Switzerland
6) Laax
Laax is in the Swiss canton of Graubunden, and is part of the Alpenarena resort which combines the formerly separate resorts of Flims, Laax and Falera.
The resort has a well set up summer mountain bike trail network though it has remained a secret to most. It can be very quiet during the week,and it is virtually unknown outside the Swiss and German markets. It deserves to have more riders, although they are perhaps put off by the unfortunate local name for peak - crap! As a result pretty much everything in town has a 'crap' prefix. The main bar is called Crap Bar and the tourist board uses the slogan 'Flims is Crap' in its marketing!
Nearest airport: Zurich International Airport, (1.5 hrs).
What does Laax have to offer?
| Cross Country |
Beginner & Intermediate |
| Downhill | Intermediate |
| Freeride | Intermediate |
| Cable Car |
- |
| Gondola | - |
| Chairlift | YES |
| Connected to | Lenzeheide |
There is a huge variety of trails here, with some really well made Freeriding lines packed with jumps and drops, steep and technical Downhills and over 300 km of Cross Country, from novice to expert routes. This place could easily gain renown as one of the best in Switzerland, with most trails finishing up at the swimming lake - a perfect place to cool before hitting another run. Another plus is that the biking is allowed on all trails here.
Over 300 km of signposted Cross Country and enduro trails around Laax make it a serious contender. They range from mellow family routes to technical routes for experts only. The whole area uses its own Films signage system which identifies the discipline and its physical and technical difficulty.
Laax actually label all their Downhill trails as 'Freeride' trails, and while they do contain some Freeride features they are really Downhill runs. Downhillers with trail bikes will enjoy the enduro trails as well - you take a lift up and take a longer run back down to the bottom. Riders with rounded skills will be able to take on the major Freeride line with all its gaps. There is also a more traditional race Downhill with some big rock and root technical sections which is pretty steep in places too.
The Freeride trail has various stunts and northshore features along its length, from step-downs and drops to wallrides and gaps. It is a really good trail for intermediate to advanced riders but as with most of the Swiss resorts there are not enough standalone freeride features to sustain a longer visit. Mix it up with the enduro trails and you will find some great riding to enjoy here with a small slopestyle area at the bottom and a set of trick jumps for sessioning.
Take
the Films 247 run, a long 12.1 km descent that, while not necessarily
easy, it is a good challenging ride without being to over facing. Moving onto the more difficult, take the Red Bull Trail Fox route;
you will need to be a flying fox to hit all the lines as this trail
mixes up the speed of a traditional downhill with the jumps and gaps of
a freeride line.
Don't
miss the Red Bull Trail Fox Competition each June, it is an awesome
event with 3 DH runs over two days, (one of them at night).
| Summer Lifts Open |
31st May until 19th October |
| Lift Opening Times | 08.30 - 17.15 (always check) |
| Lift Prices | Day pass 44 CHF // Season pass 260 CHF |
Directory:
Tourist Office: T+41 81 920 9200
Website: http://www.laax.com