I've had a search of previous threads and it's generally people asking where to find the non-DH singletrack and family suitable trails as far as I can see. So i'm sure it's primarily proper DH if people have to ask to find the alternatives, but not knowing where to look I can't seem to find much info online of which bike parks to visit.
Where is best to base for a 5 day trip of the the most wild DH and big jumps and drops? Some really long, slightly easier going descents would be nice too to make the most of the altitude.
Portes Du Soleil is rammed full of them, official and unofficial. How big are you planning on going?
Stock answer is always Morzine 😉
The Pass porte du soliel area does have that type of riding.
There are some big table tops on Zore, some fairly big drops on The Pleney Red and Chatel bike park has plenty of variation, gaps, drops step ups.
Have a look at world bike parks for other areas
http://www.worldbikeparks.com/
Portes Du Soleil is rammed full of them, official and unofficial. How big are you planning on going?
That looks about right!
+1 on Morzine
Bits of the old Chatel Slopestyle course are still rideable, some of the jumps on that are/were pretty monsterous. The Vink line has some sizable hits on it too.
There is also a wealth of savagely steep DH tracks there, most of which are unofficial, but not exactly hard to find. Most have good lift access with multiple lines, so you can ride a huge number of different trails in a day.
If you want to focus on air time and drops and "the hardest" trails then base yourself in Chatel not Morzine.
You'll be closer to Morgins which is super fast, playful and has a lot of large features built well into lines.
Chatel has the biggest drops and jumps in the whole area (probably 5 or so large long tracks)... and about 10 - 15 other lines / tracks that are class too. You also can get to the red bull slopestyle lines - they are rough and ready and lots of mates have done them but 1 step too far for me.
Your close to Champery and the WC DH track has lots of places to double and triple, its not as wild as it once was but its still full on.
Super Morzine has a lot of jumps but they are all small bar one large tabletop and 1 fairly decent road gap (more like a double now).
There is a line on Mont Cherry too (Les Gets) but I barely go over there.
Morzine has a far better "vibe" than most of the PDS - if that matters to you then base yourself in Morzine and all I've mentioned is easily accessible, just means your day will get cut a little shorter to make sure you get back to your accommodation.
My mates company if you do go to Morzine:
http://www.bikemorzine.com/morzinemountainbikeholidays.html
Base yourself in Morzine. Head for Chatel and Morgins.
Actually, first, head to YouTube and check out Chatel and Morgins. See if they're wild enough for you.
Edit: beaten by seconds
Base yourself in Morzine. Head for Chatel and Morgins.
As much as I've always stayed in Morzine, it's a long ride to and from Morgins so you dont actually get much time there. I actually prefer driving round and getting the whole day in
Yeah it's about an hour in the van I think. Ride all day and don't worry about missing the lift.
You're absolutely rogered if a storm rolls in and you're in Morgins and your bed is in Morzine.
It's an hour in the van yep - best way is to always drive especially assuming you're only on big bikes.
Still think being based in Chatel is where you want to be if the riding is more than the nightlife..
Chatel is still probably pretty good but I've never stayed there
if you're driving over its worth checking out ferme libert in belgium on the way - a small hill but jumps that make anything in the alps (save that slopestyle course) look small.
In chatel, the air voltage track used to be the largest thing there, I'm not sure if its still up and running though
The wooden drop posted up at the top in chatel is long gone, but the dirt features from the old slopestyle course remain and are still rideable, including the big scott drop which is a fair bit bigger than that ladder too.
As stated above, chatel is where it's at for big jumps/drops, but is less about the long DH than some of the other spots like Champery or Morzine.
Being based in either morzine or chatel is the best bet, even more so if you have a car to limit the chances of getting stuck in the wrong valley when the weather closes in. Chatel is much quieter and feels more French, but the actual bike park is a way out of town. Morzine is livelier, has lifts right in the town, but feels very English (could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your POV...)
Check out owlaps on youtube for helmet cams of loads of the tracks out there (and elsewhere in the alps) as everyone's definition of big jumps/long DH is different!
That Owlaps channel is really useful but on the other hand it's pretty depressing. It makes me pine for the days when I had ...
a) a DH bike
b) a camper van
c) the time and freedom to fully utilise both a DH bike and camper van.
I really shouldn't watch it when I'm sat at a desk in an office.
An alternative is Leogang/Saalbach/Hinterglemm
Leogang has loads of big tabletops and some decent boner jumps etc.
Same lift pass covers Saalbach/Hinterglemm in the valley behind with a good selection of tracks including some decent jumps and drops
Here’s me on the X-line road gap
Bloody hell Col - thats a fair bit bigger than the Delamere gap...surely you're too old to be hitting things like this anymore 😉
Head over the ridge from Les Gets into the Samoen area (Grand Massif?), loads of techy crazy stuff over there. A guide would be helpful but unfortunately Steve Bike-Alp has moved on from the area. He's still worth looking up though as I believe his new place is very good
You’re absolutely rogered if a storm rolls in and you’re in Morgins and your bed is in Morzine.
Is that the one where you can get a bus between lifts? If so, had that once, made the last lift just before they closed it. Not fun!
i've got the bus back from chatel bike park and morzine before. If you do get stuck, other than getting back to the top of the bike park again, its a pretty easy roll back down on the road, race your mates for fun
Just spotted that Owlaps don't have any videos from chatel...
Here's some photos to give a feel for it:
Here’s a little video of my lad and his mates at Leogang, most of it taken on only 1 or 2 of the tracks
Is there enough stuff in Leogang to keep you occupied for a whole week?
Yes, definitely. If you like big jumps then you can spend days on Hotshots in Flying Gangster alone in Leogang.
Then you have Saalbach Hinterglemm too.
Look for YouTube videos of the tracks above plus Hangman, X line, Pro line, Z line. There’s 2 new tracks opening this year too.
I'm with colp, Saalbach/Hinterglemm/Leogang is great......
X Line is awesome although I have never tried the final drop.....just one just before it 🙂
Z line is great - but closed this year. Bergstadl Trail is awesome.
Leogang is great but far too DH for me.....still worth going though as plenty of options. And a great local beer. I forget the name.
Mark
I'm another Saalbach/Leogang fan...
I really like the Hacklberg trail, nice and long.
And a great local beer. I forget the name.
Stiegl !
X Line is awesome although I have never tried the final drop…..just one just before it
The one before it although smaller is actually sketchier. Big bottom one, roll in from standing start at the beginning of the timber, no brakes.
As Hammerite mentioned, Hackelberg is an awesome trail, better on an enduro bike but still fun on a DH. Might take my ebike on it this year for that climb to the start.