Hi Guys,

I’m heading out to Morzine in a couple of weeks with my girlfriend. She’s been riding for a couple of months now and is doing good, however I’m a bit concerned about finding proper beginner dh stuff (ie not technical/drops etc)

I’ve tried googling to find a guide to beginner stuff, but keep getting all the big dh runs. Has anyone got experience of going out there to do real beginner DH? Are there runs that start from lower down the mountain? Bike park with smooth flowing tracks?

She’s resigned herself to the fact she may spend the week getting a suntan instead of riding, but I’d really like her to be able to make the most of it with out scaring/breaking herself.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Emile

Just put her on the XC trails, that’s probably “DH” enough for a noob.

Which week? A couple of us are going out 13th August and would be happy to show her around, if she likes?

Rachel

Which week? A couple of us are going out 13th August and would be happy to show her around, if she likes?

I’m out then as well. Likewise, happy to lead a ride. It’ll be with my kids as well, so nothing mad…then again, they’re pretty good.

Contact per profile if interested.

Its all totally ride-able unless you go and explore the off piste stuff. Ok avoid some of the scary black runs but there is stacks and stacks of decent stuff where she does not have to go “xc”..

a lot of the dh tracks aren’t too technical, just heavy on the arms\legs due to braking bumps. There’s some green and blue trails over at chatel bike park that are nice and flowey, the run over there isn’t too bad either

From Morzine, there are a few bits and bobs I would suggest. Firstly, ignore the green on the Pleney side of Morzine – it’s rubbish. There are a few ok sections, but it’s mostly horrid.

So, I’d suggest taking the Pleney lift to the top then heading over to Les Gets – it’s pretty well signposted offroad, and a quite nice “trailcentery” feeling track through the woods. You’ll arrive at the top of the Chavannes 4x track, which you can then take down to the bottom of the Chavannes lift or there’s a short green option that cuts this out – probably best, as the 4x is fairly steep and usually full of mentalists. The green can be slippy in the wet though, so be careful.

Once in Les Gets, you can take the Chavannes lift to the top, and there’s a green trail to your left as you look down the mountain. This is great fun in the dry, but you’ll need to be a bit cautious in the wet. Watch out for cows! When this spits you out on the fireroad, and the green arrow points right down the road if you look to your left you’ll see the Nauchette lift a few hundred yards up (you’re about halfway down the mountain at this point). From the top of this lift there are a selection of blues and reds through the bike park – none of them are particularly tricky, although some of the berms are steepish and probably full of braking bumps. There are a couple of rooty sections, the worst one on the very last red section, but this can be avoided by taking the blue option. Avoid the red to the right of the lift as you look down the hill, we came to know this as the rooty track of doom. Great fun, but less so in the wet! When you’re bored here, you can head down the fireroad from the top of the lift to the top of the Chavannes lift, where you can either take the main DH down into Les Gets (really not too bad, nothing techy but full of braking bumps and stormtroopers) or follow the VTT signs back to Morzine. This is actually quite a nice run, with only a few tricky bits.

On the other side of Les Gets, you can take the Mont Cherie lift to the top and follow the green about halfway down to the road – another good fun one, but maybe a bit rooty in the wet. Sadly it ends halfway down, but you can follow the road (and the end of the black if you like) down to the lift.

Another one that might be worth the trek is the Panoramic green going down into Chatel from Lindarets. Take the Super Morzine lift out of Morzine, and with the lift to your back head to the right. There’s a bit of singletrack heading up – follow that onto the fireroad, which you climb for a while along a ridge. When you reach the top, there’s a brief descent down the fireroad, which then splits. Take the left hand option, onto some singletrack. Follow this till you hit the road, then turn left (downhill!) and follow the road into Lindarets. If you hit the goat village you’ve gone too far!

Take the chairlift on the opposite side of the valley, and follow the green Panoramic signs – with the lift to your back it’s to your left. This is an absolute blast of a track – fast (or slow) as you like, with lots of berms and rollable jumps. It’s also well surfaced if it’s wet. Again, this takes you halfway down the hill to Chatel, but you can get the antiquated chairlift back up and do it again. The stuff further down is a bit more rooty, but still great fun. The only trouble is, to get back to Lindarets you’ll need to either follow the red then black DH run which is pretty steep, or drag the brakes down a loosish fireroad. I reckon it’s worth it though, it’s an awesome trail.

To get back to Morzine just follow the road downhill through the goat village and past Lac Montriond.

Hope that helps a bit!

And don’t forget a dip in Lac Montriond if it’s warm!!

I’m out there with a group of beginners from the 15th if you want to tag along on any day

There’s loads. Don’t be worried at all.

There’s a nice loop around the back of Mont Cherie that is well signed.

And the ride out from the top of the two Super Morzine lifts is good. As suggested above go up the two lifts and at the top head sort of straight (rightish) down and then up the fireroad. Eventually after a bit of climbing the track descend and then split at the start of some trees. Take the right hand fireroad and follow this (flat to slight climb) until you get to the road.

Your just outside Avoriaz at this point and it makes a nice navigation point.

You can just take the road on your left down into Les Linderets. But the single track from there is within most peoples ability. You’ll have come out on a main road basically with a small junction on the left (as you look up the hill). You’ll see a trail heading quite steeply down at the edge of this junction. Don’t be put off – that’s about the steepest part on it.

Take that and follow it. You’ll come out on a road near a hairpin bend – the trail ducks off on the right again.

Follow that again all the way to the base of the Mossettes lift. Either turn left there and go to Les Linderets for the Chatel lifts (Panoramic is very good). Or – go up the Mossettes.

From the top of the Mossettes follow the fire road down around the mountain (keeping the mountain on your left). You’ll eventually descend past Lac Vert and onto the GR5 (all on maps).

It’s a lovely run along here. You can drop (all signed) back into Les Linderets and have a cold drink at Les Marmottes cafe before heading into Chatel.

OR, from Les Linderets ride through the stinking goat village (don’t eat there – it really smells) and down the road.

But as you run out of switchback/hairpins the road levels a little. Keep your eyes peeled for a right hand bend in the road where you can take a fire road on your left.

This takes you to Montriond past the waterfall and is again very beginner friendly.

To be honest the trails are not that dangerous out there. Ride sensibly is all you need to do. The main danger is the idiots on DH bikes that can’t be arsed being careful and will crash into you.

Try not to let other riders panic you. It’s up to them to find a way past rather then you letting them past.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the replies – wasn’t expecting so much advice so quickly 🙂 @flyingmonkeycorps @drswank I’ll print off your post and put it in my rucksack…should come in handy

We’re heading out 6th-15th so will probably miss you lot that are going out a bit later, but thanks for the invite to join you riding!

So I guess it’s mostly a case of finding and sticking to the green runs then? They should give her a thrill without overwhelming her…would you all agree?

If any of you ever ride at Tilgate (South East, near Crawley) that’s what she’s been riding, so would give you an idea of her skill level.

Haven’t read the replies above but they do have green runs, ie down the fire road, but I imagine some of the blue runs she may be able to do. It’s all easy to find when you get a lift map on arrival. There is a lovely 50m outdoor pool in Morzine though if she does find she had to suntan and swim!

Yup greens or blues will be good. you’ll love it! I’m sure by the end she will attempt the 4x course as long as she can ignore and not be intimidated by the storm troopers!

Was there last week and had a great day out with someone who was on a mountain bike for the 5th time only ever. Wot others said about trails. She coped fine although tired at the end – there’s more uphill on some of the (XC) trails than advertised!

Don’t want to be super negative on here but I would say it’s a great place and there is undoubtably some good riding but it’s not for everyone.

We went last year and were a little disappointed really-we asked a lot of folk for advice and everyone said just relax its cool-you can ride it all on a HT etc, something for everyone etc but what they deemed rideable or easy was pushing the limit for others and ourselves. There were ‘easy’ routes which underwhelmed with a lot of fireroad or even road descending and other ‘easy’ routes which had to be walked!. The riders we found were also mainly male, full on Dh style-a little intimidating if your already a little nervous about the trails and at times their attitude was poor. My girlfriend didn’t enjoy it at all unfortunately.

I would say you need to consider the bike she will be on-is it the ideal tool for the sort of riding you plan on doing? Is it worth getting a few days guided rides where someone with local knowledge can show you exactly what you/she likes? And the generous offers above from STWers who could show you a few nice runs would be well worth taking up.

We had quite a lot of fun doing non-cycling things too!

If you want any more info on what we found good/bad/helpful etc just drop me a mail….

The riders we found were also mainly male, full on Dh style

I would have to give that a +1 – bit of testosterone overload in the lift queues, but we found that 95% of these guys were riding the DH courses only. 200m away from the top of the lifts the trails were invariably quiet.

I know it seems a bit daunting but she elbow/knee pads are quite useful – if only to help with a bit of confidence…

Oh, and for those out 13th – 20th August, I’m on a bright orange Nicolai Helius – say hi!!

Rachel

To get back to Morzine just follow the road downhill through the goat village and past Lac Montriond

or you could take a left off the road near the top just outside the goat village, there’s a steep section (open and non-tech tho) and then keep an eye out for the portes du soleil route to lac montriond, it’s a nice mellow trail, mainly downhill and following a stream in places.

The mossettes lift is worth the trip up – if she’s ok on loose rocky stuff controlling her speed, ride an open section back towards lindaret and follow the the GR5 back to Lindarets. It’s a great trail, it’s only techy if ridden fast, it’s not steep at all and nothing beyond normal welsh trails really. Maybe worth it for later in the week with a bit of confidence built up, as the lift is an experience in itself.

Skills course before hand?

Wish they’d existed while I was busy picking up bad habits!

I’m leaving for there this evening for my annual fun and frolics. I’ve just emailed you a load of XC routes that I’ve done over the years, along with a bit of blurb written for people in a similar situation. FWIW, I have never done the Plenay DH’s, I go along for the XC stuff, of which there is loads. If you have a GPS you can use the *.gpx files attatched to the email.

Have fun, the place is great. The further away from Morzine you go, the more mellow it becomes. Les Gets is a bit more relaxed I find. Les Brocheaux is a lovely spot.

ambrose – can you send me the gpx files, too? I’m always happy to add to my routes there!

Thanks

Rachel

Done. Anyone else?

I’ll take it on I wouldnt mind some xc routes please

haworth.alex AT gmail.com

– a good beginners track thats fun is from the start of the pleney dh hut – turn right at the first fireroad (20 or so meters down) follow the hill to the right and cross over a tiny cattle grid then follow the track down – at the bottom turn left on the fire road and traverse til you reach another green

Hi Ambrose,

Could I have a copy too please? pgreathead AT hotmail . com

Out there next Friday for 2 weeks. Can’t wait now!

Cheers

Done.

Hi Ambrose,

same here, copy please?

we will be based at champery though…. is that a problem? Would love to know where to ride, we will have a 10 year old with us…. (pretty fearless, bless).

Simone

My partners last company took all the staff to Morzine for a long weekend MTBing. She was the fittest and most experienced of the females, and in the big scheme of things I’d rate her ability as ‘can ride’, nothing more. She certainly has no MTB skills to speak off. She loved it as did 99% of the staff. One or two lasses complained of saddle soreness, but that’s to be expected if you haven’t ridden for a long time.

company took all the staff to Morzine for a long weekend MTBing

They got any jobs going? 😛

Simone- I’ve mailed you.

They got any jobs going?

Makes you sick doesn’t it? A couple of times a year they got taken someone nice for a long weekend. They did Center Parcs with partners allowed four times which was nice (cycling with the nipper).

I went to Morzine for a week last summer with my two kids. Sam was 11. He was riding a Kona Stinky 2.4 but even so he is not the most confident of riders. He had a week of great fun with plenty of variation in what he rode each day. He particularly loved the blue route over in Les Get. In fact he couldn’t get enough of it 🙂

Could I get the XC routes as well Ambrose?

Cheers…

Done.

Many thanks Ambrose!

what a delightful thread 🙂

sorry i cant add any advice but just reading the thread made STW feel a little bit warmer.

It is nice to be nice.

The XC routes would be most useful for me too, I’m there from the 29th for a week. projectvr6 at googlemail .com

Many thanks.

Thanks for the routes Ambrose, nice one! Emily is well kitted out, pads, full-face, armour, meta55 with a pair of Van 36’s on the front, 203mm rotors etc (basically all my old bits 🙂 ). I guess a big part of introducing new people to bigger terrain is getting them away from the ‘testosterone’ which can be intimidating. So heading away from Morzine and towards Les Gets and the bike park at Chatel will chill things out a bit, thanks for the advice!

I took her up to Bringewood for an uplift day last weekend, and although I reckon she could handle the terrain, the vibe was so serious and ‘pumped up’ I think it got under her skin and freaked her out… freaked me out a bit come to think of it.

We’re staying with http://www.prgmtb.com/ at a chalet just outside of Montriond, so if any one is around 6th-15th and fancies some low key DH then come find us… my number’s on my website (linked to from my member name)

Hi, I stayed int he PRG chalet a couple of weeks ago with 2 beginners in our group both enjoyed it to differing degrees. We found it beneficial to pre-ride some runs without them and find what was nice (some reds are smmooth and quiet, some blues are rooty and steep).

All the ones mentioned above were among our favourites.

The bike choice is crucial- one very fit female on a HT loved the XC routes, the other on a hired FS enjoyed the blue DH runs more (personal preference). Both decided to ignore the testosterone and be as girly as poss (getting the lift operators to put their bikes on etc).

Also the PRG chalet is excellent- the trampoline provided a few hours of entertainment!

If you can’t fit in a skill course try and show your other half some videos of how to ride a berm with good technique at least, make sure her brakes are up to scratch and the levers are comfortable to use all day (good advice for anyone headed to the alps)

We had an afternoon of in Chatel due to mechanicals, really enjoyed the summer luge, Deval kart looks fun if you give it some enthusiasm… I wouldn’t really recommend the GR5 to a novice, plustthere was a massive heap of fresh spoil in the middle of it a couple of weeks ag (onging piste building). The’re a nice mellow run from pointe de Mosettes down ito Morgins, the ride back to Mosettes via Champousin is scenic and mellow too.