HIGH PEAKS

The jagged skyline of the Valais region of Switzerland provides a stunning backdrop for a gravel ride with very few lows but plentiful highs

Words and photography ALAIN RUMPF

Switzerland has its fair share of incredible road passes. The Grosse Scheidegg, Furka, St Gotthard and Albula are some of the best known, all incredibly scenic and generally with far fewer visitors (and hence traffic) than their giant French and Italian counterparts. Even so, you’re rarely alone on the tarmac in the way you can be completely alone on gravel. There is also the fact that roads don’t allow you to spend so much time above the treeline as the rough stuff does. And that’s where the adventure really begins. The Valais region of Switzerland is the perfect territory for such an adventure. The high-perched villages and the abundance of 4,000m peaks (Valais is home to 22 peaks above that altitude), provide a visually stunning arena for any ride, but especially…

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Cyclist Off Road (Digital) - 1 Issue, Autumn 2020

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