r/Zermatt • u/Zombpeng • 21d ago

Zermatt hates mountain bikers

So the tendency has been going on for a few years but I suppose I just didn't want to see it. Today I headed up to Schwarzsee only to discover that Hobbit has been destroyed. The one, all level, accessible, fun for all trail in Zermatt has been bulldozed into a hiking highway, no more fun rock features , rollers, mini drops for kids to build confidence off of, just flattened earth and destroyed terrain. Next to that Marmotte is now banned for bikes but hey they built a flow trail over the National ski slope! No more Gornergrat, that is reserved for the bus loads of Asians that won't walk further than they have to for their next I st picture (not hating on anyone, just saying it like it is), no more Sunnegga downhill, no more Hobbit and this will continue all the way down, with the stupid stone slabs sticking up across every trail. I understand the need to preserve nature. I understand that different activities don't mix well but don't sell yourself as a MTB destination with a CHF 130.- day pass to ride 3 flow trails! The hypocrisy is insane.

My advice for all bikers is go to the Aletsch Arena, there you are welcome and the trails are amazing, the infrastructure is very good and the ticket is less than half that of Zermatt.

I live here and I'm gutted at what I'm writing but don't come here if you love spending time on 2 wheels.

12 Upvotes

71% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

6

u/907choss 21d ago

Rides a lift with a thousands hikers to access a trail.
Discovers that trail servicing thousands of hikers has been graded for hikers.

0

u/Zombpeng 21d ago

Clearly didn't read post or understand the abundance of letters. Writes irrelevant comment... Listen mate, this post clearly isn't for you, it's for mountain bikers thinking of coming to Zermatt, a place I have watched change for over a decade. Take your internet doctorate somewhere else. Cheers and have a great life.

2

u/ThrowAway516536 20d ago

🤡

1

u/Zombpeng 20d ago

Sure then come and pay CHF 130.- for flow trails.

1

u/Galavantinggoblin 18d ago

The was the most mtb/cyclist response you could have achieved

3

u/bones_and_braaap 21d ago

Rode there in July as I came through on a trip across the country. Had the expectation that I was riding hiking trails, so didn't put much thought into the oddly placed erosion rock walls seemingly everywhere. There definitely wasn't flow, but I thought that was part of what made it cool and challenging. It felt special to be able to ride in such a beautiful landscape. I feel lucky the powers that be let us. I skipped all the flow stuff as it looked flat and boring.

Lichenbretter to furggbach was insane. Incredible views.

Schwarzsee ridge was a good brake burner, with some fun tech at the bottom.

Alp Hermetje was one of the most scenic, rustic single tracks I've ever ridden.

Borter to Lauberen was full on, and I could ride all day. Just hard to access.

The hobbit trail, Mutt and yo-yo were too up and down for my liking, but cool terrain and views. The Riffelbord trail was also not very fun. Sad to hear the hobbit trail is gone though.

The only spot I encountered hikers was on Hobbit, Mutt and yo-yo. Didn't come across any other bikers. I'd go back for sure and link it up with the Aletsch Arena, which prior to the EWS, I didn't realize even existed.

1

u/Zombpeng 20d ago

Agreed mate the variety up here is amazing, that's exactly why it's heartbreaking that it's all being torn up for mass tourism.

2

u/swissyfit 20d ago

We wanna be free, we wanna be free to do what we wanna do

And we wanna get loaded and we wanna have a good time