First we use SBB to get from Zurich to Flims/Laax
The train to Chur also has a car for bikes.
Laax.
Flims Laax is an area in the Graubunden region popular for skiing in the winter and as a local mountain bike and hiking destination in the summer. Two small areas very close together that can be visited in one trip. Flims Laax has 6000 people in the winter, 3000 in the summer. Gondolas run in the summer to take hikers and mountain bikers into the alpine.
The area consists of 200km of hiking trails. The trails in the Graubunden region are shared by mountain bikers and hikers unlike the more populated and popular Swiss destinations.
Separating Flims and Laax is an ancient slide that gave rise to the Ruinaulta – the Rhine Gorge or the “Swiss” grand Canyon. Also created by this event are underground springs that create a chain of lakes – Caumasee, Laaxersee and Crestasee – deep-blue through to turquoise-coloured mountain lakes.
We stayed at the Rock Resort in Laax, a 30 second walk to the Laax Gondola. At this time of year the gondola only runs on the weekend for bikers and hikers. Hiking is more popular on the Flims side. As well the mountain bike trails on this side are more DH, where on the Flim side its more All Mountain.
This map is available FREE at most hotels.
Once at Laax we booked into our hotel, cooked some pasta and checked out the resort.
Fortunately the pubs were open.
Chillin’ at the rock resort.
Near the gondola is a pump track!
Outside the Rock Resort. There are a few resaurants, they are quite expensive. But this is considered the ‘resort’ part of the area. Picture is of the Rock Resort ( Top Left) Signina Hotel (Top Right ).
Heading up on the Gondola. Linder Dario was our guide. He works for Weisse Arena Group which owns the LAAX Gondola and many other lifts and hotels in the area. Kudos to them that they also pay for a trail crew to work on the trails on the mountains.
Laax Gondola
View from the Gondola at 2228m down to Laax.
Crap Sogn Gion chair lift and looking up to 3000m
Short little road climb. Sharon and Linder
Start of our descent
Looking over towards Flims. The cliffs were due to a rock slide 10,000 years ago that created the Rhine Gorge far down below and some other geological features that made this a UNESCO site in 2008
We go down
We are in the Plaun Ualgonda that is part of the Maxi Avalanche held in Oct. Lee is pointing to where we came from
The Lower Runca trail, full of roots rocks and north shore ‘free ride’ structures.
One of the chain of lakes – Caumasee, Laaxersee and Crestasee – deep-blue through to turquoise-coloured mountain lakes. Dried out now.
Chillin’ in the cafe we met with Dave O’Riordan who runs the website Swiss Alpine Adventures which he created when he found there was little English information available in riding in Switzerland.
Our elevation that day. We rode up the Gondola then rode 14km with a ~1200m elevation loss.
Laax Switzerland – Crap Sogn Gion at EveryTrail
Day 3 Laax – Ruinaulta Rhine gorge
A network of gravel paths exists between Flims-laax and further south and along the Rhine which is a nice ride on those lazy or rainy days. Today was rainy for us so we figured we’d have a nice ride to see the gorge carved by the Rhine. It rained off and on all day. We rode back from Sogogn, which is a very quaint Swiss town.
Many nice meadows in every valley with small structures.
Lots of natural springs collect water in these wells.
Lee thought if he’d fix my bike near the church it might help.
Sogogn, cool town.
