Plaine Morte

For me this is one of the top 5 I have ever ridden. From 3000m to 500m elevation.

We start from Crans Montana, taking the Violettes cable car, which takes us to an altitude of 2200. From here another cable car would depart to the top of Plaine Morte, at elevation 2,900, but it was closed for repairs at the time of the ride. So I scarfed down the 700 meters of elevation gain on a gravel monster, most of the time too steep and uneven to ride (apart from the initial section on singletrack).

You can tell right away that the environment is no joke: huge mountains, few people around. When I did the ride (July 6, 2014) there was still a lot of snow at altitude, so I sweated the so-called 7 shirts.

Arriving at the top station of the cable car (closed) I felt like I was in a horror movie, with noises caused by the wind, place all empty and not too well cared for. But above all the great Plaine Morte glacier in front of me and endless snow on the trail.

I go up to the observatory and from there descend on snow to the beginning of the ascent to the Wisshorelücke, which is normally done without problems by pushing. From there it is downhill to the Wildstrübelhütte and, for a serpentine and rather steep section, to the Rawilpass area, where the environment subsides a bit and, in my case, the snow disappears. A wonderful flat ride begins before arriving at the edge of the vallore where the Tseuzier reservoir is located. I must say that this place bewitched me, uniquely beautiful, with the rock walls, the many waterfalls and the path carved into the rock (just after a short tunnel). So you get to an alpine hut (I think Lourantse), and from there you walk along the lake, drawing your breath for a while.

That's right, because the descent to Sion is endless and runs largely along aqueducts called Bisse. The first one is at first narrow and partly exposed, with passages secured by a rope. Then it slips into the woods, and away to very smooth path partly to be pedaled. So it continues after that, with a passage to a very narrow Bisse (if you have a wide handlebar you will have to lift the bike and put the front wheel sideways to pass it), magnificent pedaling always on the Bisse and descending on a wooded bottom.

The final part to get to Sion is, again, about 7 km of singletrack on a Bisse, which will eventually take you directly into town.

Go to the station and from there be rocked by Swiss public services. After 40 km of which 38 km on singletrack you will be cooked and braised.

Sion-Sierre train

Sierre-Crans Montana rack railway:http://www.crans-montana.ch/ete/it/accesso/funicolare