Profile
We drive the development of Mountain Bike infrastructures and always keep an eye on our environment.
vast adv. /vɑːst/ – term for: overwhelming, extensive, comprehensive
trail[s] noun /treɪl/ – term for: Paths, trails, tracks
We aim to create stunning and breathtaking trail experiences. We achieve this by thinking through our projects to the very details and providing comprehensive support: from planning and construction to ongoing operation and maintenance. We understand the needs of mountain bikers, but also the coordinated balancing of various interests in the area. Because space is limited, we are committed to finding sensible, sustainable and coordinated solutions.
Our trail
The company vast trails GmbH was founded at the beginning of June 2020 by Philipp Bont, Severin Schindler and Claudio Schnurrenberger. In spring 2022, Dave Tschumi, a long-time “trail companion”, joined as the fourth co.owner. Together, we bring over 30 years of experience in conceptual, planning and trail building tasks to the company with regard to the realization of mountain bike infrastructures.
The idea of managing our own entrepreneurial destiny and developing our own profile on the market had been in our minds for some time. We are more than happy to have taken this step.
With in-depth knowledge in the fields of trail and landscape construction, business management, sports science, spatial planning, tourism and, above all, craftsmanship, we cover a wide range of skills and tools to meet our high demands for sustainable, holistically conceived and contemporary mountain bike infrastructure.
We develop projects that are meaningful and attractive to us, that can be integrated into the landscape and natural resources in a compatible way and that allow us to grow as a responsible company in terms of quality.
Principles
We design, plan and build what we would like to ride ourselves, but always with the target group(s) in mind! We create trails, routes and facilities according to the following four central design and construction principles. In our opinion they form the four cornerstones for a holistic riding experience. We are aware that the requirements defined here cannot be met one hundred percent at any time. However, we try to take them into account as much as possible in our work.
Integration into nature and landscape
- Careful embedding in the natural terrain
- Careful greening the slopes surrounding the trail
- Integration of rocks, stones, terrain and roots
- Staging the landscape from the rider’s perspective
- Ecological enhancements along the trail
Durability
- Functioning drainage through slope changes or other adequate measures
- Speed management and coordinated trail inclination
- Erosion resistance
- Minimization of maintenance effort and costs
Safety
- Speed management through natural obstacles and surface texture
- Sufficient sight distances
- Predictability of the trail
- Consideration of crash zones
riding enjoyment
- Meeting the needs of target group(s)
- Stringent trail experience – consistency of content
- Arc of suspense:: rhythm & variety
- Progression possibilities along the trail
Our Network
We have an excellent network in the Swiss mountain bike landscape. We are involved in various committees and expert groups – whether project-based or ongoing. We share our knowledge, exchange ideas with various players and thus make our contribution to the prudent further development of mountain bike infrastructures and thus the sport as such.
- Member of the FsMTB expert group for safe mountain biking of the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention
- Member of the IMBA expert commission for planning and building MTB infrastructure
- National reference group DIRTT: Developing Intereuropean Resources Trail Building Training
- Swiss Mountainbiking Project SMP by Trail Foundation: Sustainable mountain bike tourism module and trail building training module
- SwitzerlandMobility: Collaboration in the system discussion Mountainbiking in Switzerland
- trail.foundation: Collaboration on content and training structure for professional education in mountain bike trail maintenance
Media reports
- RIDE Magazine 05/2021: Three heads of Swiss trail building on the bike infrastructure of tomorrow with Claudio Schnurrenberger
- BORN Mountainbike Magazine 2022 #1: Portrait of Severin Schindler
- RIDE Magazine 2024 #90: Trail building philosophies: I build therefore I am! with Philipp Bont