 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I'm helping a friend deliver a camper van to Lugano in Switzerland.
As a big fan of the boys road trip, And having never driven or even been to the Alps, I can't wait.
My mate is not a mountain biker, and I was hoping for him to drop me off at the top of one of the trails, and pick me up at the bottom.
Any ideas?
No crazy downhill, as I'll be alone, and I crash too much.
Most important are general awesomeness and mega views.
Also, if there are any amazing roads we should take, please let know.
You would need to be able to get from the drop off point to the trail head. If you have not been there before this may be a challenge. Then there is the challenge of finding your mate at the bottom. Why not get dropped of at the chair/gondola lift while your mate chills for a while.
I have not done much of the Alps but Les Get springs to mind as a straight up and down. I am sure that there are many others How are you and your mate going to get back? It seems to be a bit of a trek for one run down the hill. May be better if you stayed for the day at least.
I love a road trip ...
My general route to Switzerland is via the Jura (the mountains north of Lake Geneva) cutting through to Lusanne. It's a very nice area generally and would make a good stop off point (roughly 8 hrs from Calais). You could sneak in a ride here around Metabief for example. If you've time you might like to avoid the French toll motorways also.
From the Jura I'd have two suggestions. Near Montreux you can drive up to Col du Jaman on a narrow mountain road then ride (via fireroad)/hike (fireroad or via path with chains and some exposure - not with bike) to Col for fabulous view of mountains of Portes du Soleil, lake Geneva and Montreux. You can climb the Dent du Jaman also (not with bike!). You can descend back down to Montreux on the bike (there was a thread on here about riding down, a mixture of switchbacks and some nice woodland trails which finish right in the centre of Montreux, he trail goes down the "front" of the Col - straight towards the lake in my photo bwlow).
The other suggestion would be to make for Zermatt and drive to train station at Tasch and then both of you go into Zermatt on mountain railway and them up to Schwarzsee just below the Matterhorn on ski lift. You can descend down and/or he can walk, there are a few great little restaurants just above Zermattt. You can continue to ride all the way down past Tasch to Visp. It's all XC type downhill rather than oh **** stuff.
Zermatt is truly spectacular so suggest that as the highlight.
The route from Zermatt to Lugano may enable you to take a few mountain pass options. Also I would not underestimate the stress on the camper, if you do try and hit lots of mountain road switchbacks you may kill the van !
A couple of photos from the Col du Jaman [url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/78861811@N06/7892824630/in/set-72157631317695058/lightbox/ ]link[/url]
Mark N, the camper will be on a flatbed lorry.
Good advice on chair lift.
Jambalaya, thanks, just the info I was after. Can't wait to google it. Amazing photos.
You will not get a flatbed lorry up road to the Col du Jaman. You and your mate can take a train up from Montreux.
Not sure where you'd park a lorry in Tasch below Zermatt, the main car parks are designed for normal vehicles, one of the hotels might let you park in their car park, again possibly best to park in Visp further down the hill and train up.
Zermatt is at another level in terms of views vs Jaman !
EDIT: you need to check your timings, a lot of chairlifts are shut by mid September. The Swiss railways run year round, the Schwarzee lift runs till October I think. When I was in the Jura you had to buy a seperate ticket for the bike (so doubling the price). Not sure of your budget but you may find some of the Swiss mountain railways/lifts a little pricey but the experience is worth it I'd say.
Again, I really appreciate the detail. Thanks
Right, the van will be on a trailer towed by a 4x4.
So some of the above options may be possible.
We also have a stop over near Nyon, which is the other side of the lake to Montreux.
On the edge of Jura mountains.
If you're going to be in Nyon you could take the train to St. Cergue. If you get off at Jivrine, you can cycle up a bit then downhill back to St. Cergue. From St. Cergue there are some cheeky trails back down, they're pretty easy to figure out from a map. We've done this a couple of times after work but it won't keep you occupied for a whole day (the train would get expensive then too)
I found this video (not mine)
The view's not bad..
[img][url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7654934654_39d663fe3a.jp g" target="_blank">
I was in Nyon on Sunday as I have a friend who lives nearby. Very nice little town near the lake with a view of Mont Blanc in the distance (Beanum's picture is a bit hazy but I think MB would be in the distance). I've done the ride down from St Cergue going up by train (that's where I had to pay twice, once for me, once for bike - you can take the train most of the way up then the trail starts from the end of the platform), if you've the time it's OK but nothing like the quality of riding down from Jaman or Zermatt/Visp.
I think Zermatt would be the most fabulous excursion but you need to allow a full day.
Given you'll be in Nyon here is yet another option. Photo below is from above Verbier taken on Sunday before driving to Nyon ! The village at the bottom of valley is La Chable (about 2hrs drive from Nyon) and the ski lift station there has a big free car park - you can get the lift to the top of Verbier - or you could leave the trailer there and drive up into Verbier itself. In the summer you can drive all the way up to Col Croix du Coeur restaurant (same view any my photo). You can ride back down to La Chable lift station from there on singletrack/fireroads. If this interests you drop me an email and I'll give you some more directions.
[img][url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8292/7873305440_943dfb0e6f_c.jp g" target="_blank">
Jambalaya, did you take the trail from St. Cergue that follows the train tracks, goes through the woods then down some steps? That's the route we normally take..
We found another route but I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy..:-)
I agree that the riding is much better elsewhere - depending on the route down, Metabief would be good if the lifts are still running - but it'll be convenient..
@beanum - I'm a bit hazy on the route apart from the start which is literally across the train tracks at the end of the platform (as per video below). Quite a bit of fireroad and we went past the parapent/hang glider take off ramp (where your photo was taken ?), one epic rocky section. My Swiss friend kept telling I was a wimp for getting the train up as he used to ride the climb !
I don't think I'd be able to do all day unfortunately, unless I deposit my mate in a bar.
I recon a three hour ride is poss.
Although, spending all day in a bar is not too difficult an ask.
Jambalaya, what a great vid. Are the trails easy to follow?
The Verbier plan sounds perfect.
@jkomo - the video is the hill above Nyon. Drop me an email (address in profile) re Verbier
Zermatt - by a full day I mean 3hrs drive Nyon/Visp - 1.5hrs train/ski lift to Swcharzee - lunch stop - 2/3 hours ride down with your mate hiking down to Zermatt (2-3 hours) then getting train back to Visp after a stroll around town. Or he can just get the lift back down.
Verbier would be 2hrs drive to Chalble, 45 mins drive up to Croix, lunch stop and then 1 or 1.5hrs to ride down.
Now this is a bike video ! Verbier and Zermatt (being honest you are not going to ride trails quite like this in Verbier but it shows what you can do with more time and a guide, Zermatt you could do similar)
Crikey