I guess I would know the answer to my question if I were a skier, and I guess I don't really need to know the answer since I'm not a skier, but I've always wondered how skiers get to ski resorts in the winter when there's snow on the roads. For example, if you're going to Cortina d'Ampezzo in February, and the day you're supposed to arrive they have a ten inch snowfall. I guess everybody will be happy about the new snow, but how will you get from the Venice (or wherever) airport to Cortina d'Ampezzo? I imagine it's very difficult to clear those mountain roads of snow.

With difficulty in many cases, to answer your question. <BR> <BR>The better question, perhaps, is why would you drive? Europe is not the US. If your on-the-ground travel need is to get from airport to resort and return, you should be thinking about using trains, not a car. Insensitive to the weather, doesn't require you to put on the chains, and won't sit for a week gathering snow, ice and rental charges while you're skiing!

Okay, that sounds pretty good. But do you know this firsthand, Tom? I mean, are you a skier, and is that what people normally do? That would mean that all these resort towns like Cortina, Courmayeur, Madonna di Campiglio, etc. are served by the railroad. This may well be the case, and I'm not trying to be smart, Tom; I just want to know if this is the definitive answer. If it is, then I thank you for the information. But if you're just speculating, then I would like to hear from a skier who knows the answer for sure.

Access roads to all ski resorts are kept open by snowploughs and gritting. The whole operation is well organised and efficient, as it's economically important. You'll still need snow tyres or snow chains in most cases to get to the higher altitude resorts (you may not be allowed to drive on without). When there is a heavy snowfall, roads do get blocked and resorts cut off. Usually it's only for 24 hours at most, but in recent years some places were isolated for several days and people had to be lifted by helicopters at considerable cost.

From my experience they are pretty efficient at clearing the roads! <BR> <BR>O.K. - some of the minor roads and passes remain closed, - but the main passes and access roads to major resorts like the ones you mentioned get cleared pretty quickly, although you still need to use snow-chains. <BR> <BR>We had experience of just this situation 18 months ago. We arrived at our resort in the Dolomites (Fondo) in a blizzard ... which continued for 15 hours. We were woken up at 5a.m. next morning by snow-ploughs clearing the village roads. We had a coach tour that day and were absolutely AMAZED how quickly they'd cleared all the roads, - they'd evidently been on the job all night. And where we were staying wasn't even a major ski area ... <BR> <BR>Steve

I do ski, and have been in different snow situations. It is NOT the Snowfall which is difficult, but the avalanche danger. Then they shut the roads and there is no way through, not even by train.