The last week has been a good one in terms of getting out on the trails. We did two group rides with great weather, great trails and great company.
Last Tuesday evening we did an afterwork ride not too far from Zurich. A total of 8 participants showed up to ride a very nice trail on the ridge between Ratenpass and the Aegeri lake. The nature of the trail was such that everyone who showed up finished the ride with grins on their faces irrespective of skill level, fitness or bike style.
Just about to hit the trail.
Out of the woods and on a fast open section.
Near the end the views of Aegeri lake and the surrounding mountains.
On Saturday we organised a bigger ride in from Chur to Davos in the Kanton of Graubunden. The route was set up to use cablecars and trains to gain altitude and link together as much singletrail as possible during the course of the day. The days statistics speak for themselves, 65km, 900m climbing, 2400m descending. About 60km of the 65 were off road, and the majority of that 60km off road was on single trail.
The day started by getting the cablecar from Chur to Brambruesch. From here it was a short ride to the start of the first trail which followed the regular hiking route towards Malix. This trail is a great mixture of some nice moderately technical woodland trail with a few tight rocky alpine sections and a short but lung-busting climb thrown in for good measure.
Some gentle woodland and field trails between Braumbruesch.
Fom Malix there was another short road section to get to the Churwalden – Statzerhorn seat lift. The ride up on the lift gives great views of the surrounding Alpine panorama and allows for a short break after the effort of the first trail section.
A resevoir lake at Statzerhorn in Lenzerheide.
After leaving Statzerhorn we descend for a short distance on fire road before veering off and traversing the hillside to the start of the next section of single trail. This trail is a woodland treat. Technical rooty sections with some tight switchbacks occasionally opening out into some short fast and flowy parts before taking you into some more rooty switchbacks.
On reaching the valley we rode through the town of Lenzerheide and followed a nicely graded and flowing trail that goes along the edge of the golf course and stays close to the road between Lenzerheide and Lenz. This trail is not at all technical but very flowy and very fun to ride. This trail soon turns away from the road and descends on a slightly more technical trail towards Tiefencastle.
In Tiefencastle we follow the Landwasser river towards Filisur, turning off to pass under the Landwasser Viaduct and then keep climbing a steep singletrail to the train station at Wiesen.
The Landwasser river taken from the trail between Tiefencastle and Filisur.
In Wiesen we got on a the train to Davos Glaris and got the gondola from Glaris to Rinnerhorn. The highlight of the day for some was the trail from Rinnerhorn to Sertig and then from Sertig back out the other side of the Valley to Clavadel. This section is 21km long in itself and almost entirely on Singletrail.
Singletrail between Rinnerhorn and Sertig.
A day of superb trails in brilliant sunshine meant five very tired but happy bikers getting on the train back to Zurich on Saturday evening.
The next group rides have already been posted on the Swiss Alpine Adventure Face book page. Click on the link on the top right for more information.
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