I'm riding on my own tomorrow around Chatel/Morzine. I really like the look of this run, but I generally stick to red runs, especially when I'm on my own.

I've ridden a few blacks – like Canyon into Les Gets which was ok, but since I ride a SC Blur and not a DH bike, I stay away from stuff with large dropoffs etc.

I don't want to start riding down something and either kill myself, or look like a total tool by having to walk. If this trail "really" black or reddish black?

Thanks for your help.

there's a Swiss Cup track somewhere down to Les crosets from up there, guys who did road gap on blue run down at top of Chatel bike park wouldn't do that one when it didn't have catch netting so I do
didn't do it 2 years ago

can't find the book with maps and gradings but canyon pretty easy compared to blue and red DH runs Morgins and also the black runs in chatel

can see a run called La Grande Conche graded V4+ it looks like the botton bit below the track is the 4 x which is fairly tame (same book grades canyon as v4+ and Champery WC DH as V6, some of DHs have some very steep berms and found them better on 180mm travel compared to old blur I rode 3 years ago out there and if it is the Swiss Cup course there's some steep rocky berms to make with some big drops if run too wide

It's a corker!!! It's a mammoth of a DH run (I personally think but then I'm a chick!) I rode it twice about 3 years ago and scared me so much I feel sick just thinking about it!! It's really quite steep and slatey with some tight berms! To be honest though it's so tight and twisty that I don't think you can it that super quick so you'll be fine (super DHhilly type people might though). Awesome run and I have a real sense of ahievement from riding it since it is the hardest thing I've ever ridden. Worth it though for the DH on the other side of the valley! Big swoopy berms awesomely quick…. do it! let us know how you get on
It is the old Swiss Cup course and they did have crash nets on there before. DO IT DO IT DO IT ………..

lets have a report on your run down it tomorrow then!

I did it last year on a beat-up rental Trance, its fine. If you're on your Blur you might like to do it later in the day and then head over Col de Cou for a slightly different descent into Morzine.

it's fine. don't get worried about the catch-nets – the top is pretty straightforward and unless you go rocketing into a corner without concentrating you're not going over any edges. there are some steep-ish sections in the middle, so make sure your brakes are working properly. no other problems. the huge corner after the bridge ("the berm of truth") is absolutely amazing, so make sure you're carrying lots of speed into it. watch you don't overcook it and fall back into the stream on the exit, though. I'd ride it on my hardtail, catch-nets in place or not, so you'll be fine on a Blur. just take it easy and enjoy yourself.

best fast track in the area. rode it flat out back to back 4 or 5 times on my 224 and that was me spent.

serious track. some of those berms are so steep you need real strength to hold your chin off the bars.

bloody love it.

Did it about 5 years ago, and it was fine on a XC bike, just super steep and loads of high topped berms. I understand since then it has changed a fair bit though, i.e more badass DH stylee.

Rode the Swiss Cup track on my hardtail when i was in the Alps over summer. No big drops or any thing to catch you out (that I remember). It was one of my favourite tracks.

Kept up with the lads on dh bikes as it wasnt too extreme or rough, there was catch netting on some of the corners aswell.

I think if I remember rightly, the start of it was the most unnerving bit, jsut looked really steep and you could imagine falling off the side of the hill easily, the rest is fine though.

Davidtaylforth .. definately agree with that one! The bottom bit is lush with big swoopy berms etc! brilliant!

Swiss World Cup course is ace, but it's not that tricky – I cleaned it last month on my Nomad, and i'm not exactly the greatest rider in the world. The catch nets are there tho. Great view off the top:

If you want some proper techy singletrack, there is some under the lift that comes up from Champery – bit hard to find but you can see it from the lift. Take the track that splits off half way down and stays nearest to the lift – easily the most tech thing i've ridden in 4 years of alps trips.

and the answer is none. None more black

Well – I had a fab day yesterday. Rode the Les Crosets trail 3 times. Totally fantastic trail. It flows really well. It's pretty scary steep in places, but it's a total hoot. Especially the middle secton with all the little launching pads as you cruise along. It's sore on the hands and forearms on a shorter travel bike though. My brakes were roasted after every run.

It's cretianly one of the most fun trails I've ridden in the Portes de Soleil.

Its a shame that & the Crossets track are hammered with braking bumps. They are both in dire need of some maintenance, as they are good, fun tracks.

It's by no means 'sh*t your pants' hard, just has a couple of steep sections.

I did it on a hardtail and i'm a shite rider, just look ahead, go at your own pace, you'll be fine.

Start is intimidating but it's not too tech, views are ace.

I dit it a few years ago on a hardtail and it was fine, cant think of a poor trail that drops into Chatel.