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The weather these past few days in resort has been super hot and super dry with dust clouds pluming up behind our bikes. However, there have been a few thunderstorms over the mountains, but nothing where we have been riding - well up until yesterday when for the first time this season we got caught in the rain! I knew my luck would not last forever, so no worries really and it was good for the skills doing some wet weather riding.
So, yesterday started out hot and sunny with temperatures just touching 30 degrees. We headed out with a plan to do our own little Portes du Soleil tour starting up the Super Morzine and then Zore lifts before traversing over to Linderets via the Swiss super highway.
From the top of the Chaux-Fleurie we headed into Plaine Dranse via the green panoramic trail. There are loads of graded trails to go at here from greens right through to blacks, perfect for a downhill day if that’s your thing. The panoramic has changed somewhat since last year as the trail builders have put some double jumps, whoops and assorted other little kickers in but it’s easy to roll through if your not an airborne super star.
We headed straight off to Chatel down the road as it’s the quickest and easiest way, particularly if you’re a downhiller wanting to ride the Super Chatel tracks. We, being on smaller 6inch fork travel bikes, would normally have taken the terrace trail but that appears to be closed for now with lots of diggers blocking the way.
From the top of Super Chatel we dropped half way down the downhill course and then turned onto the four track leading to the col du Morgins. A small road climb later and we were soon descending into Morgins itself for a coffee stop in the sun. At this point, there was no hint of the deluge to come with almost cloudless blue skies above us.
However a little later, as we made our way along the terrace trail from the top of the Champoussin chair lift, dark clouds were building ahead of us over the Col du Cou and the Dents Blanches. The original intention was to drop down to Champery for lunch, but the rain clouds were putting us off big time. Just as we were getting ready to drop into Les Crosets and get the Mossettes chair back to the ridge line with France, a group of down hillers were pushing their bikes up the trail and informed us the Mossettes chair was shut as it had suffered a lightning strike the day before.
Not sure how long it will be out of action, only a day or two, but it’s the reason why the lifts stop quick sharp when there is a storm. Worth bearing this in mind if your heading to Switzerland on a ride, as the only way back out if there is a storm is a big climb up either the Col du Cou or the Col du Portes du Soleil – always check the weather.
Fortunately for us we could pedal our Freeride style bikes and opted to head up the Col du Portes du Soleil to try and avoid the rain. Sadly it was not to be as just before the top the rain and, I might add, rather large hail stones started bouncing down. Our Kenyan pal found it a novel experience and collected some hail stones in her water bottle which she preserved in the freezer later!
We were soaked in seconds, but fortunately everyone had an extra jersey and a waterproof in their back packs as it gets super cold 2000 metres up even in the summer. We gingerly headed down the GR5 past Lac Vert and seeing how it was still raining, decided to sit out the rain in the Refuge du Chesery. A cheese and ham sandwich and a hot chocolate later and everyone was feeling a little better.
The rest of the GR5 to Linderets had become a little more technical than usual with hard packed clay sporting a super slippy layer on top and slick rocks to contend with too. The route also served to show how localised the weather can be, as by the time we reached the ski piste the trail was bone dry again which in turn gave way to a soaked Linderets. The lift out of Linderets was shut, again due to the risk of lightning strikes, so we headed down the Col du Joux Verte and along lake Montriond, again all very wet - we got some funny looks riding into a bone dry Morzine covered in mud.
The weather is red hot again today, so the trails that did get a soaking will dry really quickly and those into Morzine will be dry from the get go. The outlook is more of the same; hot days with possible thunderstorms late in the afternoon.
Bon ride!
Check out what to do around town once the lifts have closed with our Apres Ski Report - a weekly round up of what's hot and where to party in Morzine!
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