Alps Trailriding Holiday

[Fauret]

Has anyone been on a mountain biking holiday in the alps? looking at doing a 3 week trip to Verbier, Switzerland biking for one week traveling and watching UCI WC series. Any experiences or suggestions to share?

[NicoBoshoff]

Been to the Rhone Alps (Portes du Soleil - Morzine etc).  It's awesome.

 

Check the previous Mountain Bike magazine (the SA one).  They had a piece on Verbier. Seemed awesome, but a tad expensive.

 

The PDS is a bit cheaper because of the scale of offerings and you still have easy access to a big chunk of the Swiss bike park scene (Morgin, Champery, Les Cruesetts) along with the other ton of bikeparks in the valley (Supermorzine, Les Gets, Mont Chery, Chatel, Pleney to name the popular ones).

 

I'd rather base myself in the PDS and travel from there.  We did all our Swiss recces via bikes using trails, goat trails, park trails, chairlifts and some roads.  

 

Hope to be back there in 2018.

[NicoBoshoff]

Oh and some of the backpackers / chalets do day trips to Pila, Italy as well, which seems really awesome.

[NicoBoshoff]

Oh (again) it's not all bikeparks.  There's a ton of natural trail to be ridden and explored.  Best get a local to show you around.  Check out MorzineBeds online.  They have accomodation and they all seem to be serious riders.  

 

http://www.mtbmorzinebeds.com/

[V12man]

I have a mate who lives in Chatel - can put you in touch with him - he will be able to help

[Fauret]

Thanks for all the advice, I'm planning on going at the end of June until 2nd week of July. any advice on the time of year for ideal conditions?

[Bateleur1]

Talk to Swissvan.  He made be able to assist.

[Bateleur1]

Thanks for all the advice, I'm planning on going at the end of June until 2nd week of July. any advice on the time of year for ideal conditions?

 

It is Europe and the Alps.  It will be like a lotto ticket.  Could be anything.  Should warm up and be more friendlier weather but anything is possible.

[NicoBoshoff]

When I went it was late July / early August - supposedly the driest time.  We had pelting rain 30% of the time there with resultant mudfests.  The year after the guys went same time and got two weeks of perfect Alpine summer with dusty conditions.

 

Weather forecasts aren't worth crap there.  But I reckon July - August is your safest bet.  But you will get wet somewhere.

[Bateleur1]

When I went it was late July / early August - supposedly the driest time.  We had pelting rain 30% of the time there with resultant mudfests.  The year after the guys went same time and got two weeks of perfect Alpine summer with dusty conditions.

 

Weather forecasts aren't worth crap there.  But I reckon July - August is your safest bet.  But you will get wet somewhere.

 

In the South of Germany where we live (which is propably not that far away) last year we had one of the hottest and driest summers in German history.  This year we have had one the wettest summers in a very long time with lots of rain and specifically thunderstorms with pelting rain.   There were quite a few flash floods.

[Fauret]

Oky so what your saying is be prepared for any weather... got it.

 

In terms of technicality of the trails what does it look like?

 

I see myself as technically proficient but is not a big jumper. Can do steep, rocky, loose, tight turns and drops. More a XC scene. Do i need to work on some skills to enjoy the trails fully?

 

Will hopefully be riding a 2017 Scott Spark 910 with 120mm travel.

[Bateleur1]

You are talking to a MTB rookie now and I would not be able to compare what I have ridden to what is normal.  I have done two or three rides but in my opinion I would not say they are expert level in technicality but were challenging.  Talking slopes of over 30 % gradient.  It would most propably be a mix of everything.