The skiing might not be over for everyone, but most of us have put the planks away now and are looking at pinkbike instead of TGR, or endurotribe instead of skipass depending on your nationality…
Of course, new season means everyone has spent their money on new toys and group rides are a smorgasbord of shiny bits. 650b, pikes, BOS, 1xwhatever and wider still bars. Ruaridh hasn’t had any upgrades (unless that’s a new collar), but still seemed to be the quickest up the hill.
With no bike lifts running in town, a quick lunchtime ride meant pedalling up the 4×4 track towards Montenvers then hitting the Caillet buvet trail back into town. There’s only one small patch of snow on the way up, and one on the way down, so I’ll count it as completely clear, though there were a few walkers out already.
Most of the lower valley trails are clear of snow now. Below the tree line on the Aig Rouge side of the valley there’s only small patches of snow on the trails in the more shaded gullys. On the colder side of town the tracks are clear from about 1600m, with increasing snow and snow melt above there. The trail above the Chamonix ski jump has some “entertaining” downed trees to hack your way through….
Plenty to ride then.
