Lord of the Rims

Optimal gradient

The ‘Lord of the Rims’ Enduro Trail leads from the ‘Furggulti’ mountain station at 2562 metres above sea level via “Chiebodme” back to the ‘Flesche’ middle station at 2091 metres above sea level. It is 3.7 km long and has a drop of around 460 metres. This results in an average gradient of approx. 12.5%, which is ideal for the enduro trail type. Sufficiently steep for technical challenges (up to 25%), but also sufficiently flat to make the trail as resistant as possible. We had the opportunity here to create a stringent and market-orientated mountain bike trail experience with a showcase character at a more progressive level of difficulty. Smoother and faster sections alternate with more technically demanding stone and rocky passages. Short counter-climbs are deliberately integrated, resulting in an exciting but also challenging rhythm.

Turning old into new

New sections and old existing trail fragments create a holistic experience on the Lord of the Rims Trail. The majority of the paths that had been removed from the trail network some time ago were already heavily eroded and therefore barely usable. Working with the numerous existing stones (armouring) ensures a low-maintenance trail design, especially on steeper sections. At the supalpine to alpine altitude level, they provide good protection from the weather, as there is no protective forest and the otherwise sandy subsoil would quickly be washed away in heavy rain and when the snow melts.

Rider: Mario Gisler
FPV Pilot: Dimitri Fürst 

A trail in the pristine mountains 

The ‘Lord of the Rims’ is designed for advanced and ambitious mountain bikers. It particularly addresses those who are looking for technical and varied challenges in a breathtaking landscape context. There are no perfectly shaped berms and jumps, but rather steps, rock slabs and many tricky passages. The trail embodies exactly what Valais is all about and what many mountain bikers want to experience here weekend after weekend: Pristine, rugged and alpine landscapes, magnificent views of the Valais mountain panorama and trails beautifully embedded in nature. And in this case even integrated into a bike park and therefore easily and safely accessible by chairlift!

Enduro World Cup premiere

The trail was opened just in time for the EDR World Cup in July 2024 in the Aletsch Arena and Bellwald. Although it is only rated as advanced with a few expert sections, the World Cup elite were also challenged on this trail. Due to its flowing lines, the trail also allows for high speeds, increasing in difficulty with every additional kilometre per hour. The World Cup riders were thrilled by this unique stage (combined with the Into the Wild). A unique experience for them too, which is unrivalled in the World Cup circuit. The Lord of the Rims will be truly crowned in 2025, when the world champions in the Enduro discipline will be crowned on this trail.