Its a commonly asked about ride on here, so here is a quick video from my day out from Morzine to the Col De Cou. If you are ever in the area it is a great ride to get away from the normal bike park stuff. The views are amazing!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiowCVNey7Q[/video]

Strava link for route: https://www.strava.com/activities/629958341

Yeah it’s great. Done it twice now. Brilliant day out away from the main trails

Yes, for me much more enjoyable than endless berms on some of the purpose made trails. For some strange reason, I found the route down from the lift at the start of the film even more challenging than the ridge ride. Don’t know why

The second time we did it we found a great restaurant at the bottom by turning right off the trail a bit before the fire road

Is that top end of Monte Chery?

Edit Swiss national? Hang on. Ok

For some strange reason, I found the route down from the lift at the start of the film even more challenging than the ridge ride. Don’t know why

Its the Swiss National Downhill Course isn’t it? Not supposed to be easy 🙂 You can go over the pass and down another trail that’s easier but still fun (although often full of cows)

Is that top end of Monte Chery?

No. Above Morzine. Up the Mossette lift then turn right. Can also be accessed by following the river upstream from Morzine and keep going but that’s quite a climb.

Bit down from the lift and the French side is the Grand conche, it’s rough but one of my fav, the lower part can be full of cows.

Did this in July last year.
Superb day out..had a coffee with some amazing views towards the Dents du Midi in a refuge between the split in the Grande Conche descent and the mega climb to the start of this ridge.
Got told off by some walkers for having bikes on it.
Mad dash from Champery to get the last lift up to the top of the Mossettes.

Mad dash from Champery to get the last lift up to the top of the Mossettes.

Its a great relief when you catch that last lift. Made it in the nick of time a few times and missed it once.

You know that other thread about fear of heights?

Yeah there are a few “don’t get this wrong” sections

Looks awesome… i’ve sent the vid to my riding mates for next year as i know one of them is deffo up for it.

rascal, was it the little farmhouse place you stopped at? We tried to get ice creams from them but no luck! Annoyingly I just road through a fresh cow pat there at about 20mph as well. I swear some of it is still stuck on the downtube and behind the cranks months later!

I also got comments from 2 walkers, despite only riding slowly and being super courteous, basically stopping to let any walkers pass. I wasn’t exactly sure which bits were footpath only, the start of the ridge is OK, but after the steps I think might be footpath.

I think the DH was that DH Grand Conche (is that the same as the Swiss National?) Anyway, i’m not going to claim to be a great rider but it was still fairly easy despite riding it (and everything else on the vid) for the first time. Lots of grip allows you to take it steady.

Glad the video and route is of use to some of you, apologies for not having time for a proper edit with music, scenic travelling timelapses and ride-by fistpumps from multiple angles!

Anyone gone down the opposite side off the top of the ridge back to Morzine? Would complete a nice circular route. There seems to be a few options including I think part of the GR5 down to the miners lake.

First time I did it, was after someone posted a vid up here before. The way up was heaving with Orange 5’s all being taken for a walk up the steep zig-zaggy bit between the long traverse and the “summit” (you can peel off just before the summit, for the ridge).

Second time was last year, in 37C heat. I don’t advise that. There’s no shelter at all anywhere. On that trip, we went up and back over to Morzine. It’s a nice ride, but not the stunning ridge ride singletrack (at least the route we took). Nice place for iceream on the way in to Morzine though.

How long a push/walk/carry from top of last lift to the Ridge ?

My favourite bit round there, having only ridden round there twice. Despite on initially riding it thinking it was annoying as I couldn’t get down the steps (steeper than they look) and the later sharp steep switchbacks had me walking a few times. Tired is my excuse. Views are amazing though.

On the narrow bits at the top, careful when stopping. Almost tumbled over the side on putting foot down and finding there’s nothing there!

Footpath? Wherever we came out here there’s a no bike sign looking back up (bike in red circle is generally no bike in most countries?). Not sure about the whole lot. I got the impression it’s technically all a footpath.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/o1ob4q]Col de Cou[/url]

How long a push/walk/carry from top of last lift to the Ridge ?

From the closet lift?

The way I went which looks the same as on the video, There is a few km ride, some on road, some on gravel tracks some on singletrack to the base of the climb and then either a 15-20minute grunt on the bike up a steep and rough in places set of switchbacks if you are feeling fit or a 30-40 minute push up the same track. The last time we did it it was hot, so whichever way up a fair bit of sweating was required

With no faffing, from the top of the Mossettes lift to the Col De Cou “peak”, it would take an hour including half way down the Swiss National, traverse for a bit then the final push

Most of the route across the valley is downhill fireroad stuff. The climb itself gains about 850ft in a mile, only takes 20 mins to ride up on a hot day with super tacky Magic Marys. 🙂