Construction of the trail center above the High Alpine Institute in Ftan began in autumn 2021. More than ten years ago, students from the High Alpine Institute Ftan had already built their trails in the forest at around 1700 meters above sea level. There is not much to see of this now, partly because the route is very similar to the one back then. Thanks to optimal conditions, the trail sections could still be built in fall 2021 and selective adjustments made in spring 2022. As a result, the trails were in their best shape for the opening, after intensive fine-tuning work was carried out on berms and jumps in advance.

Riding fun is guaranteed

The access via the short uphill trail from the gravel road shows that the two downhill trails are well developed and also easily accessible for children. The first ride takes us along the blue-rated trail, which is around one kilometer long and around 100 metres in altitude, through countless curves, waves and berms to above the Hochalpinen Institut ob Ftan. The trail runs extremely smoothly and has obviously been carefully laid out in the slightly hilly terrain. What's more, the route appears to be well worn in, as no deep tire marks or soft spots could be identified even after countless rides.

Back to the start of the Uphill Trail, which leads to the highest point of the small forest hill, there are three paths, two of which are trails that ride through the sparse forest but are only recommended for well-trained mountain bikers or e-bikers. The little road past the High Alpine Institute is also ideal for children and has a gravel surface or tarmac.

On the second descent, we take on the black-classified trail section. This is where things really get going, with several hairpin bends, steps and jumps leading through steep and rocky terrain over the grippy forest floor and some stone slabs. Before the challenging section leads back into the blue trail after around 200 meters, there are several jumps and waves to choose from, which have been built in a first-class manner. If you take one of the jumps, you hardly need any time to get used to it before you land gently. One of the wave combinations can be jumped or surfed through as a double or even a triple.

After the two trails come together again, four consecutive berms (called "Quartett" by the trail builders) are one of the highlights of the new trail center. You can really shred through the bends and push from one to the next. Finally, there are a few more bends, waves and a small step-up jump to master, although the landing still seems a little rough and you tend to land too far to the right. According to project manager Xaver Frieser, "Trailuniun", which is responsible for maintenance, will soon tackle this section and widen the landing accordingly.

Conclusion

The trail center in Ftan knows how to impress, as confirmed by the numerous mountain bikers present at the opening - including the recently retired Olympic snowboard champion Nevin Galmarini. A visit to the Palüds Trailcenter can be perfectly integrated into an extended tour from Scuol, Motta Naluns or Ftan.

A detour to Val Tasna in particular makes for an attractive trail circuit. The Prui chairlift from Ftan or the mountain railroad from Scuol to Motta Naluns can make the ascent much easier. To get to the trail center at Lai da Pesch, follow one of the two signposted Switzerland Mobile mountain bike routes from Prui with the numbers 442 or 447, which include attractive single trails and the blue route of the Palüds trail center.

The Trailcenter Palüds in Ftan is already integrated into the web map of the Singletrail Map: map.ride.ch

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