[Ripzalot]

Ok, so I didn't actually participate....but I was there! The Passportes is an annual event that draws over 2000 mountain bikers to the region of Portes du Soleil, which consists of about 14 interconnected ski resorts and over 650km of bike trails across two counties (France and Switzerland). The object is to bike to/from every station in the region while collecting stamps in your "passporte" to verify that you complete the course. Lots of bikers on the mountain that weekend but still not much in the way of lift lines. The size of the place spreads out the crowd pretty well. I think I waited in a lift line for 5 minutes a couple of time. Normally it seem I have the place to myself. At events like these you see just about every conceivable bike configuration on the mountain - light XC bikes, full on DH rigs, single speeds, hardtails, full rigid, it's all good. :smile:

 

[mcd]

i'm cursing in your general direction...man that looks awesome.

 

[Andrewpalooza]

geez...I feel like a caged animal here, when that type of riding is out there to be had. someday....

 

[ebxtreme]

Nice pics....

Ripzalot,

I'll be in Les Gets on the 5th of August for my honeymoon. I had exchanged some emails with Uzzi and Swissbuster about doing the Passporte Du Soleil ride on the weekend of the 12th. Interested in joining up? I know it's pretty easy to navigate, but it'd be cool to do it with a couple of other folks. My gal is plenty strong and technically capable on the bike so I'm not worried about her.

Still debating which bike to bring. My 6x6 all mountain bike or my 8" DH bike. What are your thoughts on the most appropriate bike for the region? I've got a granny gear on my big bike and I'm fairly fit, but I know we'll be doing some good sized climbs so having something a bit lighter, but still capable would likely be more ideal. Recommendations on which bike to bring?

Cheers,
EBX

 

[Ripzalot]

Ripzalot,

I'll be in Les Gets on the 5th of August for my honeymoon. I had exchanged some emails with Uzzi and Swissbuster about doing the Passporte Du Soleil ride on the weekend of the 12th. Interested in joining up? I know it's pretty easy to navigate, but it'd be cool to do it with a couple of other folks. My gal is plenty strong and technically capable on the bike so I'm not worried about her.

Still debating which bike to bring. My 6x6 all mountain bike or my 8" DH bike. What are your thoughts on the most appropriate bike for the region? I've got a granny gear on my big bike and I'm fairly fit, but I know we'll be doing some good sized climbs so having something a bit lighter, but still capable would likely be more ideal. Recommendations on which bike to bring?

Cheers,
EBX

sound good! PM me with your email address and we'll discuss.

on the bikes - it really depends on what you intend to ride. you would be fine with the 6x6 but you would probably have more fun on a full DH bike. everything is lift linked, and there are only a few short climbs to connect the stations. you can easily do it on a DH bike. PDS is full of great DH courses so to me it makes sense to focus on that.

 

[Uzzi]

We went 3 days to Champéry for the Pass Portes and some riding on our own. 3 days of fat tire fun, good food and quite a lot to drink. It was the first time we went to do the Pass Portes and it was good fun, next year we will def skip the Torgon part and ad to it the Mont Chery tracks in Les Gets.

Here are some pics.

 

[Ripzalot]

We went 3 days to Champéry for the Pass Portes and some riding on our own. 3 days of fat tire fun, good food and quite a lot to drink. It was the first time we went to do the Pass Portes and it was good fun, next year we will def skip the Torgon part and ad to it the Mont Chery tracks in Les Gets.

Here are some pics.

nice! send a shout out next time you are there. i'll be away for the next 2 weekends tho. maybe back biking on the 16th.

is mont chery open this year? last year the top chair was closed to bikes. you had to push up to the start of the course, which i wasn't about to do.

 

[~TJ~]

I get the extreme urge to yodel looking through your posts.

Thanks and keep them coming!

 

[SwissBuster]

Meanwhile...

We went 3 days to Champéry for the Pass Portes and some riding on our own. 3 days of fat tire fun, good food and quite a lot to drink.

... I planned my weekend around the World Cup and all the results went against me. Sssesh!

We did manage a short trip into the Jura to burn off the beer cobwebs. It finished eating a fondue at a hut in the middle of nowhere, but that's the subject of a whole other post.

 

[ebxtreme]

... I planned my weekend around the World Cup and all the results went against me. Sssesh!

We did manage a short trip into the Jura to burn off the beer cobwebs. It finished eating a fondue at a hut in the middle of nowhere, but that's the subject of a whole other post.

Uzzi, Swissbuster, Ripzalot,

Yo fellas...let's hookup for the passportes du soleil next month! Weekend of the 12th work for you? Ripz......check your email. Uzzi and Swissbuster, I'll drop you another line to coordinate.

EBX

 

[TheBrain]

geez...I feel like a caged animal here, when that type of riding is out there to be had. someday....

Same thoughts here...

But I still had fun on the 2hour ride I just finished even if there were no snow capped mountains.