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Anyone in Morzine Les Gets area in July?

jmartin

Chimp
Oct 19, 2005
41
0
I'm going to be in Portes du Soleil, Morzine, Les Gets area in a couple of weeks starting the first of July. I'm coming over from Washington state to do some riding and check out the area. Anyone going to be in the area or have any suggestions? I will have a week in the area and then a week to travel with bike and car. If you want to get together for some riding let me know or drop some contact info :)


oh, good beer suggestions are greatly appreciated :)
 

supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
Mutzig beer, bar Robinson in Morzine - you will thank me later ;)

ps: PLease stay off the beaten (to sh!t) path and go ride the local tracks on Morzine, they are great fun. Also, Super Morzine side is immense fun. Try hook up with people who have been there before to show you the way.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Plenei is pretty beaten but the track itself is quite fun. I wish I could visit morzine this saeson.


Outside of SuperMorzine you must visit Morgins, Chatel is also loads fun and Champery will be a real test. I bet you have never seen anything even close to that track.
 
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supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
Plenei is pretty beaten but the track itself is quite fun. I wish I could wisit morzine this saeson.


Outside of SuperMorzine you must visit Morgins, Chatel is also loads fun and Champery will be a real test. I bet you have never seen anything even close to that track.
I'm in the same boat, no Morzine for me this year :(

I do however disagree, there's nothing fun about the main Pleney line.
les Gets has plenty of great runs too, including Le Canyon/Forrest Gump etc. Never know all the names of the tracks though... just know where they are.

ps: The "Mutzig made me do it" t-shirt can be bought in town too - after you truly know what it means.
 

supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
I did a list for a mate a couple or so years ago , so might be out of date:

Morzine
Pleney – the “local trails” off the main line. Do the main line by all means, but the lines off it are where the good sh!t’s at.
Up your Bum (do this towards the end of the holiday, when you are a bit more used to being near upside down)
Step up / step down

Super Morzine DH
DA run (red run)
Black run
Run Of The Mill and surrounding tracks – (Be prepared to lose your mind to stokage, do not miss out on riding this – please)
PORRIDGE (!!!!! MUST DO THIS ONE, TOO MUCH FUN!!!!!)

Les Gets
Tennis court run,
Canyon run (Gulley Run)
Mt Chery
Chavannes DH into Jurassic Park

Avoriaz
French cup/French National track

Morgins
(Blue/Red/Black runs) Morgins is a day trip away, so leave early. Just the way to Morgins is worth the trip. Just remembering the road to Morgins from Morzine, youd ride some of the most amazing DH singletrack you’ve ever ridden.

Chatel
I googled the names as I couldn’t remember them off the top of my headjust ride them all
Haute tension,
Gueps,
Bike Patrol,
Cha Nada,
SX,
Ric et Rac

Would be interesting to hear what you think of the place as - and I speak of Zero experience - North American Bikeparks (which a lot of you guys seems to ride) are a heck of a lot more are very groomed in comparison to the PDS etc (where a lot of tracks are rough as a Frenchwoman's armpit) and a very different experience.

The pros of NA parks seem like you have oodles of manicured runs very close to all the lifts, where as the PDS type tracks are all dispersed and is a bit of an adventure getting to a lot of them.
 
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BrayDownhill

Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
113
0
Bray, Ireland
Ah the Sherpa Wednesday BBQ! And make sure you visit the sherpa toilet while your there, dont let anyone tell you why just do it, far too good to miss.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Run Of The Mill and surrounding tracks – (Be prepared to lose your mind to stokage, do not miss out on riding this – please)
Is that the one that ends in someones backyard? Definitely one of my favorite tracks, so awesome. There is one steep switchback that if you do quick, your roost from the first one will land in front of / on you as you hit the second! :)

For others - if you ride this, walk your bike through the backyard at the end, the home owners are very friendly (considering their manicured yard is getting destroyed) and are happy as long as you walk it.

I think supercow's list of suggestions is spot on.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
The ones I know from supercow list of awesome are really worth riding. Still I dont know most of the names since I never really bothered to memorize them.

I know I hated the trails on the hill the 2004 wc dh was in Les Gets. Awkward trails.

As for pleney main line if you like fast, flowy trails it is nice. Not very technical and you go full speed at your first run so it is good for warmup but brake bumps are cataclysmic even in early July.
 

supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
Is that the one that ends in someones backyard? Definitely one of my favorite tracks, so awesome.
Haha yep that's the one. Interrupted a family el fresco dinner last year. You can avoid running into their backyard, but I always forget the turn off :)

Ps: learn how to say sorry in French :D
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
i really need to go back there when all the lifts are spinning. we left a day or so before they were all running but still had an awesome time.
hit up Damo on here for some more info too
 

jmartin

Chimp
Oct 19, 2005
41
0
Wow! a ton of info posted up, Thanks to all! I was up a few years back before they started sunning lifts. You can imagine the sad look on my face. Looks like I will have to move fast to get it all in for one week :) One more Q though, the trail you guys posted up, are they easy to find? Maps, trail markers, that kind of stuff or do I need to learn how to beg in French, "please show me your best trails,,, and sorry" ;)
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
There are more Brits than French this time of year from what I've seen. Say hi to a few random people on the lift and you will more than likely meet someone who can show you how to get to the more hidden trails. It's well worth getting off the main lines, personally I tried to avoid them at all costs (a bike setup to go fast on the steep stuff there is painful on the braking bumps!).
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
I can show you around Morgins and Champery if I have time. We built a new track and a couple new jumps in Morgins last fall and early spring. I have a walking excavator in Les Crosets now to rebuild the Mossette DH track. The Champery WC track is in it's best shape ever. It is nice and soft so that makes it easier to hold your lines and slow down. There has been a lot of work all over the PDS. I think you will have a great time. I rode the single tracks off the Pleney lift last week and it was extremely good. So fast and loamy! Chatel is also fully rebuild with overhead high berms. Stuff is running really good right now.
 

sethimus

neu bizutch
Feb 5, 2006
4,881
2,132
not in Whistler anymore :/
like last year? when everyone was closing down the trails to safe them when it rained a lot? and rebuild them afterwards? no? right, never happend. place sucks (at least the france side)

(only chatel closed down some trails, but lots of them on the left side were still full of mud, in bad shape and full of braking bumps no one seemed to care about)
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Ive heard from some friends who came the 1st day after the rain that the condition of the trails was horrible and that is the reason a friend of mine wont organize a bike camp there this year. Though to be honest how often do you get constant rain for a month? Early July most tracks were ok. Brake bumps were annoying but even the mail lines were quite fun. Though given my experience with french ski slope maintenance Im not surprised (not to mention that one sign in L2A that said - New! From this year we maintain our black ski slopes!)
 

saruti

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,167
73
Israel
Last year it was rain all week we were their ... :(
So at the last day we just drove to Pila. It was great.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
like last year? when everyone was closing down the trails to safe them when it rained a lot? and rebuild them afterwards? no? right, never happend. place sucks (at least the france side)
The major trails get wrecked pretty bad when you combine rain/mud with hundreds of average riders skidding down them. I think some closures are understandable. There were plenty of things still open on the French side.

Strap on some Dirty Dans, harden up, and ride the mud wherever the trails are open! I'm from a country where it never rains and I still managed to have a great time. I think Morgins is usually open in rainy weather, but I remember riding most of the Morzine trails in rain/mud too. Chatel closes down a fair few but there's still enough to keep you entertained.
 

sethimus

neu bizutch
Feb 5, 2006
4,881
2,132
not in Whistler anymore :/
there was NOT one closure in the morzine/les gets area. that's the point i don't understand. whistler bikepark protects its trails when it rains heavy, the french dont seem to give a f**k about their trails. les crossets trails were also big mud holes, only chatel closed some of their tracks. they all dont seem to have a plan for rainy days at all. the only not bombed trails were the unofficial ones. but i cant count them as they are what they are - unofficial. so the resort itself is not very interesting for an ambitious customer who wants some value for his money.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Oh wow, I misunderstood. So your problem is that the trails in awesome chairlift parks get rough after rain because they don't get closed. First world problems, surely? Come on, ride the unofficial trails if needed and be happy. I bet a lot of people would love to trade places with you.

Also for whatever its worth, a PDS season pass costs a lot less than a Whistler one, and offers you access to a lot more trails. To my knowledge, each PDS park only gets a portion of the funds depending on pass purchases and swipes. It's probably not very fair to compare that to a single park that gets the entirety of a higher priced ticket cost.
 

jmartin

Chimp
Oct 19, 2005
41
0
I can show you around Morgins and Champery if I have time. We built a new track and a couple new jumps in Morgins last fall and early spring. I have a walking excavator in Les Crosets now to rebuild the Mossette DH track. The Champery WC track is in it's best shape ever. It is nice and soft so that makes it easier to hold your lines and slow down. There has been a lot of work all over the PDS. I think you will have a great time. I rode the single tracks off the Pleney lift last week and it was extremely good. So fast and loamy! Chatel is also fully rebuild with overhead high berms. Stuff is running really good right now.
That is a great offer! I'll post up here when I get to town. Hopefully the place we are staying at has wifi :) As far as rain goes, I'm from one of the rainiest places in the U.S. that ain't gonna keep me from riding ;) And I promise not to skid down your trails.
 

jmartin

Chimp
Oct 19, 2005
41
0
I think I get there around the the 30th. Spending some time in NL first. I'll post up here when I'm heading over to see if anyone is there :)
 

supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
Hahahaha wait till you see how steep some of em are! What dates will you be there?
Indeed, would love to see someone go down Porridge without skidding :D
From what Ive been told, Slayer in Les gets is even steeper, though that's hard to imagine somethin g being steeper!
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Indeed, would love to see someone go down Porridge without skidding :D
From what Ive been told, Slayer in Les gets is even steeper, though that's hard to imagine somethin g being steeper!
I was stupid so I didnt find Porridge but where is slayer? I remember some steep trails there but nothing really as insane as Champery WC track. There was also one hidden trail somewhere on Planey where it was so steep I had trouble even hitting half of the turns. Though to be honest I prefer steep but not vertical tracks.
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
I was stupid so I didnt find Porridge but where is slayer? I remember some steep trails there but nothing really as insane as Champery WC track. There was also one hidden trail somewhere on Planey where it was so steep I had trouble even hitting half of the turns. Though to be honest I prefer steep but not vertical tracks.
We built some go around options for the really steep sections on the Champery track last week. They borrow sections of the spectator access to make a less steep option. Another local spot we ride in the off season called Bex is also pretty steep. You should come check it out if you are ever back in the area.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
We built some go around options for the really steep sections on the Champery track last week. They borrow sections of the spectator access to make a less steep option. Another local spot we ride in the off season called Bex is also pretty steep. You should come check it out if you are ever back in the area.
I have to say I liked how scary Champery was. Maybe not a trail I would ride every day but it was fun as a test once in a while. It is good to hear there are some improvements though. At the time we visited last year some sections were very beaten.
Unfortunately none of the people I know are coming to the area this year. Frango/Kacper got himself a little clone so he's busy and the rest of the crew is broke. Maybe if I end up with some spare cash later this summer I will just say screw it and go alone.


btw. Did the mag's reach you? My boss claims he has sent it quite some time ago but he is awkward so you never know where they might end up.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,060
Would be interesting to hear what you think of the place as - and I speak of Zero experience - North American Bikeparks (which a lot of you guys seems to ride) are a heck of a lot more are very groomed in comparison to the PDS etc (where a lot of tracks are rough as a Frenchwoman's armpit) and a very different experience.

The pros of NA parks seem like you have oodles of manicured runs very close to all the lifts, where as the PDS type tracks are all dispersed and is a bit of an adventure getting to a lot of them.
I so need to head over there for a 2 week holiday and see how they compare.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I'd recommend a month...... and make sure you kidnap a local to show you the trails! (most of the good ones in the Les Gets/ Morzine area are unofficial)
I second that. After 13 days of riding I maybe know half of the trails in the area. Though because I was riding the main lines mostly my fingers were ready to pop off because of the brake bumps.
 

jmartin

Chimp
Oct 19, 2005
41
0
Just made it to NL yesterday. Spending a few days here visiting family before getting on the road. Will be going through Germany and Switz before ending up in Morzine area. Will check to see who's in the area then.
 

scottishmark

Turbo Monkey
May 20, 2002
2,121
22
Somewhere dark, cold & wet....
Ben, have you ridden in La Grande Terche area above Saint Jean D'Aulps? The wee feature Dirt did on it (back in Feb) makes it sounds awesome, but needs a good bit of planning in advance to make the most of it. Planning on hitting it this summer, so any advice would be much appreciated!
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,699
Champery, Switzerland
Hey Mark,
I have not ridden it. I am usually busy on the Swiss side when the lifts are open.

The unofficial tracks in Morzine were loads of fun the other day. I tried hopelessly to ride them with Fairclough and Needles. It was so incredibly impressive how pinned those two were on the trails.

Here is a pic from Morgins. I was feeling the pressure! The day before I was feeling so pressured to go fast I did 100 meters and ran straight into a tree.


I am going up now with the excavator to rebuild the old Swiss Champs DH rack. I will take some shots for you guys.

In the meanwhile, here is a pic of Vincent on a pumptrack we just built at my buddy's house in Champery.

 
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