got 18 days in the alps coming up and going back to morzine for a week then to les deux alps ,and thinking of doing zermatt aswel ,has any body rode zermatt and what can you tell me about it? thanks

It’s awesome. Lift system is second to none. Expensive!

Probably best to get a guide to make the most of the trails as there are restrictions as to where you can ride.

The Matterhorn is always in the corner of your eye.

cool.when you say expensive for lift pass how much is it? how many runs have they got,and have they got enough to support a weeks riding?

The lift passes are expensive, especially as a tourist. But the riding is phenomenal. There is one proper DH course which was supposed to be used for the European championships this year until the event got cancelled, but there is a whole host of natural trails to be ridden there.

It’s not somewhere to ride with reckless abandon as you can come around a corner on the natural trails and see a group of hikers standing like a rabbit in headlights but you’ll be hard pushed to find a more stunning backdrop for a bike ride.

There are trail possibilities to ride from 3100m down to about 1400m, lower if you don’t mind a bit of effort.

There are also a load of other areas with lift access within easy access on the Swiss railway network.

The trails are a bit like this one.

Zermatt is something else but you pay so much for everything. For starters you cannot take a car up there so you have to pay to park down the valley and get a transfer into the village. I stayed in the only hostel which I think was about 45chf for a cramped room full to bursting with beds and snoring people.

We did a day of lapping the Gornergrat railway. This will cost you about 75chf for the day 😯 but for me it was well worth it. We had a trail map which gave us an idea of where to go but basically you follow the hiking trails. Slow down for walkers and be careful about what might be around the next bend. Some of the trails are very technical and often have impossibly steep or vertical drops off to the side. Proceed with extreme caution! Steep rocky switch backs and flowing ribbons of singletrack clinging to the side of the mountains are commonplace.

There are lots of other places around Zermatt to ride that are far cheaper but I have yet to explore them so cannot comment.

I concur. I was going to write similar stuff, but they’ve beaten me to it.

Forgot to ask, what kind of bike will you be riding? All the stuff from the top of Gornergrat is slow and tech with tight hairpins. DH bike is not so suitable, I was riding a Genius and a Genius LT, both were great. I’m sure there are other trails there more suited to a big bike but I have to yet to explore them.

Fantastic riding, good apres bike too. We worked with OTP for a local guide (Foggy Pointon, works in a local bar I think, was a cool guy), Up the railway was a great trip too. There is a rule that biking is allowed on trails over a certain width.. poss 2m or so. be prepared for hikers blocking the track and not moving. Mrs Rickmeister is German and obviously understood all the abuse they chuntered on and was able to respond accordingly…

We used a week here as a warm up for the Tour Mont Blanc.

Will find some pics….

My shoes on the off day..

This was in MBR

I have been looking on the Zermatt website. There seems to be various small print about having to display a riding number and also fines of 75chf for straying off the marked trails – is this enforced?

very keen to go but just concerned will not be able to get on the really good trails and left to ride the double track..

freeridenick – Member

I have been looking on the Zermatt website. There seems to be various small print about having to display a riding number and also fines of 75chf for straying off the marked trails – is this enforced?

very keen to go but just concerned will not be able to get on the really good trails and left to ride the double track..
As I understand that it is for downhillers. If you turn up with body armour, full face and a DH bike then you will most likely be expected to take the number. I can only see them issueing the fine if you make a nuisance of yourself. i.e. Blast full speed through a group of hikers on one of the unofficial bike trail or chase animals etc.

Last year I rode a good number of different trails in the area on two separate trips, one of them in the busiest season and I had no troubles at all.

I’d be interested to hear if things have changed this year. I’ll be up there again in a few weeks.

ir12daveor

Thanks, good info to know. Let us know how you get on.

Nick