MTB trails in Europe: These will be your new favourite trails of the season

Piz Umbrail (Switzerland)

The The Umbrail Pass near the legendary Stelvio Pass is the highest road pass in Switzerland. The summit is at just over 3000 metres. And we have to get up there if we want to enjoy the entire descent into Val Müstair. And that's what we want. But don't worry: you can take a shuttle up from Sta. Maria, you just have to make the final ascent yourself and scramble a bit. But then you get the full load of alpine freeriding, an incredible panorama, summit bliss and a glacial lake (jump in!). The trail down measures over 1600 metres in depth, so pace yourself! The mountain trail winds through a scree desert, technical, demanding, steep - becoming increasingly flowy, plunging into the forest after 1000 metres. Here the ground is grippier, softer, almost velvety.

The full load of alpine freeriding, an amazing panorama, summit bliss and a glacier lake!

Banzai Trail (Italy)

This is a Western Alps trail that could hardly be more beautiful. From the Passo dell'Invergneux in the Aosta Valley, it's down to Cogne, a whopping 1400 metres of descent. But there's a catch: you have to climb up yourself. No shuttle, no lift, no refreshment hut. Adventure instead. The trail amazes with its rhythm, playfulness and flow. This is due to the smooth high valley with its rounded glacier contours. Later, it turns off into a forest gorge and becomes a little grimmer.

>> More breathtaking, challenging, epic, playful MTB trails from Markus Greber can be found here <<

Vertigo (Switzerland)

Can you move the rear wheel? If not, don't read on. Because only with the right technique can you make it through the Vertigo's steep flights. The name says it all! It's steep here. We take the Les Ruinettes cable car to the top station, leave the Verbier bike park and turn onto this high mountain trail. It quickly becomes steep, then even steeper and finally steepest. First over rock, later roots replace the pitfalls. Hairpin bends, slides on the fall line, steps. Wonderfully challenging, murderous when wet!

Wexl-Trails (Austria)

The small trail park in St. Corona (don't worry!) on the border between Vienna and Graz is home to perhaps the best jumpline in Austria. Many spots boast that they have Canadian DNA or claim to be a copy of Whistler's A-Line. I can usually only laugh at this, but the Wexl jumpline really does produce Whistler flow. Awesome jumps for plenty of airtime, 30 jumps in three sections - the jumpline is great fun. There is also a flowline, single trail and a downhill run. If you want, you can pedal up yourself or use an anchor lift.

Altissimo, Lake Garda (Italy)

The Altissimo is a monster. Both up and down. It may be that nostalgia is getting the better of me here. Back then, the trails here, such as the 601, were legends. If you crank it up yourself, you have to suffer. But you can also take the gondola from Malcesine or shuttle round the back. Downhill, I like the trail from the summit via the south-east flank to Bocca di Navene and all the way down to Navene. I just say: old school freeriding. Steep, blocked, bumpy, even steeper, even more blocked. But afterwards there's a gelato, beer and a swim in the lake.

Marcus Greber from Upper Bavaria was test manager at BIKE for many years, has been part of the freeride movement from day one, knows the scene like no other and tours the whole world as an action photographer. Always on the lookout for super trails.