Alpine Bike
Overview
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Distance 38 km
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Ascent 1850 m
Intro
Short single trail through the rugged Albulatobel up to Mistail church, tunnel and uneven rooted trail to Muldain, high over the gorge of the Albula, long ascent to Glaspass, downhill bliss for experienced bikers then on an old mule track to Safien Platz.
Description
The sixth stage of the Alpine Bike route begins at Tiefencastel in the Albula Valley. You don't have to wait long for the first sights. The church of St. Peter in Mistail, built in 800, is one of the oldest sacred buildings in Switzerland. Past Pardis, you reach Muldain and have already covered the first 500 of 1,850 metres of elevation gain.
It's then mostly downhill to Thusis. The section after the Schin Gorge is particularly impressive: The trail was once considered hazardous, with older descriptions even calling it a test of courage. At Moir, you pass through a tunnel cut into the rock. High rock faces line the passage, while on the other side, there's a sheer drop into the gorge. While this section poses no issue today, it remains impressive. You cover more than 700 metres of downward elevation to the hydropower plant.
Thusis is then a good point to take a break. The municipality owes its development above all to the through-traffic over the Splügen and San Bernadino Passes. This was made possible by opening up the Viamala Gorge. However, the construction of the Gotthard railway in 1882 brought transport-related traffic to a sudden standstill.
The next section takes you upwards towards the Glas Pass: You have around 1,200 metres of elevation to cover on surfaced road. Between Urmein and Tschappina, you enter the Beverin Nature Park. It covers four valleys and two cultures: The traditional Walser culture with scattered settlements in the Safien Valley, Tschappina and the Rheinwald. This is heavily shaped by Alpine farming. The Romansh culture in Schams features concentrated villages, Alpine dairies and its own language.
Upon your sweaty arrival at the Glas Pass, take a moment to enjoy the view over the valleys and surrounding mountains. The pass was the most important route over the Safier for centuries. In the winter, they used sleds to transport materials, and in the summer, the “tragreff”, a wooden carrying frame strapped to the back.
Now, the descent starts: First, gently via Usser Glas and Inner Glas, then a more challenging and technical trail follows from the treeline, taking you down – sometimes steeply – to Safien Platz. Shortly before the destination for this stage, you pass the compensating reservoir of Zervreila AG, which is fed by the Rabiusa river and Carnusabach stream.
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
| Start location |
Tiefencastel
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Safien Platz
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| Direction |
One way
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| Ascent |
1850 m
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| Descent |
1400 m
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| Distance |
38 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
24 km
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| Distance on natural surface |
11 km
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| Singletrail (part of natural surface) |
3 km
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| Technical requirements |
Difficult
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| Physical requirements |
Difficult
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| Theme |
With panoramic view, Through a nature conservation area, Over a pass
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| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/mountainbiking-in-switz... |
Quick Facts
Route number
