MTB around Davos

Davos is a large town famous for its world economic forum held in the winter. There are enormous hotels and Davos prides itself for being one of the classic Alp resorts, along with Chamonix, Zermatt, St Moritz, St Anton, Kitzbuhl and Cortina.

In summertime business is rather slack and mountainbiking is encouraged. There is a number of designated MTB-trails, the tourist office distributes free MTB maps, and the offical Davos site has an interactive map with the MTB-routes (“Bike-Strecken”) marked out. Local shops have high end frames and components (e.g., Chris King hubs) in stock.

Although MTB-riding is encouraged most trails are endless ascents or descents on steep gravel roads, used by four wheel driven vehicles and snow grooming machines. If one has a down hill bike, love speed, and has a lift pass, this is the place. Maybe I am unfair. Rains as heavy as an Himalayan monsoon made us stay only one day, and the ride was fun.

Would we go back? Yes, not highest priority. But if the weather is good and we had some time to search out the best trails it could be worthwhile.

We went up to Wanflujoch at a respectable altitude of 2693 metres. It was strenuous in ascent spinning slowly uphill for hours and strenuous for our fingers in descent, constantly breaking. We also did a minor deviation along the ridge from Strelajoch, nice technical trail. A splendid ride would be the Panoramaweg, a trail that traverses the slopes from Strelajoch to Parsenhutte, but it was so crowded with hikers that we dared not attempt it.

We also did a circuit on some single track of the lake. It was nice, but far to short.