Avoriaz Activity Review: 14th September 2008
Mountain Biking Trails from Chamonix to Avoriaz
After spending the summer based in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, I could hardly feel hard done by in terms of Alpine adventures. However, most of these revolved around the ski lift system emanating from Morzine and onwards to the further reaches of the ski area into Switzerland. Now the season was at an end it was time to access the abundance of trails a little further a field...
For this particular adventure we would be getting away from the relative hussle and bussle to the wilder reaches of the Reserve Naturelle de Sixt Passy for a one way single track trip starting in Chamonix and finishing in Morzine.
After a day warming up for the big one with a pedal around Le Tour to Vallorcine via the Col du Balme and back to Montroc via the train, to take the strain, we recuperated over night in the Vagabond backpackers hostel. Duly restored to full pedal power by the previous evening’s refreshments we headed off to the Brevent telecabine early morning, we anticipated a ten hour ride after all and just to ensure we didn’t slack we did not pack any lights! By the time we had negotiated the patisserie and the vertiginous telepherique du Brevent, think Bond film set, it was nearly 10:30 am before we actually got rolling. And the rolling lasted all of a few hundred meters before we were off and walking. Well I say walking but it was more hiking with a bike which degenerated into scrambling down rock faces with the assistance of via ferreta, iron rods (literally) bolted to the rock to aid walkers down the terrain. The fact we had 40lb Freeride bikes swinging over our shoulders did not help.
Fortunately the scrambling did not last long and matters improved to the point we could actually ride a 100 meters or so before again climbing over some impossible rock outcrop. The progress we were making was a slight worry given that we could see the approximate one third point of the trip, the Col d’Anterne some way in the distance. If things didn’t slacken off then we would be lucky to get to the refuge of the same name in time for dark. Fortunately the cairn marking the Col du Brevent signified the beginning of more consistent riding terrain, still technically very demanding but much more rideable. We decided to rest a little while soaking in the views of Mont Blanc, starkly white in comparison to the rock strewn moonscape of our more immediate surroundings, happily the stunning views were to be a constant companion for the day. Some of the group de-layered somewhat given that this particular style of downhill was proving to be as sweat inducing as an alpine climb.
Setting off down the trail GR5 trail, more eloquently labelled Tour de Pays du Mont Blanc, gave us the feeling we riding in a high altitude quarry. The consequences of a mistake here were unthinkable, with lots of exposure alternating right and left of the trail giving way to a landing of sharp immoveable bedrock littered with boulder rock fall. For sure some of the features were more than rideable but on occasion the ‘fear’ gripped one or more of the party and forced a grudging but brief walk. Emerging from the cliffs either side gave way to stunning views across to Servoz and the first signs of vegetation lower down in the valley. We continued on into a long super technical switchback section, characterised by rocky drop offs on each corner forcing us to perform our best Hans Rey impressions, hopping the bike around to line up for the point and shoot to the next switchback. We lost 300 meters vertically clearing (well mostly) the switchbacks before stopping for a breather. It was hard to imagine getting this out of breath going down hill so slowly, we were not sure whether this was mostly fear or mostly effort or more probably a combination of both.
We had been going a good hour and a half now and made little progress in the great scheme of the ride. Fortunately the terrain visible eased to the end of this section of descent at Point d’Arleve and we anticipated gaining on our schedule. Having enjoyed the demands of our first 3km or so of riding it was with relief that we could now negotiate the single track at a speed of our choice, the trail flowed and allowed us to race on or cruise as appropriate with the faster easier sections interspersed with brief technical/trials style sections over rock outcrops and stream crossings. The other notable occurrence was the increasing density of vegetation as we dropped to more hospitable climes. Bare rock, giving way to lichens and onward through the scale to higher flora; moss, grass, scrub and eventually trees!
Back on planet earth from our sojourn on the rocky moonscape we stopped for refuelling on the bridge over the Diosaz river. A great vantage point to admire the peak at Brevent we had dropped from and contemplate the 400 meter ascent to the Refuge du Col d’Anterne hunkered down under the spectacular escarpment of Rochers des Fiz and the Pointe d’Anterne. The climb proved to be mainly rideable, single track of variable gradient with the main features being mildly technical rocky, rooty and rutted sections with intermittent difficult sections thrown in. Nearly all in the group had the odd walk here and there due in part to technical difficulties but more often than not the requirement for a brief rest in the face of yet another adverse gradient and in light of the terrain yet to be negotiated.
We alighted at the Refuge du Col d’Anterne for a coffee and myrtle tart, again appreciating the views of our start point at Brevent dwarfed by the white pyramid of Mont Blanc. The opposite direction sported a more claustrophobic view of the Rochers de Fiz leaning in over the Col d’Anterne, our immediate destination. This last climbing section to the Col proved to be much more push/scrabble/climb, fortunately not as severe as our initial decent from le Brevent. Our progress was punctuated by encouragement from surprised/amused walkers. Still, it was approximately 45 minutes before we were resting at the top consuming the views having swapped a few buckets of sweat for 255 meters of height gain.
Dropping to lac d’Anterne, mirror flat in the afternoon calm, was maybe the highlight for me. Bereft of vegetation, the rocky outcrops sported multiple lines varying in their technical requirements. If it was not so late in the day it would have been well worth a repeat - I never thought I’d be advocating sessioning a trail this far into the middle of nowhere. The flat surrounding the lake was populated by grass and a rather large and incongruous population of sheep protected by the most violent of the day’s hazards – mountain sheep dogs known as Maremma. These seemingly rabid animals appeared to be heading for the kill despite the friendly shepherd assuring us it was safe if we stuck to the edge of the water away from the herd. Even a collar and tag comprising a large log was not enough to dent the shaggy animal’s progress as we silently contemplated our fate from behind the protective wagon train of bikes we instinctively created. Fortunately these dogs appear to be obedient types and of sound hearing and called off the assault after a shout from the shepherd.
We moved on up the small climb to the le Petit Col ou Bas du Col d’Anterne and readied ourselves for more descending kilometres down to Chalets du Fonts. The trail was much faster than previous comprising hard packed earth, for the first time today, with rocky outcrops here and there all interspersed with switchbacks wider and faster than those we had become used to. The views down the valley to Sixt and up to the right of the Cirque des Fonts impressed all during the odd re-grouping stop. However the overhead power cables and huge red and white pylons transporting electricity to the suburbs from the hydroelectric plants under lac d’Emosson served notice that we were heading into more populated areas.
Well all is relative as the Chalets du Fonts turned out to be a distinctly under populated collection of ramshackle sheds fortunately sporting a water trough fed by a mountain spring. Filling up for maybe the fourth time today at these little mountain utilities we headed on towards Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval via super fast four wheel drive track – a nice contrast after the slower more technical single track characterising the trails so far. We proceeded to get into an unofficial race, clearing little natural jumps here and there, tackling the turns speedway style before coming to a screeching halt as the trail gave way to cliff followed by river torrent. The summer has sported its fair share of wet weather clearly sufficient to wash the bridge away. This seemed to sum up the scale of the Natural terrain we encountered today and the forces which have created it over time – very impressive stuff on a massive scale. Not that we were lost in reverie for long as those in the group with a fear of heights quickly made themselves known as we tackled the Indiana Jones style rope bridge serving as a lifeline to the remainder of our ride.
Given that the time was approaching 5 pm we decided to forgo the le Giffre Torr river trail and blast down the couple of kilometres of deserted tarmac to the charming town of Samoens and our next caffeine rendezvous. For some, if not all this marked the end of ‘fun’ part of the trip. From here on in the ride would turn epic with a near 1000m vertical ascent to the Col de la Golese to conquer before reaching Avoriaz - the kind of ride much nicer to reminisce about than experience. The local Petit Casino was raided for bananas and less healthy energy providing fair, chocolate and cola, before we could no longer put off the climb. The first forty five minutes or so passed away peacefully. We pedalled along silently, contemplating the sun beginning to slink away, shadows lengthening and the painful part of the process approaching. The gradient began to pitch up relentlessly and the rocks began to fire out from under the rear tyre as bike and rider scrambled for grip. The group was now spread over the mountain each of us dealing with gradient in our own fashion. Give or take a minute or ten we gathered together at the top nearly 2 hours after leaving Samoens and gazed back in that direction at the setting sun casting a red glow over the sparse cloud contrasting with the rapidly darkening night sky. All were sporting grins happy to know that baring mishap on the decent we would be around to tell the tale back in Avoriaz. It’s surprising how quickly the pain of the climb recedes and the sense of achievement grows.
Clearly it was best not to hang around too long given the failing light so it was a quick swap of soaking base layer for dry, on with the jacket and on with the pedalling. Fortunately the latter was literally all downhill to Avoriaz, the super fast rocky decent of the Golese giving way, without puncture or incident, to the tarmac of the Vallee de la Manche and finally base camp back in Morzine.
The bare statistics: ten hours to complete the ride, three of which were stops, for a distance of 32 miles at an average speed of just over 4mph. This may not sound so impressive but for me is an indication of the quality of trails negotiated. We gained 6000ft mostly riding, a little walking/climbing and perhaps more tellingly lost 11000ft on mostly first class single track. That’s 10 mile uphill and 21miles down! The best ride ever, for me, certainly.
