Lötschental Enduro

Lötschental Enduro-Tour

In October 2021, the first Swiss Enduro Championships took place in the Lötschental, on trails that challenge experienced trail bikers but also offer great views. The championship enduro circuit covers four descents, which can easily be combined in one day thanks to the mountain railroad.

Description

The Lötschental is still one of the most pristine valleys in Valais and an insider tip. The hosting of the first Swiss Enduro Championships in October 2021 has put the region in the spotlight - and rightly so. The single trails promise lovers of alpine single trails plenty of riding fun and technical challenges, as well as great views of the valley, the surrounding mountains and glaciers. The route, as ridden by the participants of the Enduro Swiss Championships, includes four beautiful, sometimes very challenging alpine descents, from the end of which you can reach the Wiler-Lauchernalp mountain railroad again in five to 20 minutes. Please note: the majority of these ride along hiking trails, which is why racing speeds are not recommended.

Stage 1 starts from the Restialp to Ferden. From the Lauchernalp mountain station, you can reach it via the 45- to 60-minute transfer via Hockustafel to Kummenalp, which is no less attractive in terms of trail and landscape than the descent itself. The descent to Ferden is 650 meters in altitude and is full of twists and turns. From there, the trail and main road take you back to the valley station in Wiler, where the cable car takes you back up to Lauchernalp. The second descent starts at Netzbord. It is the longest and easiest descent, although "easy" is a deceptive description. Even if this descent is at the lower end of the difficulty level, it is also classified as black. It is extremely varied and has been optimized for mountain bikers in several sections. It ends in Blatten, from where the route rides on the right side of the valley via trails and forest paths back to the valley station in Wiler.

For Stage 3, you take the panoramic trail to Kummenalp from the Lauchenalp mountain station, but start the descent right next to the mountain restaurant. It is the most challenging of the four descents, even if it is rather moderate in the first third. It ends practically at the same place as the first descent. The last descent is the quickest to reach. From the mountain station, you ride for around 10 to 15 minutes to Hockustafel. From here, you need to focus fully on the descent once again. A solid cornering technique is required on this valley trail, as there is one curve after another, some of which are quite tight and full of roots. The downhill pass ends above Kippel, from where you can reach the starting point of Wiler within five minutes. Anyone who has made it this far without making any major riding mistakes can call themselves a very good rider.

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