This weekend saw the passportes event - with over 3,500 riders around the course it was easily the busiest weekend of the summer. The event marks the opening of the full area lift system, so now we can ride all the way to Morgins, Chatel and Champery without having to get over the giant mountain passes under our own steam.
more pics here.
With the main course being 75km, we didn’t stand a chance of completing it. We did get all the way from Morzine to Chatel, Morgins and Champery before returning to Morzine. The only bit we left out was the Les Gets loop.
Perhaps it was the call of Bar Robinson and Mutzig that stopped us crossing town to complete the loop.
Ah well, the trails are here all summer long, no rush!
Guy
A group that were out for a long weekend last weekend hired a head cam from Luke at Snow-cam and made a film of the trip. Check it out here.
Thanks to Rob, Steve, Will, Jamie, Cam, Roger, Will and Sam
With the awesome chamonix valley just over an hours drive from here, what better place to spend your birthday than riding in the shadow of Mt Blanc.
We headed off there on Tuesday in time for a couple of runs off the Flegere lift (with a lunch stop of course) - The trails there are tight and technical. And closed to bikers from July the first. So we had to get our fix before then!
Visiting Chamonix is kind of like visiting the big city when you live in Morzine. There’s so many people, bars, and a huge variety of restaurants. We have a decent selection here in Morzine, don’t get me wrong. But for those that live here, melted cheese and grilled meat becomes a bit much after a while. So Chamonix provided us with something different to chow down on. Sian and Carl (the guys from endless ride) came over for tea and riding the next day.
The following day we met up with some more mates (Willie and Shona..) and headed up to Le Tour at the head of the valley. The riding up there is a bit more flowy and open than further down the valley. With 5 would be guides (if the French would let us) there was no shortage of route suggestions going on. In the end we decided to try out something none of us had done before, and drop down the back to Forclaz. And what a trail it is. Fast and open up the top (except for the snow!) - and then tight twisty and technical down below. A full 1000m vertical or so of singletrack.
I’ve got a load of head cam footage that needs chopping down, but as the sun is out constantly, I don’t want to be on the Mac all day doing that - I’d rather be riding. You’ll know when we have a rainy day when that footage crops up on our web site!
Nice 
Guy
Tim on the left, Neil on the right, originally uploaded by guybowden.
Up the Col du Cou, then down the ridge to Champery, up the Champery telecabine then up and over a still snowy Lac Vert before heading down the GR5 and back to Morzine.
We set off at 9.30 and didn’t get back until 7.
Top day though!
More photos from this day and the rest of the weekend here.
The Atherton domination continues - with Gee pipping Peaty to the post to win his first world champions jersey over the weekend. A real shame for Peat, forever the nearly man. And even more of a shame for Hill who’s final section fall saw him place 3rd - without that fall he’d have been around 10 seconds clear in first place. Memories of Peat’s fall in Les Gets….
And then there’s Rachel - a full 12 seconds clear of the field in the womens DH. If only Dan hadn’t broken his colar bone it might have been a repeat of the Andorra world cup with all three picking up gold. Maybe next year.
Finally Josh Bryceland comes home with the goods in the Junior mens beating our other young hopeful Sam Dale.
Amazing to think that we don’t really have the facilities in the UK for DH - not like here in Morzine with the lifts all summer. Perhaps it’s the extra fitness from the pushing up that helps…
Getting there, originally uploaded by guybowden.
They can ride as well you know.
Amazing.
The sun’s been out for 5 days solid now - the trails are dusty and the new flow BBQ was fired up for the first time this evening.
Tom makes use of his goggles on or off the trail :)
So the sun was shining and we had some guests to tire out (that’s what they’re here for no?) - So with Lionel the French mountain bike guide / instructor in tow we set off for St Jean d’Aulps. The hard way.First was up the Pleney lift from Morzine, but from there on in it was pedal power. Down to Les Gets via the 4X track and then the first climb of the day up to Mont Caly (no Mt Cherry lift until next weekend) - round the back of the mountain from there up to the Col d’Encrenaz before slogging up a cow trodden path to another col 200m up - so finally we get to descend a good long way down some nice singletrack before diving into the woods for some fine rooty fun. Then the big push up before heading round the mountain to Graydon.Unfotunately the restaurant wasn’t open for food, so a swift beer would have to do before the final big climb of the day that lead on to just about the best 600m (vertical) singletrack descent there is around these parts (in my opinion…) down to St Jean. Then up the river path to Morzine for a well earned, albeit slightly late, lunch.
Lovely stuff.
the route is up here for all to see (select “Morzine / Graydon loop”)
After a lot of rainy days it was great to wake up to the sun shining and have it stay with us all day! The new loungers we bought for the garden finally got used this morning as some of the guys in the chalet decided to spend the morning sunbathing while the trails dried out.
The maintenance guys were busy trying to get the trails back into shape as they dry and we’re looking forward to getting back out on the bikes again tomorrow - this time in the sun.
Well the season is finally upon us - it’s great to have a table full of guests all getting to know each other over a bite to eat and a glass of vino or two.
We’ve been riding the local tracks off the Pleney lift and once the Les Gets lift opened last weekend we were using that as well.
There’s been some day trips over to Switzerland: namely our favorite train spotters venue of Rochers de Naye high above Montreux. A great day was had with over 3500m of decent in fairly dry conditions - followed by a beer by the lake before heading back up to the Chalet.
Saturday saw the Champery cable car open and us lot using it to the full. We tried out the world famous Champery World Cup course…. our respect for those guys (and girls) shot up by a 1000% - the course is immense. Unbelievably steep & rooty!
Today was time to try out the Super Morzine side of the valley for the first time this season - we uplifted our guests to Avoriaz where they split into two groups - one taking a more direct route home under the Prodain cable car, whilst the other descended via Les Lindarets. A top muddy, wet, slidey day was had by all.
The forecast is now for Sun Sun and more sun - about time too - although riding in the wet ain’t all that bad!
Guy
Andy’s off under the cable car.
more photos here
