FACTS
| Project | Planning and construction of the “Bike Flowtrail Schwarzsee” |
| Client | Kaisereggbahnen Schwarzsee AG |
| Location | Schwarzsee, Switzerland |
| Period | May to August 2025 |
| project Manager | Colin Leutenegger |
| Trail Crew | Colin Leutenegger, Joel Dunkl, Fabi Umundum, Eduardo Arruda, Chris Thaller, Mathieu Baty, Jean-Lou Musy, Phil, Will |
NEWS FROM CONSTRUCTION IN WESTERN SWITZERLAND
Under the project management and expertise of Colin Leutenegger, the 3.6 km long "Bike Flowtrail Schwarzsee" is being built. The trail crew, each with a machinist and hand crew, worked in parallel on three sections on Riggisalp. The goal was always to not only make the most of the terrain and the 427 meters of elevation, but also to create something unique. Construction in Schwarzsee took approximately 3.5 months – the trail was officially opened on September 7th. The Riggisalp chairlift takes bikers and their bikes to the start of the diverse trail at 1,491 meters.
Bike Flowtrail Schwarzsee
- Length: 3.6 km
- Elevation difference: 427
- Level/Character: Red flow trail in the upper section, blue flow trail in the lower section, with red and black options. Access from the blue trail is via a forest road.
- Ascent by chairlift with bike transport
MANY OPTIONS, MANY GAMES, LOTS OF VARIETY: THE “BIKE FLOWTRAIL SCHWARZSEE”
The Flow Trail offers a wide variety of features. Where possible, the trail is designed to accommodate a variety of difficulty levels. Large, beginner-friendly banked turns with wide entrances and exits, waves, and easy elements are ideal for beginners and families. At the same time, many challenging red to black features are optionally included. Advanced riders can look forward to a jump line, various doubles, drops, and tables – for fun, for shoving, and for plenty of airtime. However, everything can be bypassed or rolled. The intuitive course and overall difficulty are red in the upper section and blue later on – thus ensuring the trail remains equally attractive for beginners and experienced mountain bikers.
STEEP AND WET: SPECIAL FEATURES AND CHALLENGES DURING CONSTRUCTION
The 427 meters of altitude have their pitfalls: Our trail crew is confronted with some very steep slopes, which complicates construction and makes the work more challenging.
In addition, the ground is very wet, machinist Joel explains what this means for the work on site:
"The terrain in Schwarzsee is challenging for construction work; it has many wet spots. With conventional trail construction, we can drain the water through the trail itself, but here we have to install numerous drainage pipes. The soil, which is sometimes very clayey and waterlogged, requires the use of external materials, such as compactable gravel. Wherever possible, however, we work with material compensation, i.e., with raw materials that are found locally. The planning of the trail leaves enough room for maneuver, to with the terrain and the surroundingsunits working on site to be able to. So can we Elements that are attractive depending on the situation install, e.g. additional options for jumps.“
The impact on nature will be minimized wherever possible and will be almost invisible within a few weeks after construction, allowing the surrounding area to quickly grow back into the natural environment. Wildlife refuges have been taken into account in the planning and will not be affected.
WITH RECOGNITION & TEAMWORK INTO THE FINAL SPRINT
The trail construction project at Schwarzsee is making an impression – in many ways. The small community is nestled in a beautiful landscape at the end of a valley in western Switzerland – less than 30 minutes from Fribourg. The locals exude a special kind of hospitality and identify 100% with the trail. Locals like Philipp, Hans Peter, and Nicolas are supporting the trail crew during construction – this ensures even greater cohesion within the entire project team. Kaisereggbahnen Schwarzsee AG is showing its special gratitude with a unique BBQ at sunset at the mountain station in the final stretch of the construction phase. The A-Team would like to thank the crew again for the invitation to this magical evening. Another token of appreciation for their hard work: the crew made the front page of the Freiburger Zeitung even before the opening.
Our conclusion: This isn't just a job, it's a unique trail that's being created out of passion.
