The ascent is pleasant

Guide book exploration in the Val d'Aosta, Italy

I have several very good ski guide books including the now out of print Anselme Baud "book of death" that can reach €500 on eBay. However, up until recently I hadn't owned any mountain bike related books. This changed when DIRT Mag (R.I.P) mentioned a Val d'Aosta guide book.

The best thing about spring is being able to take part in your favourite winter and summer sports. So on my first day off, straight after the most recent storm to hit Cham we were up in the first bin of the Aiguille du Midi to ski the Cosmiques Couloir. I could have turned home satisfied after my first turn which kicked snow up well over my head. But it was rude not to carry on searching...

Accessing the couloir

The next day after reports of muddy Chamonix trails it was time to go to the "sunny side of Mont Blanc" in search of dry trails. I flicked through my new book and found one suitable just 20 minutes from the exit of the Mont Blanc tunnel. "The ascent is pleasant" it said about the 800 vertical metre climb. Doesn't sound too bad. "The descent is technical, but extremely fun" Lets go Rich!

More up

After some bonus climbing into an unsuccessful trail exploration we went back to the guide book route. The snow had gone all the way up on these south facing slopes so it was easy going bar the last hike-a-bike for 100 metres. The main descent started straight into high speed smooth singletrack, a few switchbacks to make sure our brakes were working and we popped out in the meadows above a mountain hamlet. We rested briefly in the village, but were excited for more goodness. We searched for a trail entrance but missed the higher trail head but luckily found it again on a lower firewood switchback. And what a treat it was! It was the stand out section of the day; a fast, smooth pine cone and pine needle covered trail with, like Switzerland, just perfect switchbacks.

As we got lower the trail became rockier with tighter switchbacks, not quite as good as higher up due to the lower speeds, but you can't complain at turn after turn of singletrack can you now!? OR can you, when potentially out there in Aosta Valley are longer more perfect trails???

Comments

Being shown around my classic stomping ground

Another chance to be shown around trails. Not as glamorous as Switzerland, but just as good! Mortimers Forest and Bringewood, Ludlow, Shropshire, England The woods of Mortimers Forest and Bringewood are where I grew up mountain biking so I always love going back. A few years ago I built a long section of singletrack trail to link in above a much loved piece of trail that had been a staple of rides for many years. It was my way of giving back to the forest riders and builders. Over the last few years whilst I've been away riding 1000m+ descents my Dad has still been out exploring every corner of these forests. Sometimes walking with my Mother, other times out on road rides with his Wednesday night Pub Ride group or usually with his main Sunday morning off road group. They are trail connoisseurs, though they might not look it. They are the type of group that make up every British Forestry carpark on a Sunday morning...

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. ...

Changing times

Being show around Valais trails for a change People I've been riding with recently have been talking about the Emosson to Martigny trail and how good it is. Me and Tom had been up there in June to ride the first half of the trail and loved it. blogged here . So I was keen to get back. I wasn't keen to get up after a late night in Amnesia, but knew that the road climb from Finahut would sort me and Jarno out. 1 1/2 hours spinning wasn't too bad. Luckily the trail is great form the beginning, even if it undulates and you often have to get off your bike for a quick push up. It still kind of flows, in a 'flow-tech' kind of way. The views looking down towards Martigny and Sion were still great. The trail really gets going after about 3 kilometres. Basically from the Emosson the trail traverses North-Eastwards constantly hugging the mountainside to your left, and always with a big drop down to your right. It's another one ...

Search This Blog