1st Megavalanche Trail
32 km | 2500 hm | Difficulty level: difficult
The longest, rideable downhill trail in the Alps is located in Alpe d'Huez, France. Hundreds of bikers plunge
down this course once a year at the Megavalanche into the valley. The start is on the 3300 metre high glacier. After an ice-cold snow slide, the trails finally take over, leading down to Allemond in a challenging, panoramic and flowing route. And this place is 700 metres above sea level. You then take the shuttle bus back to Alpe d'Huez.
2. the Brazilian
30 km | 2000 hm | Difficulty level: difficult
The great curve dream in the Val d'Annivers in the Swiss canton of Valais. The gondola takes you up to the Col
de Cret and push up another 400 metres in altitude from the mountain station to the Col de Cou. There you can already see where The Brazilian got its name from: The path dances down into the Rhone valley in countless hairpin bends.
3rd Goldsee Trail
22.6 km | 2000 hm | Difficulty level: difficult
The best way to get up to the Stelvio Pass is to take the shuttle bus and then push up the short section to the Dreisprachenspitze. A look back at the glacier masses of the Ortler, then it's off into the initially flowing trail that runs along the mountain flank. Above the Furkelhütte, many will have to push (approx. 300 metres), but from the Stilfseralm it flows smoothly down to Glurns.
4th Plose Trail
14 km | 2000 hm | Difficulty level: difficult
There are many trails around Brixen's local mountain. But the longest one winds its way from the Plosehütte (2447 m) over a very exposed path to the Ochsenalm, where you turn into trail no. 4. This path leads down to the cathedral square in Brixen in a variety of ways. The cable car helps you uphill until the beginning of October!
5th Col-d'Anzana Trail
15 km | 1800 hm | Difficulty level: medium
The old mule track winds its way down the southern Val Poschiavo to Tirano in Italy. The 1800 metres of descent are rattled through the speedometer very slowly, in long strokes followed by a hairpin bend.
6th Gornergrat Trail
15 km | 1760 m elevation gain | Difficulty: difficult
It is said that the descent from the 3090 metre high Gornergrat mountain station was designed by gods. Against the backdrop of the famous Matterhorn, you push your bike through a kind of natural pump track and can hardly get enough of the landscape. Tip: If you take the last gondola up (18:30), you have free access!
7th Göflaner Schartl Trail
21 km | 1730 m elevation gain | Difficulty: difficult
A recently discovered trail in the Vinschgau Valley, which extends the already well-trodden Holy Hansen Trail by 700 exciting metres in altitude from above. Steps, stone slabs, hairpin bends! However, the ascent is long, and towards the end there is another 450 metre ascent.
8th Col-Lauson-Trail
20 km | 1700 hm | Difficulty level: difficult
The Aosta Valley isn't exactly on our doorstep, but the long journey is worth it because you can hardly make up your mind
because there are so many super-long trails around the Gran Paradiso. The longest fun descent winds down from Col Lauson into Valsavaranche. Starting point: Cogne. A lift helps with the ascent,
The rest of the way up to the 3296 metre high start ramp you have to push up under your own steam. The trail is extremely varied and also has a few short, blocked key sections that you may have to push.
9th Porta Vescovo Trail
14.5 km | 1600 m elevation gain | Difficulty: difficult
On the south side of the Sella massif, you get on the lift in Arabba. Once at the top, you first have to sit down on the grass in front of the magnificent panorama of the Marmolada. Then the descent: the high mountain trail winds its way through the alpine meadows like a marble run and branches off from time to time on the way to Malga Lasté.
It is best to use GPS. Short counter-climbs from the halfway point prolong the thrill of the descent.
10th Strada de la Vena Trail
17 km | 1500 hm | Difficulty: Easy
One of the longest and easiest trails in the Dolomites - if you don't miss the start: At the Rifugio Averau, follow the very rough gravel descent towards the Marmolada view for only about 50 metres, then a green arrow on a rock step points to the right. Climb up this step in 5-6 steps, then you can already see the trail. It flanks a Dolomite wall and then winds in a gentle zigzag first through rock, then through grass and finally through the forest to Alleghe. A very varied trail, but without any pitfalls - apart from a short climb.
11th Forte-Jafferau Trail
12 km | 1500 hm | Difficulty level: medium
In Piedmont, the Val di Susa awaits with old military trails along the Italian-French border. The longest continuous descent starts at the Jafferau fort at an altitude of 2,800 metres and leads down to Bardonecchia as a signposted MTB route. The path is fast at the top, followed by hairpin bends with steps and, in the forest, only flow with a pleasantly gentle gradient.
12th Monte Tamaro Trail
19 km | 1400 hm | Difficulty level: medium
The absolute trail classic in Ticino. As Monte Tamaro is also visited by many hikers as a panoramic mountain, you should either start early or take the last gondola. This way you get more of the flow (occasional S2 sections) and the photogenic rush later in the birch forest.
13th Mont Chaberton Trail
10 km | 1400 hm | Difficulty level: difficult
You should definitely be fit for this trail, if only because there is no lift uphill. The descent from Mont Chaberton to Col Chaberton is still quite easy, but in the rocky landscape that follows, only good riders will shout hurrah. The descent from the tree line to Montgenevre is a little easier.
14th Vellil Trail
9.3 km | 1390 m elevation gain | Difficulty: difficult
The Vellil Trail above the rooftops of Ischgl is not only long, but also very photogenic. For a long time, the trail balances along the green mountain ridge. Then it threads its way into hand-shaped parking bends before drifting back down into the open countryside.
15th Russenweg
6.3 km | 1329 m elevation gain | Difficulty: medium
Alban Lakata's favourite home trail in Lienz. Even on the ascent, it is clear where the reigning marathon world champion gets his fitness from. The trail to the Hochsteinhütte, which lies at an altitude of 2018 metres, starts steeply and ends even steeper. However, the gradient matches the descent perfectly, as it is almost exclusively over gentle forest ground. By the way, nobody knows why the path is called the Russenweg ...
16th Similaun Trail
5.6 km | 1320 m elevation gain | Difficulty: difficult
No lift in sight either: the ascent to the Similaun hut (3017 m) is only too steep to ski at the end. Those who spend the night at the top have the downhill trail to the Vernagt reservoir to themselves the next morning. It is very rough at the top and most people will have to push for the first 300 metres.
17th Rosetta Trail
13 km | 1300 hm | Difficulty level: difficult
Anyone cruising through Val Venegia has no idea that behind the imposing peaks of the Pale di San Martino, a rocky plateau with a sensational trail awaits. To reach the Altipiano di San Martino, you even have to take the lift. Then follow the initially gravelly path with gentle climbs past Malga Campigat to Agordo.
18th Mer-de-GlaceTtrail
k. A. km | 1300 hm | Difficulty level: difficult
Steep ascent up to the ice cap of the Mer-de-Glace glacier on Mont Blanc and then back to Chamonix in a rabbit zigzag (narrow, steep hairpin bends). A dream experience for advanced riders!
19th Herrensteig Trail
8 km | 1300 hm | Difficulty level: medium
Plan de Corones/Kronplatz in Val Pusteria/Pustertal has long been known as a trail paradise. An absolute classic is the Herrensteig trail, which circles down to Reischach in a series of tight bends.
20th Trais-Fluors-Trail
7 km | 1200 hm | Difficulty level: medium
Of all the flow country trails in the Upper Engadine, this is probably the most challenging high mountain trail. It runs from Piz Nair to Lej Alv and then steeply up to Trais Fluors (chairlift only in operation on Fridays). From here it is mostly flowy, with some bumpy sections down to Samedan.
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Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
