Supertrail No. 11 Bernina Express [Download GPS data]

In view of our abundant energy reserves, it is usually easy for us e-MTB riders to reject ascent aids with a friendly "No, thank you". Shuttle and gondola - we don't need them, because we have fun and plenty of energy on the uphill.

On this tour, however, you are almost in a dilemma, as the existing ascent aid is called the Bernina railway. Its fiery red carriages whizz over the Bernina Pass into Val Poschiavo, overcoming a whopping seven per cent gradient. And as the railway does not do this with a rack and pinion, but with the help of rails laid out in curves, 180-degree serpentines and a circular viaduct, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a few years now.

A trail that has always been made for E-MTBs, now even better

So it's a shame that we don't need the Bernina Express. But this super trail starts with the ascent to the Ospizio Bernina at 2253 metres above sea level, takes a panoramic loop around Lago Bianco at the top of the pass and then bends its way back to Pontresina. A trail that has always been made for e-MTBs, but now the Engadin trail builders have added another "treat" to it.

Okay, so we don't get on the Bernina railway, but turn our backs on Pontresina station and follow the main road through the town. Past glamorous grand hotels until finally, a long way after the village, the Bike Hotel Palü appears on the left. The super trail branches off directly behind the small hotel. Initially in the form of a forest path. The trail winds its way through a sparse Swiss stone pine forest, rising gently at first, then a little steeper at times, but always flowing.

Visually, too, there is no room for boredom. Especially when the mighty Morteratsch glacier keeps flashing through the trees. At a hairpin bend, we cross the pass road and change sides of the valley. We pass the Cascata da Bernina waterfalls with their crystal-clear pools. Above us, we see the Bernina Express speeding past, also on its way to the top of the pass.

We soon switch to turbo mode too. Not because it's necessary due to the gradient, but because it's even more fun to take the bends at speed. Incidentally, we don't need to watch out for oncoming traffic: The trails between the Morteratsch car park and the valley station of the Diavolezza gondola are laid out separately for uphill and downhill. A sign even directs us to a specially created uphill flow section for e-MTBers!

At some point, the forest thins out and we glide gently uphill through wide alpine meadows. This continues until we have practically reached the 2330 metre high pass and are standing on the shore of Lago Bianco. A gravel path initially leads around the meltwater lake. This gives us the opportunity to admire the surrounding glacier world before the gravel path narrows again to a path and tips back into the valley.

Shortly before Morteratsch: highlight of the tour

From Ospizio Bernina onwards, the suspension shakes. For the sake of biking fun, a little help has been given here with a shovel and rake. A slight berm here, a little bounce there. The more technical sections are marked as one-way roads, on the easier sections we roll along the outward route.

Bike park feeling shortly before Morteratsch. The cream of the crop, which we were skilfully guided around earlier, is now the highlight of the tour: Dozens of perfectly shaped bends, a few jumps - this is how the special trail winds its way past the Bernina waterfalls. It doesn't get any better than this. Oh yes, and you can always catch up on the Bernina railway ride at some point.

Supertrail no. 11 - Bernina-Express - route data: 37.9 km and 697 metres altitude difference

You can find the "Bernina Express" supertrail in EMTB 3/19 - the magazine for e-mountain bikers, in stores from 8 October. You can obtain the new EMTB conveniently in the Subscriptionat the kiosk and beyond in our Online shop and as Digital edition for all devices. Here are the top topics of this issue:

Downloads:

GPS data EMTB: Switzerland - Bernina Supertrail (pdf)