We need a good snow fall here in Northern Italy, there's no skiing back into Cortina, its a cable car download. Snow has just starting falling today which is great to see.

The 2 main ski areas here, are very high in the Dolomites so there is plenty of snow on the runs, its hard packed groomed tending to ice later in the day. I've got to say that I am blowen away with the pitch of the black runs here, very very steep. We even found a chair lift running up a chute, unfortunately they had to download half way because the chute had too much exposed rock, it was still a great run out.

We have been here in Italy for four days now and we are enjoying the skiing, the food, the shops and the people. Italians on the slopes are very stylish, ski jackets and pants are very structured in cut, probably what you would describe as traditional ski styles with black, white and red the most popular colours. Snowboarders are vastly outnumbered here in Cortina.

I am very pleased to notice that many Europeans are now wearing helmets, which is a big change since the last time I was her, in fact all people under 14 MUST wear a helmet. The temperatures have averaged -12, so when there is a wind chill it has been quite cold. We have used liner gloves and heat packs for the past two days.