Switzerland with Big Mountain Bike Adventures: (All Photos By Chris Winter)

Greetings from the land of chocolate, watches, bank accounts, army knives, and now…epic freeride mountain biking. Yup, this is Switzerland and we’re getting it done with the help of Chris Winter and his posse of guides at BIG MOUNTAIN BIKE ADVENTURES.

Big Mountain Bike Adventures is a high end tour company that serves up a variety of exotic and international locales to satisfy even the most demanding of travel savvy action seekers. Trips include: British Columbia, Morocco, Italy, Costa Rica, South Africa/Botswana, Mexico, and of course, Switzerland.

Switzerland, as Chris explains to us, is quickly emerging as one of the top freeride mountain bike destinations in the world. With an elaborate and meticulously maintained network of trails and lifts, the Alps offer endless possibilities when choosing your path of choice. Dating back to medieval times, these pathways were built by locals as a means of foot transportation between high alpine villages. To this day, trails are individually maintained by the local village jurisdiction they run through…not commercially! Until recently, these trails have been used primarily for hiking and some cross country mountain biking. Now, with the emergence of freeride mountain bikes and the foresight of Big Mountain Bike Adventures, they’ve tapped into a hidden secret that’s been in the face of Europeans for centuries. Nice work Chris!

Come along with us as we spend 10 action packed days in Zermatt and Verbier with Chris and a few of his world class guides (Joe Schwartz, Paulo Valle, and Wade Simmons). As Chris says, “Our mountain bike trips are unparalleled; melding the very best single-track, unique cultural experiences, professional leaders in a flawlessly organized small-group adventure. Our mountain biking roots run deep and our passion to innovate and deliver a world-class adventure is evident at every turn. At the end of the day we just love to ride.”