Macavalanche 2026

In 2012 I did the New Year’s Day uphill (running) race on Aonach Mor with John. A mere 14 years later I was back for a downhill-only race, albeit this time on a bike. The Macavalanche is based on a race in France called the Megavalanche, that one starting on a glacier and descending to the valley. The Scottish version starts on one of the Nevis Range ski pistes and drops down to the bottom gondola station. The format was a couple of seeding runs in the lower woods, followed by a ride on the gondola. This preceded a push up the hill (to just below the 800 metre contour) and then a mass start. Us e-bikes started fifteen minutes behind the normal bikes, giving us time to witness their absolute carnage and regret our decision to enter. It subsequently transpired that I have two characteristics which mean I’m not a good racer: (1) I hate people riding behind me, and enjoy it much more if I just let them pass, and (2) I stopped to gaze up the valley between Aonach Mòr and Càrn Mòr Dearg because it just looked lovely. These deficiencies aside, the race run was very enjoyable, and definitely something I’m glad I experienced; it’s certainly not something you get to do very often.