I know there were at least a couple of groups in Chamonix last week…how did it go?

We had an awesome trip, the highlight being some proper backcountry down from the Emosson dam (thanks to those of you who kindly advised on this!) and to Le Fayet from the Prarion. We were really impressed with the town and Zero G bikes in particular – they really ran a first rate service, I'd recommend to all – best shop I've been to in the Alps. The bikes they gave us were new and top of the range, with brand new tyres and brake pads, and when inevitably my brother had a minor mechanical problem they went out of their way to sort us out in no time at all; they were also helpful all week long with trail tips etc.

Massive thanks all for your advice in advance of this trip.

I'm the speck at the bottom in the second one






















Pimped bike hired from Zero G

The group i was with had a great time, but i didnt, i fell off on the first day, hurt my leg and couldnt ride, so when my leg is better il try again.

Great pics, which route did you take from the damn? Through to chalet Loriaz?

jhw – what runs did you do during your week 8)

Incredible pictures! I'm looking forward to Morzine next week but you can't beat the feeling of gettng away from it all on deserted trails. There is still a fair bit of snow at the backside of Le Tour.

yeh the trails from Le Tour to Trient were impassable due to snow, and I can't see it melting before the end of July but I might be wrong. We thought you could just walk on the snow and this culminated in me doing a fast thirty metre slide face first, mercifully stopped before I built up proper speed by some rocks! We then had to pick our way down the slope on foot. But once we got lower that trail into Trient was the best of the trip – worth the risk incurred getting there – it'll be good when the snow goes at the top. Brevent (which I'd heard wasn't great anyway) and the top bits of the Flegere were also closed due to the snow.

Possettes trail was also really sweet, as was the series of (difficult to find) singletracks from Prarion down to St Gervais via Le Charme sausage farm and then down to Le Fayet via the pipeline.

All of these trails were completely empty, of both walkers and riders. There was one ace trail down to Prarion from near Col de Voza on which we saw maybe 4 other riders and that was as busy as it got.

The Flegere area wasn't that good, some nice stuff near the bottom (the Sentier des Gardes trail) but nothing like as good as in Le Tour and Les Houches. Almost all the good riding seems to be in these areas. We were sorry that the Lognan lift up the Grands Montets was shut though.

The highlight for me was the Emosson trail, which I solo'd as my brother left early due to an admin f*ckup. Soloing enabled me to hitch up the mountain with some construction workers! Great trail, very technical in places especially near the top.

The Loriaz way down will have to wait until next time! I ascended the dam without having made my mind up as to which route I would take, and made the decision on the spot. But I saw the start of the Loriaz way, and it began with a very steep climb (unrideable) right along the edge of a very exposed fall (but doable and what a view, just not in the wind or rain please). My impression was that the trail was wide and straight so I took the singletrack in the opposite direction instead. I was told in town by another rider though that there is a sweet trail running from Loriaz. This might be an area just to explore…!

Sounds great, nice work on getting a lift up to the damn!!
so you did the trail to Finhault? or down to barberine??

Told you we would all have nice weather. We had 2 amazing days at Pila as well as all the local stuff.

to Finhaut – was ace (too ace to take many pictures). I might be wrong (my map only went up to Salvan, not Vernayaz), but I couldn't figure out how to get from the bottom of the gorge to Vernayaz without a truly enormous climb, but the hill profile I was sent suggested a descent the whole way. I ended up hauling my bike back up to Salvan after riding right to the river at the bottom. I'd suggest stopping the ride at Tretien and then getting the train back to Le Tour for more (although there is a sweet bit of trail below Tretien that you'd miss doing this). Unless you want this trail to be the only riding you do that day. It took me about 2 hours but that was because I didn't know the way and faffed at the top finding the trailhead.

brill thanks, any chance you could forward me the hill profile? would be greatly appreciated –

found the swiss maps online here (like streetmap)
http://map.schweizmobil.ch/?lang=en

looks like fireroad along the gorge then singletrack down to the valley floor, which i think rode with bike verbier a few years back? called ginger mullet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71958789@N00/2839834586/in/set-72157607176201172/

The Flegere area wasn't that good, some nice stuff near the bottom (the Sentier des Gardes trail) but nothing like as good as in Le Tour and Les Houches.

WHAT THE ****? Not that good are you out of your mind? The trail from the La Flegere lift all the way to the valley floor is **** mind blowing. It's 15 non-stop minutes of roots, rocks, switchbacks, steps and sheer unadulerated fun. It's THE best trail I've ever ridden. OK so you have to share it with walkers, but there aren't that many on there are those that we met (last Sunday) were perfectly amenable to us being there.

This is the track that runs close to the new DH track they've built which is also excellent, although very different to the 'natrual' trails. But still the DH is amazing, especially the first section straight out of the lift and the bottom switchback section.

You seriously missed out not riding those bits; the trails in your pictures look no better (as trails) than the smooth groomed trail centres of the UK, whereas La Flegere is man's country.

Do you mean the trail that brings you out by the Floria chalet? I think the trail I did joined that one about halfway down. I did the trail that runs along the Charlanon bowl (nice walk…) then down the Sentier des Gardes trail. The Sentier des Gardes trail which it joined was really good, but briefer than the epic singletracks around Le Tour/Emosson/Les Houches. The top bit of the Index descent was closed when I was there due to snow – pity as it looked awesome. Would like to have taken the descent right from the Fl. lift you refer to but only had time for one and I'd read the Charlanon way was longer/more epic. Too technical though! Each to their own.

That's a wicked link to the Swiss maps FRN, thanks for next time, I paid a tenner for mine…! I see where I went wrong at the end; in my rush to catch the train I forked left across the river at La Tailla near Salvan followed by a hell-push, you need to go straight to Vernayaz. I recall it was singletrack the whole way down, will send complete picture set etc. I recall it was difficult to find the trailhead at the dam – map indicates it goes left off the road but I couldn't find it (with GPS), had to scramble on foot – I think you take it straight from the dam car park (signposted). Take the Loriaz route with a camera, I'm curious as to what it's like!

Here's a shot of the start of the ride to Loriaz from Emosson for anyone who's considering it. I took it from the top of the dam. It's a pretty difficult start (understatement – you might need ropes). I'd be interested to hear what happens after the ridge.

Emosson – Loriaz start

thats a hike a bike allright!

That must be the trail to Loriaz that I read about, described as tough on foot, don't fancy it with an SX Trail over my shoulder.

Geetee you are right, that is a great trail on Flegere. It is difficult to capture the hiking trails properly in a single picture – there is so much vertical drop that you can get a huge variety of terrain in one trail – there are tracks like that Flegere on all over the valley.

there are tracks like that Flegere on all over the valley.

There are also some that drop down La Flegere in such a precipitous way, you need to be terribly skilled (like trials rider level) and have nerves of steel to make the hairpins.

I think I walked down one of those last summer, about 9pm, in a thunderstorm. 😆

sicktrack?