Mountain bike tours

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Mountain bike tours

Valais Bike Unterbäch-Grächen (stage 2)

The Moosalp Pass and the extraordinary descent into Kalpetran are certain to be among the highlights of your MTB trip to Valais and will remind you why you love the sport.

  • Difficulty

    difficult, S3

    Difficulty: difficult
    S3 Trail blocked by large rocks, roots and high steps. Slippery surfaces with loose scree; sequences of tight hairpin turns. Gradients of more than 70% in places. Very good MTB technique required, including precise braking and excellent balance

  • Length

    35.9 km

  • Duration

    5:50 h

  • Show on map
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After a delicious breakfast, take the Brandalp chairlift up into the mountains and then head to the Moosalp Pass using sheer pedal power. Marvel at the views, take a well-earned lunch break and enjoy the famous “Cremeschnitte” at the Moosalp restaurant. When you climb back on your saddle, a pleasant flat route on a wide path awaits you with panoramic views of the impressive peaks of the Saas Valley and Zermatt. The rest of the route is mainly downhill. The Kalpetran Enduro trail is one of Valais’s unmissable single trails with a swooping 1,100-metre downhill section to Kalpetran in the Mattertal Valley. Finish off your day with a pleasant final climb to the village of Grächen, where you’ll be staying.

Show elevation profile

Turn-by-turn directions

From Unterbäch take the chairlift to Brandalp and start your ascent up Moosalp. Follow part of the Moosalp Plateau Bike trail, mainly on a 4x4 route through forest. The trail then follows a wider path towards the alpine pasture of Pletsche, before dropping down to Kalpetran on a varied descent that includes some exposed sections. After the village of Embd, the trail twists and turns over rockier terrain which will delight enduro fans with its technical sections and hairpin bends. Once you reach the bottom of the Mattertal, cross the valley to pick up the Matterhorn Valley Trail and follow it as far as St. Niklaus before tackling the last climb to the village of Grächen. Option: to save you the climb to the Moosalp Pass, take the postal bus from the village of Bürchen. You can also take the bus from St. Niklaus to Grächen. Remember to book a place for yourself and for your mountain bike (www.postauto.ch ).

Start: Unterbäch (1224 m)
Destination: Grächen (1622 m)

Author's recommendation

Stop off in Embd on the downhill section from Moosalp to Kaleptran – recoup your strength at the Morgenrot restaurant and visit the historic old town.

Technical information

  • Altitude

    2070 m 898 m

  • Ascent

    1530 m

  • Descent

    1500 m

  • Technique

    Bewertung: 3.0 von 5.0 Punkten

  • Stamina

    Bewertung: 4.0 von 5.0 Punkten

  • Experience

    Bewertung: 6 von 5.0 Punkten

  • Landscape

    Bewertung: 6.0 von 5.0 Punkten

Best time of year

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
  • Single trail/Free ride
  • Multi-stage route
  • Scenic
  • Geological highlights
  • Faunistic highlights
  • Insider tip
  • Summit route
  • One-way route
  • Refreshment stops available
  • Cultural/historical value
  • Botanical highlights
  • Cableway ascent/descent

Public transport

Take the Brig–Bouveret regional train (SBB) to Raron and then the Raron–Unterbäch cable car to Unterbäch.

Approach

From Basel and Zurich: Take the A1 motorway to Bern; take the A6 to Spiez; follow the sign to Kandersteg; Kandersteg–Goppenstein car-carrying train; follow the sign to Raron.

From Geneva: Take the A1 motorway to Lausanne; follow the sign to Sion/Sierre; Raron.

From Milan: Take the A8/A26 motorway in the direction of Simplon; Iselle–Brig car-carrying train; follow the sign to Raron.

Parking

Follow the directions for parking in Raron. If you’re riding the Valais Bike route from Leukerbad to Brig (three stages), we recommend parking your vehicle in Brig and taking the train (SBB) to Leuk or Raron railway station.

Equipment

We recommend: bike in excellent working order, helmet, gloves and bell, clothing suitable for the weather (always carry a waterproof), food and drink.

Safety information

Use marked bike trails and routes only and observe all signposting. The Valais Bike route is still under development and is not yet signposted throughout. While on the route, you can find your way using the Outdoor Active app.

 

Please close gates and enclosures after passing through. Please be considerate to hikers and to plants and animals. As a rule, hikers have priority. When planning, take into account participants’ fitness level and ability.

Literature

Consult the Valais/Wallis mountain bike map to discover the best routes in the region.

The tourist offices in Unterbäch and Grächen have got brochures and information material about mountain biking in the region.

Maps

SwissTopo Maps 1:25'000: 

  • 1288 Raron
  • 1308 St. Niklaus