We did the Honister Pass Via Ferrata Xtreme (dude) yesterday. Both enjoyed it, although it was a little tame. (I’d have happily done all bar the wire rope bridge sans harness). We both do a bit of indoor climbing, and the VF feels like it bridges the gap nicely between walking/hiking and full on climbing and allows us to get a taste of the high life without both needing to commit to high grade of outside climbing with all that implies. (on the whole I’d rather stick to being a damn good biker, than an average biker and an average climber),

So to take things a stage further, can anybody recommend some good VF routes (maybe multi day?) in Europe? Obviously the Italian Alps is where it all started, there appears to be some in Chamonix, and I think there was a bit in Les Arcs too.

Do you generally bother with guides? Harnesses are no problem, I already have a helmet and buying a second one and some lanyards is no big deal, and I have enough rope, pulleys and krabs at work (all UIAA rated gear) to knock up a sensible rescue kit, so in theory it’s largely down to route finding. However I’m grown up enough to realise theres a difference between theory and practice in the mountains…!

Cheers!

Lots all over Europe. Have a mate who does quit a bit in France and Switzerland (I recall around Avoriaz and Roche Naye above Montreux), its not for me and he actually says he thinks its more dangerous than climbing in terms of injuries if you fall. He was born in Switzerland so he knows the areas well and doesn’t go with a guide. I can ask him for a recommendation.

At the expense of teaching you to such eggs, just watch out as the loadings on a vf fall are way more than a climbing fall, it’s not just a sling and crabs that you’re using.

There’s a good guide book for the French Alps, what it doesn’t mention that they vf like they queue, so if you’re in the way expect to get climbed over.

Rescue kit, hmmmmm, what for exactly ?

Anyway, VF, buy the Cicerone Dolomites guide and try looking no further than Cortina, Arraba or Corvara literally hundreds to go at within an hours drive and most of them classics.

If you want France then a base of Briancon would be good

Loads in the Dolomites. All very well signed and supported with lift access and mountain restaurants.

The easy/beginner ones looked ok, the intermediate ones looked terrifying (diagonal traverse across a 100m sheer face, halfway up).

Might be hard to see but the Ferratas are marked with crosses, the challenging paths with dashes and the towpath-esque paths for ze germans in solid lines. 70 euro for weeks lift pass, inc busses.

The Dolomites (South Tyrrol area) is absolutely fantastic. We’ve stayed in Selva and it’s a great location with the added bonus of Austrian efficiency and Itallian food!

Oh, and apologies if this is blindingly obvious, but the travel insurance companies all class vf as full-on mountain climbing. 3000m seemed to be the limit of the policies too; some vfs will go above that.

Get a proper via ferrata harness/arrest device. Oh, bring gloves.

Loved our time in Chamonix, so much on your door step.

+100 for the dolomites, just so much crammed into a small area.

Second Arraba and Corvara. Fantastic routes of all grades. The Cicerone guide is good and will help frame a sensible itinerary. Two additional comments. A hazard I hadn’t expected on some of the Dolomites routes was the number of people on the routes, going up and down: quite a challenge at times. The other is that many of the best routes, though not all, are in high mountain terrain (so weather, route-finding etc are factors). I would suggest that being comfortable in that environment is what should determine whether you can do this on your own. It is a fantastic activity!

+Gazillion for the Dolomites (I stayed in Arabba). Stunning routes as well as some of the history that still remains (my favorite route was the Via del Trincee, knife edge ridge, ‘Indiana Jones’ bridge, then finishes goes through the old tunnels that the soldiers used during the war). There are all sorts of routes there, from more ‘scenic but exposed’ to what would amount to any easy alpine grade climb, so you can find your feet easy enough.

+1 for gloves (cheap fingerless bike gloves are good), don’t forget helmets as there can be a bit of loose rock around, and a couple of spare ‘normal’ slings and some krabs are a good idea.

Also, as has been noted above, and apologies if you’re aware, but you do need proper fall arresting lanyards, not just static slings which can snap your spine on a slip.

Insurance wise I always use the British Mountaineering Council, you need to be a member, but then the card gets you 10% discount in plenty of outdoor shops so can pretty much pay for itself in a year (they also do a family membership).

Some of the French stuff seemed more like easy(ish) rock climbing (Especially around Annecy) with VF protection, whereas the Italian stuff was ‘technically’ easier, although still physical and definitely exposed. Personally preferred the stuff in Italy.

Also cicerone guide written from a ‘Walking’ point of view, so can make them sound harder than they are. Had to really persuade MrsGF to try the harder ones, but once on them she loved them.

Did this yesterday
http://www.interracorsa.com

Bloody ace via ferrata.

Had the route to myself. More safety line climbing than some of the Italian stuff.

Pretty much full on low grade climbing in places. Enough to get a few heebiejeebies.

Dual safety connectors and an 8x zip wire descent. Kids one too.

Cool, thank you.

Well aware of the difference between static slings and VF lanyards (I do some work positioning/fall restraint/fall arrest stuff at work, so it’s familar ground)

Useful info about the insurance.

Rescue kit, hmmmmm, what for exactly ?

When somebody fall off and is hanging on the extended shock pack, they could be 2 or 3 m below where they started, which might not be convenient for stepping back on a ladder. Or if they get stuck by falling rock and knocked unconcious, they might be “safe” hanging in their harness, but you’ve got less than 10 mins before suspension trauma sets in… Sure you might not have anywhere to lower the casualty to, but maybe having somewhere to get them, but not the kit with which to do so would be bloody stupid.

Few really nice VF routes in Val d’Isere. Pic of me on the last main face last week 🙂

Less problem with suspension trauma in a climbing sit-harness . More problems with full body harness with the attachment point on the back where you get to hang vertically.

Less problem with suspension trauma in a climbing sit-harness

I definitely get traumatised on a hanging belay. 🙂

Don’t forget your rescue kit might be useful if you rapidly need to get off the route such as a sudden storm, or you discover the cable on the crux move of the route has been damaged by ice fall

I’ve seen all sorts on Italian VF routes and having the ability to “solve a problem” is invaluable

Have done some amazing longer routes in the Dolomites.. you can easily go off for a week or more linking many sections of via ferrata. We carried camping gear which made some of the climbing a bit more interesting!

I spent a week in the Dolomites doing VF many years ago. Some lovely long routes. We wanted to do the Crystal (of Cliffhanger film fame), but the cable car was shut for maintenance, so never managed it.

Also done some nice sport (modern) ones in France near Briancon: http://www.briancon-vauban.com/viaferrata.html

We did one in the Durance gorge just out of L’Argentierre La Bessee nr Briancon. Some bits like easy climbing grades. I’m a climber and had to stop to think about a few bits. We did jump straight on the black one tho.

Durance gorge

Is that the one which ends on a huge pipe?

Yep. That’s the one!

A long time ago we had a nice time camping near Canazei. Lovely spot and good VF. There may be better places but we had a great time there.

We did one in the Durance gorge just out of L’Argentierre La Bessee nr Briancon. Some bits like easy climbing grades. I’m a climber and had to stop to think about a few bits. We did jump straight on the black one tho.

Ha ha, I’m right there right now..! 🙂

Not doing VF’s though 😥