that was nice). Only problem was it got very icy, as it warmed up slightly in the day, then froze as soon as the sun set.Quote:
Originally Posted by Meathelmet
The ice-climbing is looking awesome at the moment. Saw SOOOO many routes that I would have loved to at least attempt if I'd bought my crampons and axes. Quite a few easy looking top-ropeable routes on the Stafal side of the Gressoney valley, and rediculous numbers of multi-pitchers availble. When driving through the Aosta valley I saw loads of people out on the rock, and the climbing looked great. Maybe taking some climbing and ice-climbing gear wouldn't be such a bad idea, esp. if you get a down day.
edg
FWIW, last serious dumping there has been before xmas..... :nonono2:
This is all bad news - doesn't look as though there's anything new forecast either.
Any suggestions on realistic day/2 day trips from Alagna to get some decent snow?
Andermatt!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikey
With car, comfortable with italian driving and serpentine roads.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikey
Alagna-Cervinia : 2 1/2hrs
Alagna-Chamonix : 2 1/2hrs
Alagna-Macugnaga:1/2 hr? + skin over Roccia Nera(?) to Mattertaldam and SaasFee ( 5-9hrs)
Alagna-La Thuile : 2 1/2hrs
Alagna-Verbier : 3 1/2hrs
Alagna-Andermatt: 7hrs(?)
So popping to andermatt/engelberg might be advisable if you want powpow..
Springskiing is the wave of the future,though.
Sloosh-sloosh.
http://www.mapquest.com/directions/e...=Andermatt&2z=
Estimated time from Alagna to Andermatt on the above site is 2.5 hours. Don't know how this works with winterconditions and all, but a couple of friends of mine did it last week. They didn't say how long time they used exactly, but they where surprised about how easy it was to get there.
Thanks for the ideas. Will check out the conditions on arrival and make a call then. Bummer as am travelling with 4 friends so we had to book guiding and hotels all in advance - sort of limits flexibility.
Need to ski some decent snow though soon as have badly timed all my trips so far. This is why i need to pack my job in get involved for next season....
That reminds me... I saw the *maddest* Italian driving up the Gressoney. Just out of the Aosta valley going up the serpetine road that looks upon the Gressoney valley on the left (as you drive up) this guy in a small white car started riding our bumper, and then short past our car round the corner. He then preceded to kiss the apex of the road on 4 successive corners, driving on both sides of the road, at a reasonable clip.Quote:
Originally Posted by Meathelmet
I was impressed by the driving, but it wouldn't take much to either smash into something that isn't going to give (Snowplow, perhaps? :p) or smash through the metal and down, down, down into the gorge below. Lift fast, die young, I suppose :p
edg
On the last 4 winters that i´ve spent around that corner im honestly suprised how few accidents i´ve seen or heard. Seen only about 10-15 crashes (mostly milanese,kids screaming in the backseat and wife craving for Gucci) and only heard of one fatality (young girl hit black ice and went into a ravine.we had driven past that spot less than 1hr earlier..).Quote:
Originally Posted by edg
I guess it is that catholic fatalism.
It sure as hell cant be the driving ability..
Quote:
Originally Posted by Meathelmet
IT's almost al true, but:
do not go to macugnaga. It will take much more than 30 min and, most of all, the lift company went to bankrupcy and the monte moro lift does not work anymore. If you want to go to marinelli couloir, ask for a heli :rolleyes:
Alagna-andermatt is certainly not 7 hrs. There are different options (simplon and furkapass? nufenenpass most likely closed, obviously st gottard the best but longest option), but my bet is that in a max 3 hrs you can get it.
At the present time anything at north from andrematt to east is certainly more pow, and the forecast say nothing is at seen before saturday. Said that, I am also sure that the Enzio brothers in Alagna can bring you to some interesting places despite the shitty dry winter they've had so far