We visit one of the most remote huts in the alps and see how mountain biking and E-MTB’s have brought a new clientele to these magical places.

Mountain huts. Shelters hidden deep into the high alpine, and far away from civilization. There is a big tradition in building huts in the European alps, as resting places for hikers, climbers and adventurers. Many of them are on extremely hard to reach places and served as a place to seek shelter when the weather turned, or to enable ambitious mountaineers to reach more remote peaks. 

Driving force behind the construction of these huts has been the Alpine Clubs of the various countries. As early as 1863 the Swiss Alpine Club was founded, and in their first year they constructed 38 huts across the high alpine. Interesting fact: the club was a men only affair until 1980(!), when they merged with the Women's Swiss Alpine Club.

These days, there are over 150 huts spread out over the Swiss alps, with a total capacity of  9000 beds. In the early beginnings the huts were primitive and served mainly as a shelter. As all of the building materials had to be brought up by either manpower or donkeys, they tried to source as much of the construction materials on site. Toilets were outhouses, and mainly consisted of a shed to give some privacy and a seat above a cliff to dispose of the number 1’s and 2’s. Showering or taking a bath was considered expandible and there were no separate sleeping quarters. Mountaineering was not for the faint of heart those days. 

Over time, construction techniques have progressed leaps and bounds. The use of glass, steel and better insulation made it possible to offer a lot more comfort and with helicopters coming into play, moving big materials was a lot easier too. Locations moved to more and more accessible spots and nowadays many of them can be reached within a 1 or 2 hour hike from the nearest parking spot. 

Cabane de Chanrion 

The Cabane de Chanrion however, is still one of the more remote huts you find in Europe. Situated at the very end of the Val de Bagne, you can literally see Italy when you’re sitting down for breakfast. The altitude is another thing you can’t miss, at 2462m you definitely feel the lack of oxygen when walking up the stairs.. 

When it comes to history, the Cabane de Chanrion has plenty. Constructed way back in 1890, it was first purely made of wood. It housed the military back in the first world war, who had a love hate relationship with its remote location and stunning views. In 1938 however the wooden structure was transformed into a massive stone building, which is still standing today. 

One of the biggest changes that happened to the landscape was the construction of the Mauvoisin dam and the lake it created in 1958. The dam (which is the 8th biggest dam in the world) was built as part of a hydroelectric project that now gives an impressive 948 million KWh each year, and gave birth to the impressive 5km long lake that accompanies you on your ride to the hut. 

Up to 2019 the hut remained largely unchanged from its original construction, but an update was long overdue as visitors demands increased and the original structure was due for a renovation. The big renovation added 40 extra beds to the capacity, in smaller bedrooms suited for 4 people. Also the water storage capacity was enlarged with 6000 liters, to ensure the hut had enough water during the winter months. 

Bikes and Lunches 

The best route to reach this breathtaking place takes you out 15km from the nearest parking and up just over 800m vertical. Fit riders take about 3,5 hours but if you’re blessed with some Lithium Ion support you can cut it down to 2,5. If you’re based in Verbier, you can even grab the bus from Le Chable station (it’s free with a Tourism VIP card you can get at the Tourist Office). 

For many years the hut had most of its visitors overnight as the hike to the hut was too far to just do in one day for most people. But in the last 10 years, the mountain bike has gained popularity and the warden saw more and more people on fat tire bikes show up for lunch. And with the rise of the E-MTB, the hut was easier to reach than ever. 

The additional customers are very welcome, especially after the costly renovation. And to make it an even better destination, they added 12 bike stands with integrated charging points for E-MTB’s. That way you can turbo your way up to the hut, have lunch with a view and return to a fully charged ride. How good is that?

Wilderness

“What about the riding?” you might ask. Well, most high alpine places are hard to reach. Elite mountain bike trails only with a good bit of hike-a-bike thrown in. But when the Mauvoisin dam was created, the original hiking trail got flooded and a maintenance road was built. It’s a proper 4x4 track and not open to the public to drive on, but it’s an awesome off-road route accessible for even the novice mountain biker. 

It starts off with an impressive tunnel with 12 ‘windows’ carved out in the rock to give you a view as you ride through the mountain. Once you pop out on the other side, the enormous blue lake accompanies you for 5 kilometers as you cruise your way down past waterfalls and glacier views. 

Once you reach the end of the lake, all signs of human life seem to disappear (with the exception of the jeep track that is). The mountains are towering around you as you start the 800m ascend towards the hut. No matter how many times you’ve been in the high alpine, this stuff never gets boring. 

Singletracks

If the views and remote experience aren’t enough for you as a rider, are there any good singletracks to be found? The answer is obviously yes. If you want to keep it mellow, but throw in a little excitement there is a nice winding singletrack that snakes from the hut back to the jeep track. If you don’t mind a hike-a-bike, you can opt to return back to the dam via the right bank of the Lac de Mauvoisin. 

This is definitely a challenging trail, but for the skilled rider it is mostly rideable. Make sure you don’t eat too much at lunch though as the hike to the ridge is steep and techy. Keep in mind this trail is not really suited for E-MTB’s either. 

If you’re a proper two wheeled adventure (wo)man, you can also opt to spend the night in the hut and start the next day by crossing over into Italy through the 2797m high Fenetre de Durand. The 500m climb from the hut is one you’ll definitely remember, but you’ll reach a singletrack descent that ends with Italian Pizza. How to get back? Either through an epic climb over the Gran Saint Bernard's pass, or loop it into a multi day adventure and spend a night in an Italian refuge like Bonatti. Options plenty! 

Get someone hooked! 

It’s great to see how mountain biking brings amazing places within reach, helping local entrepreneurs supporting their family. If you’re looking for a mellow day away from bikeparks, or want to introduce anyone into the joys of mountain biking, this tour is pure gold. Have a look at the Cabane de Chanrion website and start scheming to get someone hooked on mountain bikes! 

- https://www.chanrion.ch/

 

By IMB

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