THE OLD GHOST ROAD – NEW ZEALAND
The Old Ghost Road is not just a trail but a journey. This 85km point-to-point will have you climbing for a day through the green of the temperate rainforest before bursting above the tree line with views of rolling hill, after hill, after hill. We then stop for a night under the stars at Ghost Lake Hut, an experience you won’t forget. After watching the sun burst over the horizon you’ll get your teeth stuck into the first descent of the day as you jump back into the rainforest. You’ll be rewarded with long and thrilling descents as well as plenty of mile munching up, along, and out of the jungle before a refreshing cold beer at a quirky village pub.
MEFJELLET – NORWAY
Waking up aboard your floating hotel, “Gåssten”, the towering peak of Mefjellet is almost a daunting prospect as you stare upward, bobbing on the turquoise waters of the fjord far below. You’ll earn every one of the 1100 metres as you bike and hike your way skyward atop the glacier carved ridge line surrounded by snow capped peaks. Once your wheels are pointing downwards with gravity on your side you won’t be needing to crank your pedals much! Tearing down the open mountainside over rock slabs and a ribbon of singletrack which changes taste once it reaches the woods, becoming filled with flow and features. Once ridden, never forgotten! You’ll pop out at the water’s edge where your lift back to the Gåssten awaits.
LUPRA PASS – NEPAL
401 TRAIL – COLORADO, USA
There’s more to the old mountain town of Crested Butte than its chilled and relaxed atmosphere, you’ll take in some real classics whilst here that will set your pulse alight. The fact that Crested Butte has hosted an EWS speaks volumes about its trail calibre. Taking to the high backcountry you’ll be left somewhat humbled by the silence and remoteness where true trail gold lies in wait. Reaching deep into the valley floor before peeling into the trees, you’ll wind your way up before popping into the open in an explosion of colour from the flower meadows. You’ll then engage in an unavoidable fist fight with the flowers as your bars brush through the blur of yellows and purples. A rollercoaster of rises and falls that will have you hooked before spitting you out right by the van. A true Colorado Classic.
ACHNASHELLACH – SCOTLAND
It’s not only the US that has a wild west! Scotland’s rugged west coast is certainly a wild place, although granted, is lacking in cowboys. The dramatic scenery and weather make a mythical environment which contains plenty of challenging trails which are tough and technical. There’s no shortage of rocks! Our personal favourite is Achnashellach in the heart of the Torridon mountains. A true test of bike and rider alike. A tough climb marooned deep in a glen sets the tone for the day, the Scottish trail gods don’t give away their offerings easily. Once crested you’ll take on the burly and brutal rock ride over smooth glacier-shaved slabs and teeth-chattering rock gardens, a descent that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, or rather saddle, the whole way. This is also only the first descent of the day!
‘CHEESE MAN’ (UNOFFICIAL TITLE!) – SLOVENIA
You can expect Slovenia to rocket into the media when the EWS visits later this summer and for good reason. The trail atop our list starts on the fringes of the Italian border. Whilst climbing you’ll shoot for the high alpine pastures overlooking the Julian Alps and the Soca river below before stopping to sample some cheese delicacies with the local shepherds. Now, get ready for action. In front of you lie 15km of diverse trail taking you from the alpine pastures with grazing cattle, into the trees which switch from your classic evergreen Alpine forest, into the orange hues of the beech woods, floating through loam and hero dirt before some tricky limestone outcrops appear just to add that little bit of extra zest to your day! Pitching up by the emerald flow of the Soca river for a refreshment will give you a moment to savour and appreciate what you’ve just experienced.
TOP OF THE WORLD – BC, CANADA
Everyone that travels to Whistler has to ride “Top of the World”, a near 6km descent that combines both high alpine riding with the best that the Whistler Bike Park has to offer. With your legs hanging in the breeze the chairlift does the hard work, you will reach the top near the peak of Whistler mountain without breaking a sweat. This trail has become a staple in the EWS calendar, an honour held by few locations let alone trails. The almost ‘cliched’ view over the granite crags will greet you as you drop into the first technical turns littered in dust and rocks. (as long as the remnants of the winter snowfall hasn’t hung around!) Gradually you will leave the alpine and enter the forest and bike park, roots, bumps, jumps, and drops the whole way home will leave you feeling heroic.
COTOPAXI – ECUADOR
Ecuador isn’t widely known as a top mountain bike destination, but it should be. From the imposing Andes, to tropical jungles and active volcanoes… Ecuador has diverse environments and trails to match. The day that stands out in our minds is when we take to the volcanic slopes of Cotopaxi; ash, boulders, sand, and petrified lava make for one hell of a unique riding surface and environment. With three, 700m descents you won’t be left feeling short-changed! Starting in the wide-open lava field you’ll be cutting and carving your own line through the deep ash and sand, the closest feeling to skiing you’ll get on your bike! You’ll then flow like lava as the trail begins to filter into narrow, finger-like ‘Vs’ which you’ll continue to carve down, eventually filtering out on the flat valley plain and have you longing for more. You’re in luck.
FLOWTASTIC – SPAIN
It’s not only the Andalucían food that’ll have you drooling, the riding is more than a match for the local cuisine. Deep in the Sierra Nevada, ‘Flowtastic’ branches out from the highest village on mainland Spain, Trevelez, which is famed for its tasty ‘jamones’. A climb out of Trevelez on the popular GR-7 walking route allows us to reach close to 11kms of pure, unbridled fun. If the air is clear you may even see the coast of Morocco on the horizon! A smooth and dusty fairground ride through the southern Spanish countryside, a feeling that is nothing short of pure joy on two wheels which takes you right to your accommodation for the evening on an organic farm where olives, grapes, and almonds grow in abundance.