Scotland Via Ferrata Expeditions Alpine 4000 Nick Bullock Andy ...

MOVEMENT
This is like teaching someone how to climb
a tree – basically you get to the start of the
route, clip both krabs into the cable and
away you go! The main thing to remember
is to never have both krabs unclipped at
the same time, so at re-belays (where the
cable is re-anchored to the rock, usually
every 5m or so) you unclip your leading
crab and re-clip it past the re-belay, then
follow with your second krab. Some shock
absorbers have different coloured arms in
the Y-shaped section to prevent twisting.
If not, you can use different colours of insulation
tape on the spine of your
karabiners to differentiate between your
leading and seconding ones.
You can also use one of the krabs for
resting on a vertical or overhanging section
if your arms are tired. Just unclip one
of the arms of the Y from the cable, clip it
into a rung and sit in your harness - the
shock absorber will not slip unless shock
loaded. But always remember to keep one
arm of the Y clipped into the cable.
SAFETY
As these routes are essentially man made
they can and do fail, and should be treated
with the same caution as any fixed equipment
in the mountains. A brief visual inspection
should be made as you travel over
them and keep an eye out for any obvious
signs of wear; badly rusted or loose ladders,
loose cable anchors etc. Bear in mind that
the ladder rungs in particular are subject to
wear from passing climbers and in combination
with extremes of weather do occasionally
become bent or loose.
Even though the routes are generally
technically straightforward, there are a couple
of other points to bear in mind, especially
if you are in a mixed ability group or
with the kids. Firstly, there can lot of arm
work involved, and on harder routes it’s
possible that less strong climbers may become
exhausted and be unable to continue.
Start with some of the easier Ferrata, try to
pick routes that are within the ability of
the whole group, and always make sure an
experienced climber, instructor or guide is
with you if there are doubts. Consider employing
a top rope for steep or difficult
sections if someone isn’t too confident.
Secondly, though kids will love the climbing,
their hands may be too small to operate
the Klettersteig karabiners properly, or
they may lack the grip strength required for
their repeated operation. Check this before
setting off and keep an eye out en-route.
The style of Via Ferrata varies with location.
Some are almost roadside adventure
playgrounds, others are full on days in the
mountains requiring thousands of feet of
ascent and descent. Before heading off, take
time to think about your planned adventure.
Some Ferratas start or finish on very
exposed terrain, and short-roping inexperienced
members of the party may be required.
LOCATION
Traditionally, the main focus for Via Ferrata
was the Dolomites, extending into Austria
with a few (generally poorly equipped)
routes in other areas. Plenty of information
on these areas is readily available in the UK
as they are popular and long established.
See “Via Ferrata - Scrambles in the Dolomites”
by Cicerone for information.
The only disadvantage is that they can
get rather busy in the summer months, even
to the extent of queues forming. Now, many
areas are having something of a resurgence
in the creation of new Via Ferrata, particularly
in the mountain regions of France, with
a large number of routes recently opened
in the Dauphine and Haute Alps. In true
tradition many of these new routes have
been manufactured to follow spectacular
situations in their own right, and do not
take in any summits. The main way of getting
information on these routes is through
the local Bureau de Guides; a quick web
search or call to the Club Alpin Francais will
get you their contact details.
So, now you’ve got the low down on the
“iron ways”, why not get out there and have
some of the best fun on the hill! ;
�����������was the BMC Youth Officer, but
now is back instructing and coaching in
the UK and Southern France. See
www.mountfenton.com for more details.
�������Roadside adventure fun at Orpierre.
Credit: Ian Fenton.
������� A longer, more traditional Via
Ferrata. Credit: John Shaw.
WIRE WARNING
As mentioned, always check fixed gear in
the mountains wherever possible. We
received this letter from David Francis which
highlights the issue very well:
"A word of warning for anyone heading for
the Dolomites for a bit of Via Ferrata bagging
- don’t blindly trust the wires! Last summer
we tackled the excellent Via Giovanni Lipella
on Tofana di Rozes to the west of Cortina.
The climb is sustained and exposed in places,
but offers a perfect mix of dramatic scenery
and challenging moves, a local classic.
We’d been climbing for over four hours as
we set about negotiating the series of pitches
and ledges that lead up through the ‘amphitheatre’
to the summit ridge. I was in front
of the group for the final pitch and had begun
pulling on the wire for balance and momentum.
However, as I popped my head over
the final ledge I was shocked to find that the
wire I had been relying on for my safety had
been cut.
Rock fall had damaged it, so at my end, it
only just poked through the hole in the last
stanchion, and was held there by a single
metal clamp. Had I fallen or pulled hard, the
clamp would most likely have slipped off, with
obvious consequences.
That evening we concluded that none of
us would ever blindly trust the wires again
and would try and avoid pulling on it, especially
in exposed locations. We also decided
that on the harder routes it would be sensible
to carry a short length of climbing rope, a
couple of krabs and a few slings as a back
up."
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