3 of us going on 21st for a week.
It would be good to try some different routes

"forgotmename" if you are out there maybe its time for us to try the Holy Grail

Hello Gooner, il be there 23rd, we can make arrangements closer to the date, and yes it would be good to do it this year. Just so no confusion about what holy grail trail, locals call the trail that finishes off in les houches the holy grail, and often the bel' Lachat trail is called the holy grail trail, the bel'Lachat trail is v techy and tiring, and finishes just above the les pecles area, the trail the locals call holy grail has a big push involved, but there is a much better flow on singletrack in the trees, both have a tough ten minutes at the very start tho and start at brevent. This is correct to the best of my knowledge, if anyone knows otherwise please let me know.
Il look out for your yellow wheels outside the pub.

I'll be there on the 26th, but am doing the Passeportes but will be up for some riding after that if you like?

I've got an IGN map in front of me…

I see the Brevent lift, and a trail heading south off it, the GR 5 (with some mental looking cliffs to the east and the Lac du Brevent to the West).

After 1km south there are three options: turn east down the Bel Lachat trail you mention, turn west to the Aiguillette des Houches (past Col de Bel Lachat on your left) or carry on South to Merlet on the GR 5.

Of these last two, is one of these the "Holy Grail" trail you're referring to (which one?). They both end up in woods, but the one through Merlet seems to be the faster way to get to Les Houches.

Also, do we think the snow is going to be gone by then, off Les Possettes, Le Tour etc.? I hear it could be ropey.

I also see that the lifts up Grands Montets aren't open then (but everything else seems to be).

Bel Lachat – Looks steep in person and on the map.

Aiguilette des Houches – After the push you can descend from here back towards Merlet, this is much more rideable, great run back to Brevent lift with a wee push near Merlet & Gaillands.

Going towards Les Houches from the Aiguillette there is a pretty epic looking trail down the ridge, I've been looking to figure this out because there are loads of trails lower down towards Les Houches and you could end up a couple of km out of your way unless you pick the right options at the junctions.

I'd be surprised if there was much snow by late June, but they had a very good winter and some of the trails on Grands Montets and towards Trient don't get a lot of sunlight.

I'll be in Chamonix for 2 weeks in September. What's the best map to get? Any good sources for trails and routes (other than what's already been posted)

The IGN are best, obviously the Chamonix one, but it doesn't cover everything. The Samoens one covers some of the stuff between Brevent and Servoz, and the GR5 to Morzine. The St Gervais one covers that part of the TMB route.

shandy , yes that ridge trail down to Servoz looks epic. going to give that a go this summer.

Have you ridden anything under the Midi? might push up to the mid station, as there must be some crackers under there?

Nick I've never biked off the Midi, I've skied a couple of routes from the mid station which finish on walking trails but I am pretty sure the top sections would just be meadows or gulleys in Summer, and its a couple of years since I was up there.

I was there in August last year, with limited time on my hands but I might give it a crack this year. Depending on the lifties and how busy it is I reckon they would probably let you on the lift, as long as you got out at the mid-station.

That side is quite steep so I would pick something that doesn't lose elevation too fast or you'll be carrying down. There is a big traverse over to Montenvers from the mid station. From Montenvers there is a trail which is pretty much all descent, but not too steep, coming out at Planards, that might be a good bet but it could be a mess of rocks and roots up towards Montenvers.

yes – as you say could be a long walk down…..might have a walk up one of them to see what its like.

Phil Ingle who has posted on here has done this route
http://chamonixextreme.com/20040621.asp
he went up via Montenvers

Gooner some more riding info on his site
http://chamonixextreme.com/RidePhotoDiary.asp

sick track is pretty mental 😯

Hello, jhw, the trail from aiguillette des houches is the trail the local that i did it with called the holy grail trail,
Shandys discription is spot on, the trail down to servoz takes the best part of a day, i have never done it tho, a mate has and it rocks, he says. If your going to push up to the mid station at the midi give yourself 3 hrs ish, i walked down from there, with my hands on imaginary bars, and theres 2 really difficult parts, probably doable for Hans Rey, but not for me, it would be a fantastic descent. The montenvers descent i wouldnt bother with as far to many bloody walkers having a nice walk down, and quite a bit of hike a bike descending, i walked down with my dog, it was pretty difficult going down the ladders with a lab in your arms, but, if you do go up montenver why not ride the trail up to the mid station and then enjoy(thats a top tip). And sick trail, la Trappe, isnt called sick trail for nowt.
Hope you all have a great time out there.

nice – so push up via montenvers, down below the mid station. which trail on the IGN map as there are several.

thanks for all these great tips – I'll be sure to post photos! this is going to rock

I would go all the way to mid station then go on towards the tunnel then take the highest right turn, the 1 that meets the another trail, im pretty sure it brings you out directly under the cable on the other side of the road to the lift station, although it looks like the trail does not go all the way down to cham im pretty sure it does, pretty sure not 100% tho, 90%, ish, i think it will be well marked to chamonix.

I would go all the way to mid station then go on towards the tunnel then take the highest right turn, the 1 that meets another trail, im pretty sure it brings you out directly under the cable on the other side of the road to the lift station, although it looks like the trail does not go all the way down to cham im pretty sure it does, pretty sure not 100% tho, 90%, ish, i think it will be well marked to chamonix.

Oops edit fail, well it is late.

yes, thats the one i thought.
jhw some pics from last year.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71958789@N00/sets/72157621970474914/show/
first 10 or so a the holy trail.

Great pics.

I'll be out there 24-29 (riding 25-28). I might or might not be with my brother, who's a novice; I'd invited him on condition that he get in lots of riding before (and ideally a skills course), but as he's not bothered I might be booting him off and coming solo. If this is indeed what happens and anyone wants to hook up, get in touch, solo sucks especially in the Alps, but I'm comfortable riding solo if it comes to that.

Anyway, trails! They all looks sick – those are some rad photos – ROCKY!

Things I've heard…I'm going to aim further up the valley around Le Tour to find some more flowing mellow fast stuff into Le Tour and Trient, if the snow's gone. Also there is one trail that runs from the Index lift, east right along the ridge past the Lac Blanc – it looks wide and rocky as hell, dunno if doable in practice, seems to be a v. popular walker's route.

Also I see the trail running right along the Possettes ridge, looks cool, although the guidebook actually seems to recommend the one slightly down the hill on the Le Tour side, which runs parallel. Dunno why, I'd assume the one running right along the top of the ridge would be the one to do, but will defer to the guide!

Also they seem to have built (or be just finishing) a lot of new DH stuff in the Valley, including a DH track from the Index lift?

It would be great to chalk up a ride on the Midi, though as I'm only there for 4 days I'll probably focus on the more established stuff. Don't want to get caught up in some rocky hellscape. Especially if solo.

Also there seems to be a hardcore ride described by Tom Wilson North all the way down from the Prarion lift (I think) to St Gervais, then the tramway all the way up the Nig D'Aigle. There then seem to be a bunch of trails heading down that side of the valley to Les Houches. Looks good on the map, dunno if good in practice.

Lift opening times seem to be a bit funny in the last week of June. I don't think you can go all the way to the top of Brevent until June 26; Vallorcine and Lognan (Grands Montets) aren't open at all, and the Bellevue lift (for the bike park in Les Houches) doesn't seem to be open on Sundays. Other than that, it's all good, it seems.

Trient – The variante du Vallorcine is a great bit of singletrack.

Lac Blanc – That is a very rocky area, doesn't seem to be popular on bikes, never been up there in summer.

Dunno about the Index run, that is a nice fast express chair though.

Not sure you are allowed bikes on the tramway??

St Gervais map arrived today. TMB has been pushed to a 2 dayer, I was thinking about trying it in a oner but there is too much altitude and rough terrain involved and I don't want to miss the scenery doing it in the dark. There is a report on the 10fity site where they did it in 2, breaking in Courmayeur, looks like the way forward.

freeridenick, your allowed on the last tram of the day, from st gervais, which is 14.50 before 3rd july, then its around 16.30 ish i think.

oh sweet, good to know that.