On the Silva Trails and in the Bike Arena Ischgl/Samnaun

With the new Alpkogel Trail, Galtür now offers a family- and beginner-friendly trail that provides a good contrast to the alpine tours around Ischgl. Because the wild ruggedness of the landscape and the high mountains form only the backdrop for the Alpkogel Trail. The view falls on the distinctive Gorfenspitze, which borders the valley to the south, and the Fädnerspitze to the north.
The flow trail meanders comfortably from the exit of the Alpkogelbahn at 1,970 meters above sea level towards the valley, with the occasional bump enticing ambitious riders to jump, and the occasional berm encouraging acceleration out of the turn.
Here and there, a wooden bridge makes the way easier or a spot invites you to linger and enjoy the view. Just like in our case, the Weiberhimmel, which provides us with earthly coffee delights halfway down the valley. Thus, the last switchbacks at the foot of the Ballunspitze go down like a floral, Brazilian cappuccino. In the end, we lightly brush the tree line and land back on Siggi's Pumptrack.

While the final touches of the Alpkogel Trail are still being made (Summer 2024), plans for the next expansion with the Birkhahn Trail are already set. This one is expected to follow next year and be slightly more technically demanding. With the new Silva Trails, not only is there a contrasting addition to the offerings, but also a good and safe practice area for more alpine bike adventures.
At the end of the path, our tour leads us downstream towards Ischgl, where we follow the trails of the former smugglers into Samnaun.

The remote Samnaun has a long and fascinating history of smuggling. Due to its geographical location and difficult accessibility, the region was an ideal place for smugglers for centuries, bringing goods such as tobacco, coffee, sugar, and alcohol across the border.
Especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries, smuggling flourished as customs duties in Austria and Switzerland were high. The residents on both sides of the border used their local knowledge to navigate the narrow and sometimes difficult mountain paths and to evade the customs officers.

Back then, crossing the Alps was a multi-day and risky endeavor, but for us today, it is only two lift rides away. After about 30 minutes of travel time with the Silvretta and Flimjoch cable cars, we reach the Flimjoch at the border to Switzerland and find ourselves in a completely different world in no time.
From the tranquil summer hustle and bustle in the center of Ischgl with cafes, restaurants, and sports shops, the cable car catapults us into a mountain panorama of superlatives, surrounded by three-thousand-meter peaks, which on the Greitspitze, with good visibility, even extends to the Ortler, Wildspitze, and Piz Palü.

It is a contrast that is further dramatized by the alternating sun and cloud windows. Like a gigantic laser show, mountains illuminated by the sun flash on the horizon, only to disappear back into the darkness of the shadows seconds later when the wandering light window hits the slopes in the foreground.
No less contrasting is the path over the Greitspitze to the Salaaser Kopf, which marks the transition into Switzerland. Sometimes mercilessly steep and a challenge even on an eMTB, where you should always keep the grip; sometimes gently along the ridge, only to reveal exposed views into the depths past rock edges the next moment.

Just under 20 electric bike minutes later, we stand at Salaaser Kopf and thus at the transition into Switzerland. In front of us, we marvel at the snow and ice fields of Muttler, Vesilspitze, and South Fluchthorn, only to encounter snow in Switzerland itself after the first few trail meters.
Yes, the speed and simplicity of lift support and eMTBs sometimes tempt even mountain enthusiasts to underestimate the raw and rough nature of the mountains. At Salaaser Kopf, we have experienced everything during the Ironbike, from cloudless high-pressure weather to snowstorms with visibility under 50 meters. In any case, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for quick weather changes, poor visibility, or unforeseen bike events in such an exposed environment, even with a good weather forecast.

For next year, it is planned to open the technical trail to the Heidelberger Hütte. This time, we will approach the hut from the valley side.
We will also skip the descent of the Ironbike Extreme route over Val Musauna to Samnaun and instead take the easier variant of the Hard route over the Smuggler's Trail. The trail is rated S1 on the singletrail scale and leads over high alpine pastures back to Alp Trida and from there with the lift to Flimjoch.

The long descent from Flimjoch back to Ischgl is one of the absolute highlights in the area. Starting with a few gravel switchbacks past rugged rocks, through a rough, almost unreal landscape, the Flimjoch trail leads into flatter and increasingly greener terrain.
In bad weather, it is advisable to continue the ride with a stop at Idalp, where in the worst case you can also take the gondola back to civilization. However, like the marathon riders, we branch off at the first forest road crossing towards Velill reservoir and take the remaining nearly hundred meters in altitude to the Velill saddle.

The Velill Trail once again begins with a sensational panorama, and I can only advise everyone to take the time in the first few meters to step off the trail, take a break, and enjoy the view into the Velill Valley, where the trail of the same name visibly winds its way down into the valley over gravel bands, along rocks, streams, and alpine meadows.
From the Velill Alm, the Ironbike Marathon leads the forest road back into the valley, while the lower part of the trail, with an estimated difficulty of S2-S3, offers a treat for experienced bikers.
We end the evening in one of the many local spots in the village center of Ischgl, to make another culinary excursion towards Switzerland the next day, thanks to eMTB.

In our specific case, we wouldn't have even thought about heading to the mountains for lunch with the weather forecast without an eMTB. Whether that's good or bad is up for discussion. The fact is that speed in the mountains usually comes with an added level of safety. This also applies to a biobike compared to hiking. In case of an emergency, you either reach your destination faster, get to a rescuing shelter quicker, or return to the valley more swiftly.
Our destination for lunch is the Heidelberger Hütte, which is located at an altitude of 2,264 meters in the rear Fimbatal at the foot of the Fluchthorn (3,399 m). The nearly 1,000 meters of elevation gain from Ischgl to the hut offer an exciting cross-section of the Silvretta region's landscape forms. With one last look from the switchback at Ischgl, then through the avalanche gallery, past lift infrastructure and the last outposts of civilization, we quickly reach lonelier paths in turbo mode.