When the snow fades, the trails emerge.

I remember the sadness that came over me when the last dump of the year had fallen and the snow slowly faded away. I already longed for the start of winter again. During those summers I would go out to catch some waves or just enjoy some family time.

Whoever thinks surfing is the equivalent of snowboarding is mistaken. It has a totally different feel to it. The adrenaline rush that you get from snowboarding is totally different from catching a wave. It’s also euphoric, but yet not the same.

I thought of what summer activity could help keep my body in shape for winter and was just as exhilarating as snowboarding or skiing. That’s when I found mountain biking.

The things they have in common? The thrill of the descent, the beauty of the mountains and the challenge of picking a line. During splitboarding, you ‘earn your turns’ or we use lifts to access the backcountry, even to ride slopes. The similarity is astonishing. You either choose to paddle up the mountain and freeride your way down or get a liftcard and enjoy the bike parks that are now gaining popularity, with the climate changing every year.

Why snowboarders and skiers should try mountain biking!

Snow becomes dirt.. Slush becomes mud.. Ice become rocks.. Same same, but different. The way we train the body and mind is also similar, same adrenaline rush, the same weightlessness, same feeling when you hit a jump. Both two controversial sports that had to struggle their way through the evolution of mountain sports.

It struck so many similarities, for me it’s the ultimate feeling of freedom, without any motorised power, getting to the top and enjoying the serenity that nature has to offer. Combining that with the adrenaline rush of the descent, the longing for winter is gone!

Did I inspire you to get on that bike after reading the email? Ask us about the mountainbike possibilities close to Haus Arlberg!