At an altitude of 1800 metres in the midst of the mountains of Graubünden, Arosa is also known as the Home of Trails. This is an incredible environment for mountain biking. The power of the mountains and the local terrain fills riders with a sense of anticipation and excitement and there is an huge variety of trails between Arosa and Lenzerheide to explore. In such a large area, it would be easy to get lost between the peaks but signposts, cable cars and apps keep bikers on track.This mountain biking paradise offers tough ascents, challenging single trails and spectacular descents with fantastic views. In order to give you an authentic first-hand impression of the area and why it’s so popular, we had a conversation with Marco Gisler who runs Arosa’s largest sport shop for bikers, skiers and hikers. Marco has two branches in the Tschuggen Grand Hotel and in the Valsana Hotel Arosa. He was born in the area and grew up locally and knows the region’s trails like the back of his hand.
What makes Arosa & Lenzerheide so special for bikers?
It goes without saying that the variety of trails makes the region what it is. This is actually extremely rare. The Bike Kingdom covers a massive area that is constantly being expanded. In addition, Arosa is not far from Davos that also offers a great deal of fun for bikers.
Who can come to Arosa to go biking and let off steam?
Anyone can do that here. You will find a level of difficulty to suit you whether you are a child, a beginner, an amateur biker or a professional on your time off. Arosa has everything: a Skill Center, flow trails, and bike schools.
What is Arosa’s Skill Center?
As is the case for ski slopes, the trails in our Skill Center are colour-coded in blue, red and black. The Skill Center includes numerous flow trail elements, which gives you a chance to see what a flow trail is like. Bike school gives you the opportunity to learn techniques of your own or to refresh your skills. Children, in particular, learn incredibly quickly as they are still fearless to a certain degree. As things can often be extremely fast on the Hörnli Trail, it is a very good idea for children to attend the Skill Center.
The Hörnli Trail is unique in the region. Could you tell us what makes it so special?
It is probably the longest flow trail in Europe and offers an incredibly wide range of options. Its design is simple and it can be ridden in a variety of ways. On a length of 6.8 km, it is also suitable for families, which adds to its appeal. Bikers really like the fact that it is particularly easy to control speed on the Hörnli Trail. I hear that from a lot of people. I don’t actually like the word “flow” and prefer to simply call it the Hörnli Trail.
What happens when it rains?
It goes without saying that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. It is important to dress warmly and appropriately. We have everything you need. Did you know that Arosa has even more hours of sunshine than Ticino? However, when it rains, it pours, but that won’t stop a passionate biker.
You are from this area and know it well. What is your top trail?
For me, it has always been the Weisshorn Trail. This is simply a matter of honour for me.
You have bike and sports shops in the Tschuggen Grand Hotel and the Valsana Hotel, and our partnership has enjoyed many special experiences over the years. What are you most looking forward to in this bike season
We are assuming that the summer season is going to be fantastic again. Last year, when travelling became increasingly difficult or almost impossible, I was delighted to see the great appreciation of this region and of our country in general. People could no longer fly very far, so they explored Switzerland. This was an extremely pleasing development and we are expecting the same to happen this year. I am hoping that many of last year’s new guests will come back. Personally, I am looking forward to summer nights with their pleasantly cool air, which is the best way to enjoy summer. Arosa has an extremely mild summer climate that I look forward to year after year.
Marco Gisler’s sports shops provide equipment for everyone who wants to hike, bike or go out in the snow. Equipment is not only available for purchase, but everything from hiking sticks to skis can also be rented. Marco is happy to advise you himself.
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