Enduro in Lenzerheide: Furcletta and Alplisee

Words and photographs by Graziano De Maio

Long enduro descents on the Furcletta and Alplisee trails

The Rothorn 2 cable car drops you into an impressive Alpine landscape, the kind seen on famous Instagram accounts where a dramatic filter makes everything look like Mars. Up here, the silence is broken only by your breathing and your tyres working across the rocks.

I wanted to come to Lenzerheide for one reason: the Furcletta Trail. Even saying “Furcletta” made me feel like a proper rider. It sounded Celtic, transalpine, something for riders like Harald Philipp. I had researched the route, collected a GPS track and gathered information. One morning in late July, I was finally there with Enrica Brognoli, who may not have a German name but has become a very accomplished rider.

That was how I discovered Lenzerheide, a lovely place whose lift-assisted trails still feel like big mountain adventures. Having finally taken the photograph beneath the yellow Furcletta Pass sign, I can say that anyone who loves all-mountain and enduro riding should take an interest in its long, wild trails through the valleys towards Arosa and back.

Furcletta Trail

Two sections carrying the bike, trails as far as the eye can see and 14 km of singletrack descending.

The Furcletta Trail begins at the pass of the same name and descends to Arosa. Beneath that yellow sign, sit down for a moment and prepare yourself: fourteen kilometres of rocks, corners, little turns, bursts of pedalling and changes of gradient, enjoying the pushes and accelerations that mountain biking offers when you have the skills to dance with the terrain.

That descent was my destination, but it is only one part of the full ride. Not because you must suffer excessively beforehand, but because there is so much more to enjoy. Fourteen kilometres of descending might have been enough; this ride feels like a feast.

From the top of Rothorn 2, a rocky, lunar trail plunges into a side valley. It is long and technical, with sections bordering on trials riding. Then comes the first carry, around forty-five minutes. The views make the time pass quickly, provided the weather is kind and you are not dealing with rain and cold.

A lovely hillside trail leads into the next valley, where Furcletta Pass appears high on the right. Another easy twenty-minute carry reaches it. Take that photograph beside the yellow sign and remember what I said: the famous fourteen-kilometre trail really does take you to Arosa!

Once there, climb through the village to the chairlift and ride back up. There is one more decision: to reach the Lenzerheide side, another little valley must be crossed. We could either take the cable car or ride the visible up-and-down connection, around forty minutes on the bike.

Back above Lenzerheide, another remarkable trail descends to the village. It is never particularly steep, has plenty of places to pedal and accelerate, and goes on for a very long time. Now the idea of a feast makes sense.

The map shows the lifts and connections. We rode anticlockwise from Lenzerheide.

Interactive map and GPS track (in Italian).

A note on the terrain

The day’s video was intended to show the character of the route and help riders judge the skills needed to enjoy it. Remember that this is high-altitude riding, which makes the effort greater if you are not accustomed to it.

Alplisee Trail

This trail seems to float along the valley side, between the summits and the little lakes below.

Alplisee is a more popular all-mountain/enduro option than Furcletta because there is no carrying. There is a price to pay, though: no photograph beneath the yellow Furcletta Pass sign!

Again, start from Rothorn 2, this time descending on the left. The trail crosses a Mars-like landscape and is never dull. Beyond a striking protective tunnel, a seemingly endless path runs along the mountainside. It can look intimidating, stretching so far away from where you left the car.

It leads to the very enjoyable Arosa bike park, then back to the ascent used on the Furcletta ride. Again, choose between the cable car and a little more pedalling to reach the Lenzerheide side. The final flowing descent ends with a good, if expensive, Swiss beer.