Skip to main content

Flegere & Brevent pre-bike ban singletrack

1st Run:

Out of the Flegere gondola and around the walkers we headed down to the right towards Argentiere.  Fast across the piste to begin briefly reminds me of the soon to be  suffering Mont Blanc marathoners who will be climbing up here.  Its short lived as you enter the tree line into rooty and rocky singletrack.  Part way down we turn right for La Joux which drops you into a path with some very commiting little chutes. This is up there with the best of Chamonix tech (only the minor path nearer the Flegere home-run featuring even tighter switchbacks).

2nd Run:

Andy had to begin heading home to get ready for guests arriving at his chalet so from Flegere we headed down the the beginning of the downhill course to see how its holding up.  See photo's on chamonix descent facebook group for the north-shore with nails sticking up!  It was pretty lame, and we cut down towards Chalet Floria.  This trail features some great corners with loads of sneaky high lines into the corners which are just the right tightness to be able to keep your speed.

We flowed around to Chalet Floria, and as ALWAYS, we walked through.  Its worth doing this just to be polite to the staff and patrons sitting outside.  Its also worth taking the 4x4 track gently down into Chamonix so as not to scare walkers.  Its a classic Chamonix walk so we don't want mountain bikers causing trouble.

3rd Run:

With Andy gone, me and Rich headed up the Brevent with aspirations of riding flowy singletrack along the Grand Balcon Nord and then dropping down from Charlanon ski lift. However from the area where the footpaths head to Col du Brevent and Col Cornu.  Not to be put off me and Rich headed on, after Rich had gone over the bars on a soft patch of snow.  I had first ridden with Rich up here last October/November along with Ellie (chamonet) and there was a snow then!

We got across and after some wet brakes screaming as they dried off we zoomed along, getting progressivly faster and faster the closer we were to town. On the last straight before joining the 4x4 track there is still a rock in the middle of the trail,  I'll try and get up and dig it into a jump/drop, but for now, try and get around it!

4th Run:

The always rocky track that goes straight out of plan Praz is still loose in places, but getting better.  I went to compress the forks to move across the trail to get to another line and the next thing I knew I was on the way to the floor.  My front wheel had washed out on a loose rock and sent me off.  Luckily Rich was behind me and able to lift my bike off, from on top of me.  I had knee pads on so I was lucky to get away with only bruises to my legs, chest, arms and a few grazes.

After a few minutes we were still keen for some footpath action to finish the day, so rather than drop back into towards the lift we traversed across to Plan de Bel Lachet/Bois Prin area for more classic Chamonix fast and also technical trail descents.  I unfortunately pinched my front tyre, so I fixed it, but just as I was tacing my pump off my wheel,  I heard deflating noise.  It was Rich's back wheel with a slow puncture.  After we'd both fixed out punctures we carried on, a little slower just to be safe, but we bared right to be a little above Gaillands before heading to Moussoux and the trail just begs you to go faster and faster over little roots and rocks before one amazing big loamy right hander.  Rich wasn't behind me anymore, he'd punctured again getting carried away with speed.  So we wished each other a good week, I shot off on the bike and Rich pushed his bike home (or was it to Zero G).



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Aiguille de la Grande Sassiere 3751m

One of those pure adventure days *warning mega photo post* Ali-venturing as it's been known by over the summer.  When Ali from trailAddiction gets grand idea's in his head it always leads to hike-a-bike. Read here on DIRT Mag  about a previous mission, its the highest rideable peak in the alps! A special team was organised:  A top ten finishing team from the Bivouac Enduro, Mael and Max, Ali, myself and Fred the mountain bike mechanic from Mavic. All keen, all stupid? And then my alarm went off at 04:30.  Time to eat and drink as much as possible.  I hadn't been up this early since ski touring in refuges last winter.  In my tired state I did subconsciously know how to load the bikes onto the trailer, it's easy after doing it everyday all summer.   We drove up towards Val d'Isere, then turned left up a singletrack road.  It was around 6am, and it was still pitch black. Slowly the sun began to rise: Tignes...

What guides do between work in the peak of July

Summer is here, and after fantastic spring riding in Southern France and then all over Valais, Aosta and Haute Savoie with good friends it's been time to get back to summer guiding, taking hikers around the Tour du Mont Blanc circuit.  There's much worse things to do, but with three weeks off the bike I was itching to get back on some trails. With a carefully planned week between tours I was excited and made some plans to hit up some classic lines, and some new stuff too. It's mid July now, so in Chamonix valley you have to think carefully about where to go to miss the crowds, and to avoid going on the bike ban trails (July & August).  Luckily it's still easy to find quiet trails in nearby resorts, or to simply drop round the back of a hill away from the frontside lifts. It went a little like this: Day 1- La Thuile with Wayne of newly qualified French legal mountain bike guiding service  Chamonixmtb.com  . Enduro race venue at it's best, rough and raw. ...

Alta Via dei Monti Liguri

Summit to Sea grande finale for the Provence Posers "The Alta Via dei Monti Liguri is a long-distance waymarked hiking trail in the Italian region of Liguria. In about 440 kilometres and 44 day hikes, it runs through the arc formed by Ligurian Alps and Ligurian Apennines from Ventimiglia to Ceparana" How does high  mountain rocky singletrack cut out of the the hillside during World War II which descends into beautiful deciduous forests and ends with dry dusty fast trails above a seaside town sound?  The final stage of Alta Via, 45km, 3000 metres of descent, 9 hours & 10 foccaccia's & close to 30 scoops of Gelato.  Many thanks to Martial again for joining us and showing us the way. http://www.alpsmountainbike.com/index.html     for booking a trip to do the whole thing in one holiday.