Despite a somewhat bumpy start to Summer 2020, with the whole world coming to a stop due to COVID-19. Life is starting to get back to normal in Morzine, the lifts are spinning and the mountains are once again full with mountain bikers, excitement and the smell of knee pads.
One thing has been clear this summer is the huge push for development of new trails and the massive improvements of existing trails, in both Morzine bike park and the rest of the Portes du Soleil area. I think its fair to say we've seen more trail developments this year than the past 5 combined.
MORZINE
As for Morzine trail updates, the Avoriaz MTB crew that run Super Morzine trails have spent most of the summer maintaining the existing awesome tracks and built a new super booster hip at the top of Super Morzine.
Morzine Bikepark / Ski pass Morzine who manage Le Pleney trails in central Morzine, have been busy also, building a new pumptrack/ skills area at the top of Le Pleney. Plus, a new bottom half to the existing red trail on Le Pleney, this new trail is less steep and technical than the original bottom half, meaning the old trail exit is now classed as a black trail.
This has allowed for Pleney Black /mainline to see some fast, rooty & natural new sections added to the official trail, continuing its legacy of one of the most rough, fast paced downhill tracks in the area. There is no wonder the queue for Pleney lift has looked like a Downhill World Cup starting list all summer, it makes for the perfect World Cup training ground.
BIKE PARK LES GETS
Les Gets has seen a huge influx of investment over the past few years after securing the World Cup Contract for 19, 20 and the Les Gets World Cup Finals 2021 & 2022. Alongside these huge events, they have been investing serious amount in new & existing trails, plus the new Les Gets trail crew seems to be killing it!
Some of the most noteworthy work is the brand new Jump Park line in Les Gets, this trail is a double black graded expert Jump track, boasting over 26 mostly gap jumps and features. All based under the Nauchets lift.
The Les Gets Chavannes mainline has also seen a serious revamp with new tabletops, berms and features added the whole way down. Gone are the days of Les Gets being the braking bump capital of the World and we are couldn't be more stoked.
BIKEPARK CHAMPERY MORGINS & BIKEPARK CHATEL
If you want to rip your tyres off your rims or your arms from your shoulders then look no further than the vertical berms of Morgins Bike Park. Morgins has been renowned for some of the best berms in the world for sometime now, but after this years developments on all 4 trails in Morgins, there really is no doubt that is not the berms limiting your speed, only your ability to withstand G-force.
The Champery Downhill track remains famous from Danny Harts World 2011 champs run, but after seeing significant improvements over the past few years it has become more and more accessible to riders without "balls as big" as Danny's, whilst still keeping its challenging technical features. Not an easy trail to work with, so bravo to the trail builders.
Bikepark Chalet is rapidly becoming the free-ride hotspot of the whole Portes du Soleil and this years trail developments were no different. Nico Vink's Vink line, saw a huge amount of maintenance and improvements, making the large jumps, drops & tables flow effortlessly with perfectly sculpted berms linked between. Plus the reworking and adding some jumps to the existing Chanada trails, makes for some epic riding.
