Mattsand Enduro
Overview
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Distance 14 km
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Ascent 260 m
Intro
This route, starting in Grächen, is a classic enduro tour, mostly on trails, and with amazing views of the mountains and glaciers in the Matter Valley. The trail leads primarily through the forest to Mattsand and then returns along the Vispa River to St. Niklaus.
Description
The mountain village of Grächen is situated on a wide, sun-drenched terrace high above the Matter Valley. The tour starts in the centre, past the church. On the outskirts of the village the path briefly drops into the forest. The first section leads via Gasenried, on the right side of the valley above St. Niklaus, to «Schalbettu».
Climbing gently, it crosses a beautiful forested area with an excellent view of the Ried Glacier on the north side of the Mischabel group. Near «Schalbettu», the route crosses the Ried River which is fed by the Ried Glacier. After a few hundred meters on a gravel road, it turns onto a smooth trail, which initially hugs the mountainside and then turns into the Matter Valley. It contains some short, snappy ascents and is a bit exposed in some places. Caution is advised here, but the views are breathtaking – the Weisshorn with its three sharp ridges seems close enough to touch.
The downhill begins near the «Balmuwald» area. The single trail in the dense forest is versatile, exciting, tight in some places, but of good quality. Near the end, the route slightly climbs again to the last section leading to Mattsand. The hamlet on the right banks of the Matter Vispa is located on a small grazing pasture. Close to the river, which later joins the Rhone near Visp, the route descends to St. Niklaus, the heart of the Matter Valley. The Meierturm is the oldest preserved building in the Nikolai Valley. It houses the mountain guide museum with the history of the Alpine guides and especially the Zaniglaser mountain guiding pioneers who once caused a worldwide sensation with their first ascents.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Type |
Enduro
|
|---|---|
| Start location |
Grächen
|
| Destination |
St. Niklaus
|
| Direction |
One way
|
| Ascent |
260 m
|
| Descent |
760 m
|
| Distance |
14 km
|
| Distance on tarred ways |
7 km
|
| Distance on natural surface |
2 km
|
| Singletrail (part of natural surface) |
5 km
|
| Technical requirements |
Medium
|
| Physical requirements |
Easy
|
| Signalization |
Signalisation in one direction
|
| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/mountainbiking-in-switz... |
Quick Facts
Route number
