The Eastern Alps are actually enough to fill a biker's life to the brim. So why wander into the distance? Karwendel, Wetterstein, Allgäu, Lake Garda, the Dolomites, Vinschgau, South Tyrol, Livigno, the Ötztal Alps and all the other hotspots - even if you have crossed the Eastern Alps several times, there are still new trails to discover. Especially as the ski resorts are constantly expanding their offerings for mountain bikers. There is hardly a summer lift or shuttle bus that does not transport bikers. An offer that even those crossing the Alps like to take advantage of from time to time. Mountain huts await after practically every ascent, and quite a few of them have turned into small mountain hotels with double rooms, showers and gourmet cuisine - which of course has an impact on the price, but above all on the wellness factor.
The epic, solitary mountain experience may have been lost a little in this dense and convenient infrastructure of the Eastern Alps, but the variety has not. That's why it was particularly difficult to pick just two best-of tours for this region. In the end, we decided in favour of these two multi-day tours because they lead through particularly beautiful, high alpine landscapes and contain legendary trails that you simply have to experience as a biker. You can find area guides for all other bike regions with their three best tours in our Tour portal on the Internet at www.bike-magazin.de.
Apart from that, plenty of new trails have been created for the season and new tour routes have been signposted and designed. Find out exactly where and what else there is to experience in the Eastern Alps on the next page (link below).
Quickly over the burner?
9 euros for a 10-day toll sticker in Austria, plus 19 euros for the Europa Bridge and 24.60 euros for the Italian toll there and back - a trip to Lake Garda costs 52.60 euros in tolls alone. Even a speed camera can be expensive in Italy: 20 km/h too fast costs 170 euros, over 50 km/h 530 euros. Mobile phone use: from 160 euros!
1st Mini-Tansalp: Ischgl-Sta. Maria (145 km | 5212 m altitude difference | 4 stages)
The Four Holidays tour for real trail lovers: From Ischgl, take the lift up to the Viderjoch. The subsequent ridge trail via Salaaser Kopf and Zeblasjoch is a real treat up to the Heidelberger Hütte. On the second day, the Fimberpass trail into the Lower Engadine awaits - a classic. Passo di Fraele and Passo Trela take it up another notch on the third day, and on the fourth stage you will be rubbing your eyes at Lago San Giacomo di Fraele, as the trail winds its way down to this mountain lake in such breathtaking beauty. At the end, you hurtle down into Val Müstair on a fine selection of smugglers' trails. Oh yes, and not to forget: Before every descent, there are of course metres in altitude that require a good level of fitness.
Condition 4 out of 5 points
Driving technique 4 out of 5 points
Landscape 5 out of 5 points
Difficulty medium
Info: GPS data, altitude profiles and accommodation addresses for Mini-Transalp from Ischgl to Santa Maria.
2nd Trans-Graubünden (151 km | 5235 m elevation gain | 3 stages)
The tour From the cantonal capital of Chur to the foot of the Bernina, the only four-thousand metre peak in the Eastern Alps: anyone who has ever driven up the road to the Julier Pass knows how the scenic drama of Graubünden increases step by step. This three-day route follows a similar route, but is not on tarmac, but rather on trails, and the Swiss have laid plenty of them through the terrain here. Not only downhill, but also over rocky ridges and as a swing through valley basins. From Chur, you head up to Savognin via the Rothorn trails in Lenzerheide. On the second day, you cross the Alp Flix and climb over the Septimer Pass into the Engadin, where the famous Bernina trails await on the third day.
Condition 4 out of 5 points
Driving technique 3 out of 5 points
Landscape 5 out of 5 points
Difficulty medium
Info: GPS data, altitude profiles and accommodation addresses for Trans-Graubünden
NEW MTB TRAILS FROM 2018
- Bressanone: The trail construction company Gravity Logic from Whistler has continued to dig away at the descents of the Plose. www.brixen.org
- Kronplatz: A Gerti is planned for the Hans and Franz departures, and Andreas may get an Alex. www.freeride-kronplatz.com
- Val d'Ega: A two-kilometre version of the Carezza Trail has been added. www.rosadira-bike.com
- Vinschgau Valley: No shuttle car, but accessible by chairlift: The new trail from the Tarscher Alm was ready for surfing from the end of July. www.vinschgaubike.com
- Saalbach: The Kohlmaisbahn was rebuilt in 2018. The Schönleitenbahn in Jausern, Vorderglemm, takes over the function of the 4th summer lift. The Kohlmais summit can be reached from there via a root trail.
- Dachstein: The gentle ridges of the Reiteralm have become a trail paradise. A kids' park with three trails was opened in 2018, with ten kilometres of enduro trails to follow by 2019. www.schladming-dachstein.at
Further tour tips for bikers in the Eastern Alps
EXTREMA AROUND THE ORTLER (230 kilometres / 13100 vertical metres / 6 stages)
You can circle the Ortler in a wide and reasonably relaxed manner. But you can also get up close and personal. You pay for this closeness with frequent pushing passages and climbing over the 3,000 metre altitude limit six times in total, but in return you really are still walking on former bloody military trails from the First World War. The panorama: priceless. Price incl. luggage transport approx. 655 euros. www.seracjoe.de
THROUGH THE ALPS OF BAVARIA (170 kilometres / 4750 vertical metres / 3 stages)
You always think you know your home mountains, and then this new tour through Bavaria's Alpine strip comes along. The guides on this tour have really found some secret trails and paths in Munich's home areas such as Garmisch, Estergebirge, Walchensee and Ammergebirge. The final highlight is a trail gem directly under the Zugspitze. Price incl. 3 x half board and luggage transport: approx. 460 euros. www.alpenevent.de
DOLOMITES WITH A DIFFERENCE (310 kilometres / 7900 vertical metres / 6 stages)
The Dolomites are always a feast for the eyes, but on this Trans-Dolomiti tour from the Puster Valley to Feltre in the Veneto region
Veneto, you get to see a completely different side to the more hidden but also well-known rock towers. Uphill, your legs can relax three times in the lift. Price incl. 8x half board, luggage transfer, return transfer and lift: approx. 1205 euros. Various dates from June to September, info: www.go-alps.de
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Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
