My 5 top trails: Max Fuchs' favourite trails - because the eye travels with you
Boca do Risco
Madeira / Portugal
I spent four weeks on holiday in Madeira with my mates. Always on the lookout for the best trail. In the end, we all agreed that the best trail of all is probably the one most often photographed at the Boca do Risco on the easternmost tip of the island. The trail turns its switchbacks towards the south coast on a rich, loamy track. A short ascent - you don't think anything bad - but then the next hairpin bend is so close to the abyss! Scary, but: awesome!
The T-Rex
Rychlebské stezky / Czech Republic
I've never been to Canada, but my colleague Peter said that this trail was pretty close to the Whistler style. It's not long, but it's full of lovingly crafted tests of courage. River rock sticks to river rock and the narrowest Northshore footbridges lead over to the next rock slab. Don't forget to breathe in between! It's unbelievable how much effort, love and creativity the locals put into these trails - and yet this spot is still an insider tip.
Fernar Trail
Sölden / Tyrol
For me, the Bike Republic Sölden has been something like the Flowtrail-Hausen. Countless descents, always packed and nothing for tyres or photographers' eyes to get stuck on. But then we took the shuttle up to the Tiefenbach glacier at 2800 metres. In front of the fork: the Fernar Trail. Now that's what I call high alpine tinkering! Or as Korbi Engstler says: "The hardest trail in the Alps." And I go along with that: It can only be tamed with solid trial skills. I love it!
Monte Perone Trail
Elba / Tuscany
Elba is a spot that I will be heading to next time on an e-MTB. And then I don't really need anything more than the enduro network on Monte Perone. The mountain is only 630 metres high, but offers so many lines that you want to loop back up after just 150 metres of descending. The killer descent for me is a combination of three trails: Cielo Alto, Case Vecchie and the Sassi Ritti (photo) at the end. The trails are partly built and where it gets bumpy, the tyres bite into granite.
Glaciara Trail
Aletsch Glacier / Valais
In your face! You're standing up there at the start of the trail and can't believe it all: First the view over this ice stream and then this rough trail: it first balances over a ridge, then tilts left into the valley and simply tries to throw you off in its wild, steep rock cube scenery. 2.4 kilometres long. It's unbelievable how the enduro pros still shoot down here. The next time will be on 1 September at the Enduro World Championships!
Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor & photographer
At 24, he is the youngest editor in the BIKE test crew. There are said to be trails that have already cried because of him, because they couldn't shake him off: Dismounting and pushing is definitely not an option for him. Never.
BIKE: Max, what is your next goal?
Max Fuchs: My partner insists on a hybrid holiday this time: biking and surfing. That's why we'll be travelling to the Sintra Mountains near Lisbon by camper van in spring or summer.
More top trails can be found here...
Max Fuchs
Editor
