The Heumödern Trails have been around since 2019 and there are now seven of them on the outskirts of Treuchtlingen, roughly halfway between Augsburg and Nuremberg. With a maximum elevation gain of 130 meters and a red slope as the most challenging descent, the trails formed a nice little trail center for the region.

But then came Corona, the big bike parks were closed and suddenly mountain bikers were riding to Treuchtlingen in droves. Some local residents have particularly bad memories of this: They parked up the nearby residential areas and made their presence felt in the forest.

According to media reports, this is the main reason why a section of the Treuchtlingen population definitely did not want a bike lift, which would make the Heumödern trails even more attractive. In addition, a seven-metre-wide track was needed for this, which brought environmentalists onto the scene.

Old ski lift no longer profitable

Now you need to know that Treuchtlingen already has a ski lift. It has been in operation since the end of the 1970s - at 500 meters above sea level, albeit less and less frequently as the winters get warmer. After 45 years, an overhaul was inevitable. However, as the winters are unlikely to get any snowier in the foreseeable future, the operators, the local section of the German Alpine Club, no longer wanted to invest in the lift.

The bike lift, on the other hand, will certainly carry people up the hill much more often. Because of the trails, it runs differently to the old ski lift. Those responsible agreed: the ski lift will be removed, the old trail will be reforested, the bike lift will be built and will also transport skiers if there is snow again. Individual chairs can even be attached to it so that pedestrians can also use it.

Expert opinions showed that nature would remain sufficiently protected. The Treuchtlingen town council voted in favor of the project and the bike lift went into operation at the beginning of May. For five of the seven trails, you have reached the entry height when you hand over the bar. Two others still require some pedal work.

Opponents of the lift remain skeptical. On the online channels of the Heumödern Trails, there is almost as much information about correct parking as there is about the trails and the lift. This issue seems to have remained the biggest bone of contention. The mayor of Treuchtlingen expresses a cautiously positive view at BR24: "If everyone involved sticks to the rules, the mountain bike lift can be a success for Treuchtlingen."
 

 

 

 

 

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