I’ll be driving past Verbier tomorrow, and could spare a few hours for a ride. Can anyone recommend a trail to blow away the cobwebs. I’d like a nice natural trail rather than bike park stuff.

If Verbier isn’t the best option, I’ve ridden some natural stuff at Crans Montana, but where else should I consider?

I’m thinking One big lift somewhere high, and then a good red run back down.

It’s quite steep in places, with many, many switchbacks- but Vertigo is amazeballs, 30 minute traverse from lift, them 40 mins down.

Best trail I’ve ridden in years.

From this page like the look of ride 5 or 11…
Anyone know if these are possible in the time I have available. It looks like they require a few lifts.

Monte Tamero is another option I’ve done before, stopping earlier on the drive.

Which is the vertigo trail? I can’t see it under that name on Trailforks

I’ve just tried to extract a GPX I have, but it’s part of a larger day out I recorded. So not just Vertigo trail.

It’s accessed of the top of ‘Les Ruinette’ lift. But you’d struggle to find it without a route to follow.

Once you’re on it, it’s easy to follow however. It is also a marked walking trial, so I’ll see if I can find what that’s called.

Try this- not sure if I can link from my phone.

Vertigo gpx

If you can load that GPX, the trail starts at marker 40, near the top of the lift, then goes all the way to bottom of gondola at marker 54.

That’s great, thanks.
Think it’s list as number 11 here:
http://www.verbierbikepark.ch/activites_enduro_en.php

Ahhhh I so want to go back there

To be clear, it’s the one that finishes back in Lourtier?

Yep, finishes in Lourtier.
What Bruneeps video doesn’t show effectively, is the steepness. Oh the steepness.

What Bruneeps video doesn’t show effectively, is the steepness. Oh the steepness.

It ain’t “that” steep.
Tricky couple of switchbacks near the bottom but apart from that a good fun trail.
If Cupid Stunt is about he’ll be the guy to ask for anything Verbier related.

Not sure I’d want to ride Vertigo as a quick blast on my own.

Pretty sure we went down that with kids on XC bikes…. 🙂

Tried to spot the one bit we wussed on (OK parents wussed on and made kids walk) – I think the tricky switchback near the bottom mentioned by Stu but the first video has some “selective” editing if you watch the jumps in the altimeter reading.

Brazilian/Col de Cou? A mate of mine rode ita few years ago and was racing about it. There’s a hike a bike to the start though.
https://www.ride.ch/de/touren/brazilian-col-de-cou

t ain’t “that” steep.
Tricky couple of switchbacks near the bottom but apart from that a good fun trail.

Sure, it’s all ridable, but it’s definitely steep. I like steep so that’s all good, but as advice for someone who might ride it, with no understanding of their ability, I thought the term steep seemed appropriate.

As for children on XC bikes, they would have to have been riding for quite a while I’d say. Not a trail I would suggest for families.

I think mick’s family rides are quite different to your average family ride.😉

Brazilian is first class but its a fair way from Verbier.

Nice to see the videos, we should have been calling in next week as part of our tour but thats now on the back burner till next year. Still one of mine and the girls favourite places to ride, I cant believe its 16 years since we first took the girls.

Cant wait to get back.

Do you know Verbier well and have you ridden there before? The reason I ask is that some of the Verbier bike park trails are very natural in feel. If I had a couple of hours, I think it would be very hard to beat some of the bike park stuff.

You can now take the second chair lift up. There is a choice of two beautiful trails from that 2nd lift – although both are undeniably bike-parky. But then you have the choice of riding a trail – I think the name of Whoohay? It’s just a wonderful, natural-feeling trail back down. It’s probably my favourite bike park trail anywhere.

That’s what I would do with a couple of hours, rather than searching for hard-to-find trails and possibly taking some wrong turns. If I had longer than a 1/2 day, then I’d Certainly love to find some of those other trails recommended by those before me.

Vertigo is fairly steep by any normal standard, but I understand the willy waving tradition on here. Don’t miss the singletrack on the valley ride back from Lourtier to Le Chable.

The Brazilian is great , easier and a longer trail, but it is in the Rhone valley opposite Crans. So depends which direction you’re driving. You’ll need to hike a bike for 30 mins or so*

* Sorry, it’s STW, I meant ‘climb easily for 15 minutes’ 🙄

Thanks for the info everyone. In the end I was a bit late leaving, and then got caught in traffic around Genova. I was probably being a bit optimistic with my time and energy,.. but I’ve stopped for an ice cream in Montreux instead.

I will try and get a ride in there ASAP cos it looks great.

ok, do Jackass then in that case 🙂

Set off a bit earlier last week, and managed to stop for a ride, and get two runs in. Lifts were open up to La Chaux which avoiding having to do any of the fire road access trail.
First lap I did the Vertigo trail, which was chuffing lovely.

View post on imgur.com

The cloud was down a bit so I didn’t get much of a view, but the riding was ace.
Second lap I did an easier and faster trail that branches off to the right down to Le Châble.

I rode Jackass back in the ’90’s is there any video of it❓