When mountain bikers head up to the Chasseral from Biel, they will typically choose a route taking them towards Les Près d’Orvin and the Place Centrale. A few might make the deadly sin of riding the paved road out of Nods. I wanted to take a different approach on this Labor Day and labor up the steep slopes south of Corgémont and Cortébert. I left Biel and followed the Suze creek to Reuchnette and Sonceboz. In Sonceboz I began climbing up to the Cernil du Bas then rode a wonderful trail right below the Combe du Bex. Right after this gulch, the trail narrowed and steepened, requiring a short hike up to a wider fire road. This one led me to the Prés de Cortébert from where I followed the yellow hiking trail markers to the Petite Douanne.
From here I was back on familiar trails to the Métairie de Morat, the Petit Chasseral and the last paved climb up the the very top of the Chasseral. It was a very different way to get there. The ride to Sonceboz is easy and although it passes through the cement factory in Rondchâtel, it’s actually pretty scenic, especially right along the Suze creek. The climb that follows is absolutely fantastic, curving along a dizzily steep hillside. For the technical kick, I returned taking the ridge trail east to the Cabane du Jura and dropped down to the Bellevue. The Spaghetti Trail was next on the menu. On the way from Jorat to Evilard, I passed two Biel-Bienne Bikers and hit the final descent back into town. This is a loop I’ll be doing whenever I want a couple of hours away from the busier trails.
| Distance: | 52km (32 miles) |
| Total Climb: | 1680m (5530 feet) |
| GPS Track: | GPSies.com |
| Slideshow: | 9 photos |
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29inch posted this
