So we have just returned back from Corvara where we had an amazing week in the snow and mountains and the group are already thinking of returning next year. The whole trip was organised by David Snell who did a great job not only with the resort itself but with the hotel which was fantastic.

Our lineup for this trip was Me, Paul, Laurence, Dermot,Adrian and David and this would be the first time that 6 of us would set out from the UK. We had all met before with the exception of Adrian who had only met myself and Dermot prior to the trip.

We all met at Manchester airport in the T2 check-in area where we were to travel via Jet2 ( of course ) , the holiday was Sunday to Sunday so it was a little quieter then normal. Our flight was JET2 EX MAN 0900 arr INN 1215 and our return flight is Ex INN 1315 arr MAN 1435

Innsbruck

Innsbruck, capital of Austria’s western state of Tyrol, is a city in the Alps that’s long been a destination for winter sports. Innsbruck is also known for its Imperial and modern architecture. The Nordkette funicular, with futuristic stations designed by architect Zaha Hadid, climbs up to 2,256m from the city center for skiing in winter and hiking or mountaineering in warmer months.

Flying in and out of Innsbruck airport is a real treat. The airport is in the valley and the planes have to fly up into the valley and between the mountains and the views are just great. The scenery is just amazing with the high, steep mountains and blue sky and feather like clouds.

Hotel Transfer

The transfer to the hotel took approx 2 hours. David had organised someone in a large Mercedes taxi to come and collect us from the airport which was great.

Hotel Christian

Hotel Christian is situated 10 minutes from the ski lift ( which is great ). It looks like a traditional alpine chatlet but inside its a warm , clean, modern hotel complete with restaurant, bar and sauna. The rooms are very comfortable, spacious and come complete with their own bathroom. The hotel has a great restaurant area and we were provided with bed and breakfast together with a 4 course evening meal ( including cheese ). The overall standard of the food was very good. The hotel has a good bar area which not only welcomes guests who stay in the hotel but others who choose to eat or drink within the hotel.

The hotel provides a good range of beers and wines at affordable prices.

Inside the hotel.

Ski Passes

We need a 6 day ski pass from 20th Jan. These were obtained at https://www.dolomitisuperski.com/en/Ski-pass/Prices There is a 5pct discount by obtaining your ski pass online. There was also an additional discount for being 65 and over ( which was great also ).

The ski passes themselves were obtained from the ski office in the centre of Corvara upon receipt of the online purchase receipt and bar code. The passes that we purchased allowed us to ski virtually anywhere in the Dolamites.

Introducing Fiona

One of the best things about skiing has to be the people you meet. When you go with Ski Miquel for example you get there knowing the people that you go with but you leave knowing most if not all in the chatlet. With a hotel, well most people keep them selves to themselves ( in the main ) but in our hotel in Corvara there were a mixture of English and German people which did not really lend itself to cross conversations BUT on the first night when we were having dinner, someone over heard our accents and introduced themselves as Fiona . We learned that Fiona was supposed to be skiing in a wider group but that the group had not materialized SO being the kind of chaps that we are we unanimously invited Fiona to spend time with us on our skiing holiday so then we were 7.

The Sellaronda

The Sellaronda is a famous circular ski route and outdoor adventure experience located in the Dolomites of northern Italy. It spans four picturesque mountain passes—Passo Sella, Passo Pordoi, Passo Campolongo, and Passo Gardena—and connects four valleys: Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Val di Fassa, and Arabba. The route is accessible from multiple starting points in these valleys and is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and accessibility. The Sellaronda is a circular route so can be skiied clockwise and anticlockwise. Directions for the Sellaronda are signed in both Orange ( clockwise ) and Grey ( anti clockwise ). We went round the Orange route and it took some 6 hours to complete.

The Marmolada

The Marmolada, often referred to as the “Queen of the Dolomites” is the highest mountain in the Dolomite range of northern Italy. It is a majestic and iconic peak, famous for its striking appearance, historical significance, and recreational opportunities.

• The Marmolada’s highest point is Punta Penia, which rises to an elevation of 3,343 meters (10,968 feet) above sea level, making it the tallest peak in the Dolomites.
• It lies on the border between the provinces of Trentino and Veneto and forms a stunning contrast with the rugged Dolomite peaks surrounding it.

The Glacier:

• The Marmolada Glacier, located on its northern slopes, is the largest glacier in the Dolomites, though it has been receding significantly in recent decades due to climate change.
• The glacier has historically been a hub for skiing and mountaineering, offering incredible views of the surrounding peaks and valleys.

So we skiied the Marmolada. It took 3 large cable car lifts to get to the top ( 900m , 2400m , 3200m ). The views should have been amazing and from one side of the mountain they were but it was rather cloudy and hazy so although great it could have been better ( maybe next time ).

Uno

The game of UNO has been around for 52 years. Many famous people have played UNO, including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, and Kylie Jenner ( Dermot wont believe this ).

The game of UNO has been created for kids in the age range of 7 and over. Paul’s grand daughter ( super bright ) has even played it at the tender age of 4. Some of us UNO officianados played several games of UNO in the bar and one or two people were introduced to this fascinating ( yet simple ) game.

UNO – Rules. The rules of UNO are laid down by the creator of the game but given that this is really a child’s game , ‘Local’ rules can be applied to make the game more interesting and more competitive. The next time we go skiing we are taking normal cards together with UNO cards and prior to that we will all agree on localized rules which I will publish online so that there are no discrepancies or misunderstanding ( but I doubt we will make it to a game of Bridge ? )

The photo above is just a great photo and just captures our week in Italy.

The following photos are just Magic

Skiing

We did 6 long days. Each day we covered somewhere in the region of 38 Km BUT on the Wednesday we decided to go and do ‘the Marmolada’ which is up to 10.0Km in length and starts at an altitude of 3400m . It took 3 cable cars to get to the top and once there the visibility was not the best but we still had some great views. It was cold and busy but still we smashed it.

There are a terrific number of runs in Corvara. There are some great blue runs and some amazing red runs and we skiied most if not all of them, some of them many times.

‘Off My Chest‘ video entitled There’s No Business Like Snow Business

Watching the video there are unfounded allegations from Paul where he asserts that when he fell ( and yes he did fall ) that I was somehow responsible. At the moment I cannot comment on these allegations due to legal reasons. I feel that this could be one of those cases that could go on and on.

‘Horses in the Snow’ a 4 euro experience captured by Adrian.

Really Old church at the top of the mountain

Billy No Mates

Towards the end of the holiday Laurence decided that he would rather have a bit of a break and see the sights of Saalbach. He also had an amazing looking pizza for lunch as you can see below.

Time To Go

Alas all good things must come to an end. The taxi arrived at 8:15 am, the bags were loaded into the taxi and then we sped off to the airport at a rate of knots. Luckily Dermot was in the co-pilots seat and by all accounts our taxi driver fancied himself as an F1 driver.

Where Next ?

There’s talks of going back to Calvara, Italy next ……