High Five in Monatfon

Mountainbike - Enduro: Around the Itonskopf in Montafon

Wonderful late summer weather in the Austrian Alps – perfect for a mountain bike tour that I already did in 2007 … and that I wanted to do again for a new photo shoot. Now it has been done – with Christian and René, two experts on the Enduro bike from the Westallgäu.

We started in the mountain village called Bartholomäberg above Schruns-Tschagguns. Up to the first destination “Rellseck” it was a good 400 Hm pure crank work without photographic highlights. Before we started from there another 300 Hm to Alplegi, we used the brilliant panorama around the chapel for a first shooting.

The further ascent to the highest point of the tour is a bit tough again, but no problem for good bikers. Next highlight for photos is the crossing itself with wonderful views to impressive peaks like the Zimba, the Three Towers or to the almost 3000 m high mountain range of Schesaplana.

A first bike-technical challenge is the short trail down to Alpe Latons (only for experts – but can be bypassed). Unfortunately, the Alpe was already closed, so we continued without a break and attacked the partly difficult trails high above the Klostertal. The view into the depth, also to the famous railway line of the Arlbergbahn you should enjoy – it is really impressive!

The following trails are mostly rideable for good mountain bikers, but partly exposed, rooted and humid – therefore it is depending on your riding skills,

weather and sunshine better to push the bike sometimes.

After some time of up and down on the eastern hillside of the Itonskopf massif, the view suddenly opens up towards Klostertal/Arlberg, Silbertal and a little later the western mountains of the Montafon are in front of you again.

One amazing photo spot after the other and a lot of fun for me and the Enduro bikers characterize these passages – until we reach one last highlight of the tour … the idyllic Fritzasee with sensational views of the upper Montafon and the distant peaks of the Silvretta!

The return trip to Bartholomaeberg is a pleasure on the small asphalt road with many curves – at the end of the tour we “rewarded” ourselves with a cool wheat beer!

The tour is about 22 km long, there are about 1000 hm to be mastered – starting point is the parking area near the church in Bartholomäberg.

All pictures are model-released and with RF-license available soon from my picture agency.

Here is the link to the series in the stock agency (still inactive!) …

Tip: Click on the picture bar below to open a picture show!

Date: 15.09.2019     Route: Bartholomäberg/Itonskopf