A via ferrata, an iron path, is a climbing route fitted with steel cables, rungs and ladders. You wear a harness and stay clipped to the cable, so you can climb steep rock without being a rock climber. Many in the Dolomites follow paths first built during the First World War.
What you wear
- A climbing harness.
- A via ferrata lanyard with an energy absorber and two carabiners.
- A helmet.
- Gloves, to save your hands on the cable.
Before the first clip, your guide checks every buckle on your harness, the lanyard and its absorber, and the fit of your helmet. Then they show you the one rule that matters: one carabiner on the cable at all times. At each anchor you move one, then the other.
The first ladder is the moment most people go quiet. It feels steeper than it is. By the third section, you stop looking at your hands and start looking at the view.
Routes are graded by difficulty. We start every first-timer on an easy, short route with a guide, and only plan a harder one once you have enjoyed the first.
