Trail Biking in Vinschgau

Would you like some tea?" Somewhat concerned about our well-being, Boris looks around the group as he rubs his cold hands together. We look undecidedly towards the west, from where a threateningly black wall of clouds is relentlessly approaching.
"No, let's keep going. Otherwise, we'll definitely get caught in the rain," we finally decide – not without a longing glance at the warm parlor of the Naturnser Alm.

We are at about 1,900 meters; the elevation here in the lower Vinschgau just about marks the treeline. Normally, we would have been quite happy about the shade that the dense forest would have provided until just before the hut. After all, statistically, the sun shines around 315 days a year in this region, and the heat from the valley floor often climbs the slopes of the Etsch Valley quite vehemently in June. But what is normal in this early summer full of cold, rain, and floods?

With Vinschgau, the area between the Reschen Pass and Töll, the prominent valley step just before Merano, is meant geographically. The so-called lower part of it begins shortly after the river Etsch turns right at Prad am Stilfserjoch.

Wikipedia suggests that this region, being surrounded by mountain ridges consistently 3,000 m high, is neither threatened by meteorological adversity from the north or the Atlantic, nor from the south. "One of the (...) effects is the lack of precipitation, which, coupled with the high amount of sunshine, makes Vinschgau one of the driest valleys in the Alps."

Well.


Currently, I doubt that the temperatures are still in double digits; I'd rather not verify it. It's quite possible that otherwise I would dash the remaining 100 meters in altitude to Rauher Bühel and sulkily follow the friendly invitation of the hostess into the alpine lounge. At least from a culinary perspective, according to the menu, that would certainly be no mistake.

Regarding the overall experience, there would surely be better days. "From the sun terrace, you have a breathtaking view of the impressive South Tyrolean mountains around Naturns," promises the hut's homepage. The Ötztal Alps along with the Texel Group would be served up, one could comfortably lounge in deck chairs and alternately watch the horses or view the panorama.

We, on the other hand, only see peaks sporadically peeking out from the murky cloud gray. In fact, the visibility ends at the small pond less than 100 meters below the Naturns Alm.

So back on the bikes and quickly continue uphill, before the Nörderscharte finally gives way and lets the rain through!
In Rabland, one of the many small valley villages between Schlanders and Meran, we started this morning, conserving battery power by taking a cable car up 800 meters in altitude to the small mountain village of Aschbach with 80 inhabitants, and then cranked up nearly 600 meters in altitude via forest roads and the Bike Highline Meran; the motors always obediently set on level 1, so we don't get cold in the beautiful South Tyrol.

The Highline is, as we already know from our last visit five years ago, a high trail on the southern slope side of the Etsch Valley, which connects the individual mountain pastures on the Nörderberg. And the Nörderberg itself is not just a singular peak of comparatively manageable dimensions (2,387 m) at the height of Naturns. In fact, that's what the entire, shady side MTB paradise of the region between Martelltal and Algund is called.
With its moister soil and wooded vegetation, it contrasts quite attractively with the mostly bone-dry and Mediterranean-looking foothills of the Ötztal Alps on the opposite side of the valley, which are – probably not coincidentally – called Sonnenberg along their entire length.

What is to the bicycle traveler below in the valley, the bike path upgraded to a feudal highway to the spa town of Meran along the historic Via Claudia Augusta, is to us mountain bikers thus this Bike Highline initiated in 2014: a magnificent connection to cross the Adige Valley from west to east or vice versa – only at a sometimes panoramic height of 1,450 to 1,900 meters.
Here, family tours can be realized and stops at inns celebrated, but also kilometers devoured or bike handling skills trained. Because the highlight of it all: In each village in the valley, there is an uphill, in Aschbach also a cable car, and here and there even a shuttle service up to the Highline. Most importantly, there is at least one trail leading down from each village.

"Each community already had their ascents and traverses to reach the mountain pastures and manage the forest. It was merely a matter of creating the missing short connecting pieces. The downhills were existing hiking trails that were adapted," Boris tells us about the comparatively low, initial effort of the project.
Lupo Trail (S1-S2), Fontana Trail (S3), Ötzi Trail (S3), and Stuanbruch Trail (S3) were the first officially marked descent routes. Due to great success and demand, there has been expansion for some time now.

We reached the saddle at Rauhen Bühel, at exactly 2,000 meters the highest point of our tour today. Our ride from the starting point at the Aschbachbahn mountain station resembled a tranquil, almost meditative journey through idyllic village life – peacefully grazing animals, a pointed little church, beautifully renovated houses –, species-rich blooming mountain meadows and lush, rampant greenery, but the Nörderberg changes its face here significantly.
The trees, sturdy, healthy spruces and lichen-covered stone pines, have finally receded, giving way to a kind of high moor. Mystically, the fog wafts over rocks scattered in the swampy grass. Alpine roses and gentians bravely withstand the cold wind.

Boris tells us stories of the stunning panorama over the Texel Group, Ortler, Dolomites, Schlern. He might as well conjure up Vesuvius or Kilimanjaro. The visibility is barely enough to make out the first few meters of the now upcoming trail. Beyond that, everything is gray and thus a matter of imagination: sandy beaches, a fireplace - we'll take any image that warms us.
Six degrees above zero. Now, as we head back down and it shouldn't get any colder, I dared to glance at the temperature display of the GPS device. With numb fingers, I clumsily grip the handlebars and brakes. Smart are those who didn't leave their thick gloves in the hotel room due to too optimistic a misjudgment!

Even before our departure in the late morning, a founding member of the Bikehotels South Tyrol had given us a brief insight into the latest MTB-specific developments around his home community. Those who have seen what the trained lawyer has made of the Tyrol since taking over his parents' hotel business 15 years ago would have suspected already then: Where Boris gets involved, things are done thoroughly.
And indeed: Hardly via Vigilius little church and Schwarze Lacke, two of the most famous points of the nature reserve at Vigiljoch, and a rooty detour to the viewing platform on the Glaubensweg high above Merano to the Stuanbruch Trail, a lot of new, beautiful things begin.

In the upper part of this Bike Highline classic, under the aegis of the local trail builders from F-Tech, including the Italian branch of Velosolutions, there has been diligent construction. Incredibly smooth, cleanly shaped berms make it easier for us to mentally switch from alpine shared trails or even wide forest roads to artificially generated flow.
Soon, doubles and tables enrich the offerings, and although the ground is still a bit soft because it has only thawed out properly a few weeks ago, even vehement air-time refusers like us occasionally lift off with a relaxed, amused smile on our lips.

How pristine - and therefore not yet regrown - it all is, becomes fully apparent to us when local Boris lands with a crash on the flat after approaching a kicker too slowly.
"Sorry, I've never ridden this before," he grins apologetically towards Lukas, who did exactly the same in his entourage.

"Wow, it feels like the end of October!" Hannes taps his upper arms, thighs, and belly, shivering. Shivering and a bit annoyed. After all, we are on his declared favorite trail; but the weather makes it difficult to enjoy it accordingly.
Scene change. We are 20 kilometers further west, standing somewhere in the upper third of the Barbarossa Trail. The Vinschgau train has brought us quickly and comfortably to Latsch, and the Tarscher Alm chairlift has slowly, very slowly, taken us up the 700 meters in altitude to the trail entrance high above Latsch and Kastelbell.

On the intervening 600 meters of altitude to crank ourselves up via Raminiwaal and Obermühlweg, we not only admired the geometric precision of Vinschgau's apple cultivation from above; we also admired its former irrigation channels, now lovingly designed with wooden figures and water features, from up close; and learned details about the varieties and yield (over 300,000 tons annually!).
There, Hannes Pirhofer, the junior manager of the renowned sports and wellness hotel Jagdhof in Latsch, turned out to be our guide with a somewhat unusual career path. Resisting his father's penchant for a long time, the 28-year-old sports car enthusiast only started mountain biking during the Corona period.

The first curves, jumps, and waves on the Barbarossa Trail, rated S2, were enough for us to be amazed to realize: The young man has apparently stubbornly ignored a real talent for a quarter of a century.
Furthermore, like us yesterday, Hannes probably didn't take the temperature forecasts for 2,000 meters above sea level seriously. Therefore, he is now cold.
Despite wearing thicker gloves and protectors as quasi-knee pads this time, we hardly dare admit at this point: Once again, we are also cold. Because for the lush 18 minutes of rudimentary-romantic chairlift ride to the Tarscher Alm, a winter jacket would have been quite necessary.

From the many multifaceted trails, which have their shuttle, cable car, or uphill entry points on the north and south sides of the Adige in the MTB hotspot of Latsch, the Barbarossa Trail is the newest. Built in 2019 by the man with the red beard, local apple and trail builder Gabriel Tappeiner and his Traildoctors have realized what could best be described as alpine flow here.
Over four kilometers and 700 meters of altitude, the relatively natural trail winds through the forest, but also open areas, back to the chairlift valley station; especially at the beginning spiced up by fun pull-offs, small drops, waves, and steep curves of various heights and radii. At the same time, it surprises again and again with rock fields, rooty steps, abrupt changes of direction, or – due to the heavy rain of the last weeks – deep puddles.

Conclusion: Those who remain responsive despite the sometimes simpler appearance will truly enjoy this versatile interplay of berms, trickery, slope crossings, steep passages, bumpy tracks, flow sections, forest paths, and even wooden constructions.
And for those who were still cold just below the Tarscher Alm at the trail entry, they will certainly warm up in the second half.

Unfortunately, the Nörderberg disappears into the rain-grey for good during our second lift ride. And the opposite Sonnenberg, as far as we can make out, does not live up to its name at all.
In a veritable whiteout, we swing upwards. Had it not been for the cloud-muted cowbells announcing the approaching mountain pasture, we would have completely missed our stop.
"Off to Latscher Alm!" Hannes immediately sets the direction. We follow him only too gladly.

Officially, these two adapted hiking trails are only considered moderate single trails. We think: Given its occasional steepness, some extensive stair orgies, exposed trail sections, and rocky-rooty pitfalls, the duo certainly deserved an S3 rating.
Maybe the trail just seems a bit destroyed because recently about 300 riders from the Specialized Chili Enduro Series rode over it in wet conditions.