Northbound and Down do Europe – Chatel

The development that had gone into Chatel Bike Park since last time I had been there was impressive. New tracks, bigger jumps and fewer breaking bumps was the rumour. With the Chatel Mountain Style having been held weeks before our visit here, I had watched all the footage, seen all the pictures and was now excited to return and huck my meat.

Taking the “Super Morzine” gondola and then the “Zore” chairlift, Evans and I headed over to Avoriaz before dropping down into Lindarets Bowl. After a chat to the MMM (Morzine Mountain Mechanics) boys, we jumped onto “Chaux Fleurie” and were at the top of “Pres la Joux” and looking down on Chalet Bike Park before we knew it.

We first rode “People”, a flowy trail with many big berms that brought us out at a hub that gave us the choice of many more tracks such as “Blues and rock” or “Black shore”. First run down, we rode the track with the big step-up jump that links to the “Black shore”, a track filled with north shore jumps, drops and bridges, in other words true freeride. Next run down, Evans introduced me to the new freeride line just off to the left of the step-up track. This line was brand new for 2012 and had the biggest jumps and gaps on this side of the chairlift (see footage).

After the making of more freeride on many of the varying black runs, we met up with some of the boys from summer 2010 for a delicious burger halfway up the mountain at the start of the Chatel bike park. Now that we were all here and refuelled, we headed over to “Air Voltage” to get some airtime.

“Air Voltage” starts with a respectable 10 foot drop that gives warning of what is to come. With double northshore wall rides and even bigger drops I was sure to get the camera out to document some of this wild hucking. It goes without saying that the pictures are of a distinctly average standard and my photoshop skills are even worse, but they give you an idea of the size of the features and the fun to be had on them.

As it was a sunny day I was very keen to return to Morzine via Lake Montriond. Lake Montriond is surrounded by spectacular scenery, lying at the bottom of the Ardent Cliffs. On a hot day there is nothing better than going for a refreshing swim and spending time bird watching while lazing by the lake side. The day we were in Chatel however did not turn out as I had planned, for as we were finishing “Air Voltage” the skies decided to open up and we were soaked on our way back to Morzine.

With a round of the IXS European cup held here every year and trails maintained throughout the summer (we nearly crashed straight into some guys maintain the tracks), Chatel is definitely an addition to the many reasons why Portes du Soleil is so brilliant.