The guys from H+I Adventures headed to Switzerland to sample a new route as summer closed its doors, taking advantage of the excellent public transport.
Words and photos courtesy of H+I Adventures/Ross Bell.
Freeride legend Thomas Vanderham joins local H+I guides plus the HQ crew for a linking of the Trans-Graubünden in the Swiss mountain bike equivalent of Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Escaping Eurobike.
Yet another day spent adrift in the vast sea of Eurobike, following the crowd as we drain from one hall to another. The only thing keeping me going is the thought of diving over the border into Switzerland later that evening with the promise of uncovering meandering Alpine singletrack.
We were undertaking a long planned assault on Switzerland that was assembled back in May last year when Thomas Vanderham had come over to Scotland to ride for a Shimano video… Maybe one too many bottles of Lagavulin 16 Year Old had been consumed that week, but somehow later down the line the boys found themselves steaming into Switzerland. (With another 2 bottles of Lagavulin for old times’ sake!)
The Great Escape.
Our plan, aided by friend and local H+I guide, Dave Spielmann was to link up a Trans-Graubünden route via pedal power and use of the extensive, punctual, and rather bike friendly Swiss public transport system. We reached our starting point of Lenzerheide close to midnight after a couple of train swaps and dash for the PostBus which, thankfully, didn’t result in a hefty Swiss speeding fine like my previous venture to Lenzerheide for the World Cup…
The danger with being in the Alps late season is, well, it’s the Alps and as popular as it has become for mountain biking, skiing is still very much the staple sport here and for skiing you need snow. Something that doesn’t go hand-in-hand with cycling too well.
Middle Earth awaits.
Fortunately a tentative snoop out the window of our Lenzerheide hotel confirmed that Rothorn stretching above us was, for the large part, still red, albeit with the odd lingering patch of white. After fumbling our bikes out of their travel bag jigsaws we soon find ourselves with a bird’s-eye view over the World Cup track as the gondola hummed its way towards the craggy peak on the skyline.
Leaving the safety of the top station we were soon victim to the icy wind which greeted us like a slap in the face, thankfully abating as we hooked round the next rocky outcrop; our trail now flirting with us as it stretched into the Mordor-esque mountains on the horizon. Any lingering Eurobike hangover seemed a lifetime ago.
Rösti refuge.
It doesn’t take long for us to begin surfing the strand of path clinging onto the hillside, reminding myself all the while ‘fall left fall left’ – which is hard when there is a turquoise snow-melt lake below you! As the altitude falls away we soon find ourselves riding in the clouds as we hit some classic Alpine switchbacks giving the group an accordion effect as we yo-yo, back and forth, out of each turn. Eventually springing out between wooden chalets as we hunt for the next gondola which promises rösti atop the neighbouring mountain.
From the warmth of our rösti refuge we can once again look down on the cloud base with the mountain ranges thrusting their way skywards with a mix of cheese, potatoes, and coffee sitting heavy in our stomachs – making it extra difficult to restart the legs! Dodging marmots we weave our way through a flowing gulley and into the edge of the bike park where a sudden deluge sparks the end of our day as we take a muddy bobsleigh ride back to the valley floor, the safety of the hotel, and a ‘deserved’ weiss beer.
Davos for coffee.
The evening was spent looking through a mirage of various weather sites and apps with conflicting reports, rain or snow? We’d have to wait and see, but for the moment it was only rain drumming off the ground outside as we went to bed resigned to our fate.
Peeling back the curtains revealed a landscape more akin to a Christmas card than the Alps in September. Our breakfast was rather leisurely as we figured out our game plan and watched out the window as a solo fat biker smugly left from the garage to continue on with his business and disappeared into the white. We decided to cut our losses and head to our next target of Davos with the day better spent sitting in coffee shops whilst the snow-line retreated.
Swiss efficiency.
Thankfully by the following morning the snow was confined to the mountain tops, we’d be sure to find some throughout the day but by-and-large the trails should be rideable! The Swiss are well known for their efficiency and their impressive lattice of lifts are testament to that, they certainly helped us get bang for our buck as we swiftly found ourselves looking back down upon Davos clustered on the valley floor below.
Pushing on through the slush it doesn’t take long for our feet to resemble ice cubes, and soon after I’m the first to taste the Swiss dirt. Obviously blaming it on the monstrous boulder kicked up by someone in front. Through the clang of a herd of cows, doing our best to dodge their expertly placed ‘parcels’, the trail becomes faster and more flowing before apparently, we are funnelled into the woods of British Columbia. It’s a brief but lively affair as we are spat into the outskirts of Davos with our next destination already locked in our sights.
Believe the hype.
This trail had been hyped up by Dave and Euan in the days prior, and with the gondola empty apart from a young couple complete with pram, it looked like we’d have the place to ourselves. The technical traverse passes quickly with everyone enjoying the challenge of its various rock steps. It’s hard not to feel insignificant in a landscape like this with the vertical mountainsides reaching deep into the valley, we are a mere speck on a string in the vista.
Over time our wheels begin to point downhill more and more and soon we are thrust into a rollercoaster of turns, the air becoming filled with rapturous noise of appreciation – the kind of trail that makes you feel like a hero even if you’re skill level says otherwise. With arms screaming I drop the anchors, almost cause a pileup in doing so but when a turn feels that outrageously good you’ve just got to go back and session it! Mark and the rest of the boys needed no convincing either.
Fondue refill.
Following Thomas, or rather attempting to, was an eye-opener. Riders of that calibre read the terrain completely differently to a mere mortal like myself, playing and popping off seemingly nothing, and doing it with such a casual swagger as I’m pouring all my focus into merely keeping him in sight. The trail eventually fizzles out and pops us onto a road in the Sertig valley which induced a speed tuck content as we roll into the accommodation – our bags waiting for us thanks to more Swiss efficiency in luggage transfers.
After a lengthy shower to bring the body back up to temperature we are soon sitting round a molten pot of fondue reflecting on what was, not only the best trail of the trip so far, but also perhaps up there with one of the best we’d ever ridden.
With a shot of espresso to burn through the remainder of last night’s wine we find ourselves once again staring out the window over breakfast wondering where summer has vanished to.
To sample the Trans-Graubünden with H+I Adventures, you can check out their packages over on their website here.
Keep an eye out for part two of the story later in the week.
Why not check out Pete’s trip with H+I Adventures, taking in some of their Scottish Coast to Coast trip here.
