Monte Rosa report

Back in January I sent in a post requesting info on the Monte Rosa area...thank you to those that sent in replies. I am thrilled to report that the trip went off flawlessly and it was a great trip. For those considering a trip there, here is some (I hope) useful info:
1. We flew into Torino and hopped a train to Pont St. Martin. The bus company has coordinated the bus schedule with train arrivals so we didn't wait long. There are two bars next to the train station for a cappucino and a snack.
2. We stayed in Gressoney St. Jean because it is the biggest village in that valley; hence more dining choices.
3. I highly recommend the Residence Delapierre. The owners Renato & Tea Delapierre are incredibly nice folks. The place is very clean and modern. It is about a 8-10 minute walk from the center of village. They have a website by the same name.
4. The bus company has a ski shuttle bus that we rode every day. The bus stop was a short walk from the apartment. we made friends with one of the bus drivers. Gent was a cool Albanian that made the rides interesting. There were two schedules posted at the stop. One was specifically for the ski season; a logical look at the schedule will make sense to you even if you don't speak italian.
5. We purchased a multi-day non-consecutive pass online. They mailed the passes to the apartment we were staying at - how convenient is that? Prices were great!
6. Snow conditions were excellent for on piste, not so good for off piste (it hadn't snowed for a few days). One of the persons in our group did go on a heli-ski excursion one day and pronounced it acceptable. We can see that with fresh snow it would be screamingly spectacular. The runs were groomed and fun for high speed arcs :-)
7. We rented skis at a shop in Staffal. Carlos and Enzio (owners) were great! The equipment was first rate and the service prompt and friendly. Bonus: There is a little bar underneath the shop for apres, the bus stop is across the street, and the tram/gondola are just down the street...sweet!!
8. We like all the skiing but thought that for cruising the Champoluc side was the best. Staying in the middle valley of the ski area is more convenient for accessing the three valleys.
9.Last but certainly not least...the eating. I am a foodie...I live to eat and consider myself quite the cook. Soooo...here are my nominations for the best dining in Gressoney St Jean: Nordkaap-the pheasant ravioli, roasted rabbit...oh yeah! Il Braciere-best chicken, tied with another place for best gnocchi I've ever had...Marcello, the owner, was friendly and made feel at home. Il Stambecco-outstanding pizza! Hotel Gran Baita-tied with Il Braciere for the best gnocchi and there desserts were simply amazing. On slope dining was better than anything I have ever had stateside, no contest.
10. The Red Bull extreme ski team was filming during our stay. That big avalanche that was endlessly replayed on tv news ocurred while we were there. We watched them for a couple of days. My buddy and I skiied some of the areas that they had skiied...our wives took photos...that pretty much took care of ski season bragging rights with our other friends. back home!
11. My wife and I accepted teaching positions with an international school in Italy!!! We'll be back in Monterosa in '07 :-) :-)

Sound cool! Did you ski in Alagna much? What you think?

Rgds, Freddy

Freddy,
We did ski Alagna and think that with fresh powder it would just be spectacular. Unfortuantely, off piste conditions were marginal despite our efforts to look for good stuff. I hope that when we return there will be powder conditions. A plus for Alagna was that we noticed that if the the conditions were windy on the Gressoney side, they were less so on the Alagna side.

if you want more info regarding this area please check WWW.SKIWITHMAX.COM and I will help you to organise your week or long weekend.
Ciao
Max