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96-535: On the Rother-Bergverlag website, only 8 Alpine club and area guides are listed as available, the series will no longer be continued. The AV guides contain all the routes – hiking trails, mountain hut approaches, and summit climbs as well as ice and high mountain routes and klettersteigs in each mountain range. The descriptions are factual and dry, with few illustrations and despite introductory sections require general Alpine knowledge and experience. Examples are

192-619: A tourist attraction . Mass tourism was decisively promoted by the scenic High Alpine Road ( Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße ) running from Heiligenblut to Bruck in Salzburg with a branch-off to the Franz-Josefs-Höhe viewpoint. It was built across the historic Hochtor Pass of the Alpine divide between 1930 and 1935 according to plans designed by engineer Franz Wallack . The pass road, Austria's highest, reaches 2,576 m (8,451 ft), and

288-400: A "V" configuration. These were the first to be developed but suffer from a major limitation – it is essential to clip only one arm at a time onto the cable. If both arms are clipped, the energy absorber will not work. Some lanyards also have a short third arm which allows the climber to rest on steep sections. Some types of commercially available lanyards have retractable arms to keep them out of

384-460: A 2012 accident. Austria, with as of 2009 over 550 Klettersteige, is arguably the country that has most enthusiastically embraced the via ferrata – with via ferratas promoted as a way to experience nature and with the regional sections of the ÖAV (Austrian Alpine Club) basing many of their harder walks around via ferratas. Via ferratas in Austria have a long history, with routes being established at

480-442: A 5-level grading system is provided below, but clearly individual guidebooks grades should be checked against their own definitions. One criticism of these grading system is that they ignore the severity and length of the difficulties – a long, high mountain route with extensive passages of grade D is very different from a short valley route also graded D, but with only a brief difficult section. To overcome this, additional ratings on

576-541: A Grossglockner expedition. They engaged two peasants from Heiligenblut as mountain guides to do the first explorations for an ascent through the Leitertal valley, which is the side of Grossglockner with the least ice (people feared glaciers in these times). These valiant men, called "Glockners" in the records, did more than they were ordered to do—and probably reached the Kleinglockner summit on 23 July 1799. One month later

672-839: A closed circuit is near the village Vír and the eponymous dam. There are at least 4 via ferratas in Hungary . There are several via ferratas in the Rugova Mountains , near Peja . The Ari via ferrata was conceived in 2012 and constructed with the collaboration of Italian and Kosovar alpine clubs. The via ferrata Berim is near Zubin Potok and is the longest and highest in the Balkans. Several via ferratas ( 15 in 2020 ) are found in Norway , usually named by their Norwegian word klatresti which roughly translates as 'climbing trail'. The recent years have seen

768-428: A fall which can be much longer, the fall factor (which in rock climbing does not normally exceed two) can be high. These high factors generate considerable forces which the human body, as well as most items of climbing equipment, cannot withstand, leading to serious injury and equipment failure. To address this, a number of devices have been developed to act as shock absorbers or progressive brakes. They aim to dissipate

864-633: A fatal via ferrata accident in August 2012 where both elastic lanyards on the energy-absorbing systems (EAS) in a via ferrata set failed, the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation ( UIAA ) worked with manufacturers to identify and recall several models of EAS systems. In the European Economic Area , energy absorbing systems for use in via ferrata climbing are classed as personal protective equipment (PPE) and are subject to

960-634: A few places elsewhere. Via ferratas have traditionally been associated with limestone mountain regions, notably the Dolomites and the Northern Limestone Alps , as the steep nature of the terrain creates the need for some form of protected paths, while the presence of ledges and natural weaknesses means relatively easy but rewarding routes can often be created. However, they are now found in a range of different terrains. Simple protected paths, with ladders and basic protection aids, have probably existed in

1056-557: A few routes lead to a summit. The most difficult via ferrata in the world is on the Canary Islands (Via Ferrata Extraplomix, Gran Canaria , unique Grading G). A specialty are routes that lead through waterless canals (e.g. Canal de las Damas, Collbató , Grading D). Despite its central position in the Alps, via ferratas took a long time to arrive in Switzerland . It was not until 1993 that

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1152-477: A primarily an A to F 6-point scale and 5 intermediate grades are also used (e.g. C/D). The website www.klettersteig.de uses grades 1 to 6, although based on the Schall system. In France, the 6 classic alpine grades are used: F – Facile; PD – Peu Difficile; AD – Assez Difficile; D– Difficile: TD – Très Difficile: ED – Extrêmement Difficile (although these grades bear no comparison to their Alpine counterparts). An outline of

1248-564: A record in Norway both in vertical metre and for the highest end point. Another via ferrata also opened in Åndalsnes in 2017. As of 2022, there are at least twelve areas with via ferrata routes in Romania. Most routes are "sport" oriented, opened in recent years, with grades varying from A to E. There is a cluster of twenty-one routes near Peștera Muierilor , in the Baia de Fier commune, Gorj county, where

1344-470: A reputation which it still retains. In developing the Via delle Bocchette, a certain ethic was followed – climbing aids were kept to a minimum, and the routes deliberately do not access any summits, an approach which is sometimes but not always followed by modern via ferratas. The Via delle Bocchette helped establish the idea of doing via ferratas in their own right, rather than as access to summits or to climbs. In

1440-727: A rope was fixed between the summits of Grossglockner , and in 1873 fixed protection was installed on the Zugspitze . In the Pyrenees , iron climbing aids were installed on the Pic du Midi d'Ossau in 1880, and in the Ordesa in 1881. The Northern Limestone Alps saw the first routes still in use today as via ferratas: the Heilbronner Way in the German Allgau Alps was constructed in 1899, shortly followed by

1536-458: A useful way to encourage tourism and increase the range of activities available to visitors, and so routes were developed by local communities, outdoor activity centres, cable car companies, mountain refuges and others, as well as continuing involvement by the Alpine clubs. Development of via ferratas has spread out of its original areas to the rest of the Alps and beyond. The first via ferrata in France

1632-427: A valid mountain activity in own right, with its own guidebooks, equipment, grading system and enthusiasts, with an increasing number of locations becoming available to undertake via ferrata climbs. Various grading systems exist for via ferratas. Most focus on the level of difficulty of the hardest passage and use a 5- or 6-point scale. Miller uses grades 1 to 5. The Kurt Schall guides ( Klettersteig-Atlas series) use

1728-457: Is a climbing route in the mountains that employs steel cables, rungs, or ladders, fixed to the rock to which the climbers affix a harness with two leashes , which allows the climbers to secure themselves to the metal fixture and limit any fall. The cable and other fixtures, such as iron rungs (stemples), pegs, carved steps, and ladders and bridges, provide both footings and handholds, as well. This allows climbing on otherwise dangerous routes without

1824-435: Is a protected climbing route found in the Alps and certain other Alpine locations. The protection includes steel fixtures such as cables and railings to arrest the effect of any fall, which the climber can either hold onto or clip into using climbing protection . Some via ferrata can also include steel fixtures that provide aid in overcoming the obstacles encountered, including steel ladders and steel steps. A via ferrata

1920-796: Is also the watershed between the Kals Valley and its Teischnitz and Ködnitz side valleys on the Tyrolean side and the Möll Valley with the Pasterze glacier on the Carinthian side. The region around the mountain has formed part of the Grossglockner-Pasterze special protected area within the High Tauern National Park since 1986. The Glockner is the highest mountain in the Alps east of

2016-583: Is first documented in a 1561 map designed by the Viennese cartographer Wolfgang Lazius . The denotation Glogger is mentioned in a 1583 description of the Tyrolean Kals legal district, then referring to the whole ridge south of the Alpine main chain. In the 1760s, the Atlas Tyrolensis listed a Glockner Berg , the prefix Gross- ("great") is not mentioned before the first expedition in 1799. According to

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2112-441: Is not being reused after a fall (particularly valuable in the case of rented equipment); the disadvantage is that it can be used only once, leaving the climber unprotected in case of a second fall. The other type of energy absorber is a metal braking device with a rope passing through it and attached to the harness. Previously popular, these have been largely withdrawn after the re-evaluation of via ferrata safety that occurred after

2208-584: Is not listed in the Heiligenblut parish register. A local peasant named Sepp Hoysen is documented as a member of the second Grossglockner expedition in 1802, and the surveyor Ulrich Schiegg mentioned one Martin Reicher as "Glockner" guide. The peasants and several other members of the expedition (among them Schiegg and his young apprentice Valentin Stanič , who climbed Mt. Watzmann for the first time some weeks later) did

2304-620: Is part of the Glocknerkamm ridge in the Glockner Group that branches off the main chain of the Alps at Eiskögele , heading in a southeasterly direction and forming the boundary between the East Tyrolean municipality of Kals am Großglockner, about 8 km (5.0 mi) in the southwest at 1,324 m (4,344 ft), and Carinthian Heiligenblut , about 12 km (7.5 mi) in the northeast at 1,291 m (4,236 ft). This boundary

2400-628: Is possible to descend them. The origins of the via ferrata date back to the nineteenth century, but they are often associated with the First World War when several were built in the Dolomite mountain region of Italy to aid the movement of troops. Over 1000 via ferratas currently exist in the European Alps. The majority are found in Italy and Austria . Others are found in a number of European countries and

2496-678: Is the highest col in Austria, from which a couloir up to 55° in gradient and 600 m (2,000 ft) in altitude descends down to the Glocknerkees glacier, called Pallavicinirinne after the Austrian mountaineer Alfred von Pallavicini (1848–1886). It runs northeastwards and borders on the Northeast and North Faces of the Grossglockner. The latter faces are bounded by the Northwest Ridge, part of

2592-574: Is via Ferrata Dve veze (3 routes - B, C & C/D) and via Ferrata Zobor located in Nitra consiting of multiple routes ranging from A/B to D/E ratings. There are many via ferrata routes or route sections in Slovenia , though there is no definite list. In the western part ( Julian Alps ), a few have similar wartime origins to those in the Dolomites, all the rest being in disrepair or of later construction. Routes have evolved as protection has been added to trails in

2688-748: The AVF Allgäuer Alpen and the AVF Verwallgruppe . The AV guides are often used as the basis for other publications and complement the Alpine Club maps or other map series. For some of the available AV guides, a PDF file of an older edition can be downloaded free of charge, see. A number of the out-of-print Alpine Club guides can be downloaded free of charge as PDF files, see. Klettersteig A via ferrata ( Italian for "iron path", plural vie ferrate or in English via ferratas )

2784-1002: The Apuseni Mountains . The mountain rescue service in Harghita county built the route called "Wild Ferenc" in 2016, near Red Lake . Several via ferrata routes scattered in Slovakia , with the largest concentration located in a ski and via ferrata area in Skalka , close to the town of Kremnica . Skalka has two co-located, free public sub-areas. One is called via ferrata Komin which has one E rated (60metres), one D rated, one C rated, one B rated, two A/B rated and one A rated ferratas and several boulders. Second area, Via Ferrata Land, has one F rated (45 metres), one E rated, one D rated, three B rated and one A rated ferattas. Other via ferrata routes can be found in Martinske Hole (B & C), Kysel or Liptov where

2880-548: The Brenta Dolomites , it is possible to link via ferratas together, staying overnight in mountain refuges, and so undertake extensive multi-day climbing tours at high elevations. In difficulty, via ferratas can range from routes that are little more than paths, albeit in dramatic and exposed situations, to very steep and strenuous routes, overhanging in parts, demanding the strength—if not the technique—of serious rock climbing. Generally, via ferratas are done in ascent, although it

2976-659: The Dellach priest Franz Joseph Horasch (Orasch), only the four guides and Mathias Hautzendorfer, the local priest of the Rangersdorf parish, were able to cross the Obere Glocknerscharte and climb the Grossglockner summit. Hautzendorfer had to be persuaded to venture the step and administered the last rites in advance. The two "Glockners" are usually identified as the brothers Joseph ( Sepp ) and Martin Klotz , however, this surname

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3072-562: The Ecrins . This was shortly followed by the via ferratas at les Vigneaux just to the north (the easier route, La Voie du Colombier, is the most popular in France with 15,000 climbers per year) and the Aiguillette du Lauzet, a little further north (a more traditional high mountain via ferrata). There are now some 200 via ferratas in France, located throughout the French Alps, and with a few routes in

3168-687: The Glokner mountain and stating that it had not been climbed yet. He estimated the mountain's height with converted 3,793 m (12,444 ft) and left an engraving illustrating Grossglockner and Pasterze, the first known depiction of the mountain. Inspired by Hacquet's book and the first ascent of the Mont Blanc in 1786, the Gurk prince-bishop Count Franz Xaver of Salm (1749–1822) together with his vicar general Sigismund Ernst Hohenwart (1745–1825) and Baron Franz Xaver von Wulfen (1728–1805) started efforts for

3264-921: The Hohe Tauern . Highly regarded routes are the Schlicker Klettersteig and Ilmspitz Klettersteig in the Stubai, the Tiroler Weg in the Otztal, and the Bella Vista Klettersteig on the south side of the Hohe Tauern in Carinthia. Other via ferratas in this area climb a number of 3000m summits. The Southern Limestone Alps in Carinthia and East Tirol are more traditional grounds for via ferratas. Several routes lie near

3360-637: The Massif Central , the Pyrenees and even in Corsica . They are well distributed across the six French grades, with handful each of F and ED, the bulk falling within the four middle classifications. As via ferratas have developed across the country, some have identified a distinct "french style, with metal rungs driven into improbable overhangs", spiced with wire bridges, and an emphasis on thrill seeking – although some criticise French routes as having an excess of iron climbing aids. Dramatic features underpin many of

3456-458: The Napoleonic Wars , the huts decayed and were plundered by locals. In the following Vormärz era, however, the mountain became a popular venue for Alpinists like Hermann and Adolf Schlagintweit , who all followed the route of the first ascent. By the mid 19th century, the developing Alpine tourism began to alter the traditional agriculture economy in the Heiligenblut area. Therefore,

3552-458: The Ortler range, about 175 km (109 mi) away, and, after Mont Blanc , has the second greatest topographic isolation of all mountains in the Alps. Even its topographic prominence , at 2,424 m (7,953 ft), is the second highest after Mont Blanc in the entire Alps (see the list of Alpine peaks by prominence ). That makes it one of the most independent peaks in the Alps. The view from

3648-816: The Prague Alpinist Johann Stüdl (1839–1925), runs from the Grossglockner away to the southwest. Together with its extension, the Luisengrat , it separates the West Face and the Teischnitzkees glacier at its foot from the South Face and its Ködnitzkees glacier. A couloir known as the Pillwaxrinne crosses the South Face below the Obere Glocknerscharte; most of the South Face lies east of this gully below

3744-905: The Wilder Kaiser , the Karwendel . The Dachstein mountains in Styria, in particular, are home to several notable via ferratas, including the Ramsauer Klettersteig, the Jubiläumsklettersteig, and on the northern side of the Dachstein, the Seewand Klettersteig, which is one of the hardest long routes in Austria. However, perhaps the highlight is the long and difficult Dachstein Super Ferrata, recently created by linking three routes, and possibly

3840-501: The "sport" via ferratas in France; however, they are usually not as generously engineered with artificial holds so that climbers have to make contact with the rock and think about where the next foothold is. Via ferratas are now spread across Switzerland, but particularly in the central and western areas. Areas with a large number of via ferratas are the Bernese Oberland with 32 routes and the Valais with 39 routes. In central Switzerland there are several routes around Lake Lucerne , in

3936-683: The "very difficult" category – difficulty tends to be more variable and protection tends to be less continuous than purpose built via ferrata elsewhere. Notable routes are the routes up Triglav from the Vrata valley (the Prag route, the Tomisek Route, and the Bamberg way), the Kopiščar "through the window" route up Prisank and the Slovenian way up Mangart . In 2010 the first sport via ferrata vas built near Vinska Gora , called Gonžarjeva peč , difficulty D/E. Others were added in recent years, e.g., Lisca (Cerje), difficulty B/C (top-most part D/E), Mojstrana (Grančišče), and Češka koča (Jezersko). There are at least seven via ferrata routes in Sweden . One on

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4032-448: The 1970s and 80s development remained focused on traditional areas (the Dolomites and the Northern Limestone Alps). Routes were mostly developed by the climbing community often with the active involvement of one of the relevant Alpine Clubs (although there was occasional controversy and opposition to some added routes). In the 1990s and 2000s, development became more commercial and involved more organizations: via ferratas began to be seen as

4128-433: The Alps for centuries, helping to connect villages to their high pastures. Construction of what could be seen as the precursors of modern via ferratas dates back to the growth of Alpine exploration and tourism in the nineteenth century. In 1843, a route on the Dachstein was constructed under the direction of Friedrich Simony; it included a range of climbing aids with iron pins, hand hooks, carved footholds, and ropes. In 1869

4224-534: The Austro-Hungarians (supported by troops from Southern Germany) and the Italians fought a ferocious war in the mountains of the Dolomites; not only against each other but also against the hostile conditions. Both sides tried to gain control of the peaks to site observation posts and field guns. To help troops move about at high elevations in very difficult conditions, permanent lines were fixed to rock faces and ladders were installed so that troops could ascend steep faces. They also tried to create and control tunnels below

4320-413: The CAI began working on shortening and improving access to the climbing routes in the Brenta Dolomites , by installing artificial aids and protection. Natural lines and routes in the rock were linked up and a system of routes began to be developed, work continuing after the Second World War. The Via delle Bocchette was discovered by mountain walkers and gradually gained a classic reputation in its own right,

4416-401: The Dolomites are particularly renowned for their dramatic high mountain via ferratas. Several of these provide challenging ways to reach some of the summits in the range. Among the more notable routes are: Probably the most unusual via ferrata is the via ferrata Lagazuoi Tunnels. Fighting for control of Mount Lagazuoi in World War I, Austrian and Italian troops built a series of tunnels through

4512-414: The Dolomites. The initially weak Austro-Hungarian troops were strongly supported by local old and very young men ( Standschützen ) who simulated a very strong line of defense for the attacking Italians. Only later could local elite troops such as Kaiserjäger and Kaiserschützen be relocated from the Eastern Front towards Italy. Until the Flitsch-Tolmein offensive ( Battle of Caporetto ) in the autumn of 1917,

4608-403: The Eggersteig (1903) and Wildauersteig (1911) in the Wilder Kaiser in Austria. In the Dolomites, the climbing path up the West ridge of the Marmolada (German: Marmolata) was installed in 1903, and the Possnecker Path up Piz Selva in the Sella Group was completed before the First World War. In 1910, Gustav Jahn and August Čepl, a Viennese master locksmith, built the Hans von Haid Steig in

4704-421: The Grossglockner summit is one of the farthest of all mountains in the Eastern Alps. It ranges out to 220 km (140 mi) or, taking account of atmospheric refraction , almost 240 km (150 mi). Its view over more than 150,000 km (58,000 sq mi) of the Earth's surface reaches as far as the Upper Swabian Plateau in the northwest, to Regensburg and the peaks of the Bohemian Forest in

4800-414: The Grossglockner was made on January 2, 1875 by William Adolf Baillie Grohman , a member of the Alpine Club . In 1876 Count Pallavicini and his guide Hans Tribusser undertook the first expedition up the steep glaciated Northeast Face, chopping 2,500 steps into the Pallavicinirinne in an ice climbing master stroke not repeated for 23 years. In 1879 Count Pallavicini dedicated a new iron summit cross on

4896-401: The Italian border (in the Carnic Alps ) which formed the front line in World War I and some via ferratas pass fortifications from the conflict, including the Weg der 26er which ascends the Hohe Warte , the highest peak of the range. There are more than 400 via ferratas in Italy, over half of them located in the Dolomites. As well as historic via ferratas based on World War I fortifications,

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4992-443: The Kleinglockner is a subpeak or a separate main summit. Due to its low topographic prominence and isolation as well as its close links in climbing history, it is counted as part of that of the Grossglockner in historic publications; however, in view of its separate climbing routes it is counted as an independent peak in mountaineering literature. The Obere Glocknerscharte between the two peaks, at 3,766 m (12,356 ft),

5088-460: The Kleinglockner. The east side of the Kleinglockner, the Glocknerleitl , is glaciated to just below the summit and is continued by the Kleinglocknerkees and Hofmannskees before reaching the Pasterze. The history of the climbs started with French-born natural scientist Belsazar Hacquet , from 1773 professor of anatomy at the Academy of Ljubljana . He travelled the Eastern Alps from 1779 to 1781 and published an itinerary in 1783, describing

5184-418: The Preiner Wall(1.783 m) of the Rax , East Austria. In 1914 the Dolomites was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was part of the Central Powers during the First World War . In 1915, Italy joined the alliance of Britain, France, and Russia and declared war on the Central Powers. Austro-Hungarian troops were heavily committed in Russia and it immediately withdrew to a defensive line that ran through

5280-401: The Second World War: steel cables have replaced ropes, and iron ladders and metal rungs anchored into the rock have taken the place of the flimsy wooden structures used by the troops. Most of these routes are now maintained by the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI; Italian Alpine Club ) and the South Tyrol Alpine Club (AVS). In the 1930s, the Società degli Alpinisti Tridentini (SAT) together with

5376-423: The Tälli Klettersteig, the first real Swiss via ferrata (and still considered one of the best ), was created on the sheer southern faces of Gadmer Flue in the Urner Alps . Even then nothing much further happened for several years, but in this century there has been a rapid development of via ferratas, with over 150 now listed. According to the Rother guide, the Swiss via ferratas are typically similar in character to

5472-587: The Urner and Vierwaldstätter alps (15 and 17 routes respectively), with Engelberg developing into a notable centre for ferrata – here, the Fürenwand-Klettersteig is considered the "most spectacular". The range of routes is diverse: "action-packed" gorge routes (Alpine gorge in Saas Fee, Gorner gorge near Zermatt); panoramic routes onto 3000m peaks (Jegisteig [Jägihorn] and Mittaghorn Klettersteig, both near Saas Fee); high alpine challenges (Salbit-Kettenweg near Andermatt); and demanding athletic routes (Via ferrata San Salvatore near Lugano). The Rother guide considers that

5568-471: The ascent again the next day and finally installed the summit cross and a barometer on the Grossglockner summit. Bishop Salm undertook two more ascents in 1802 (with Hohenwart reaching the summit) and in 1806, however, he himself never climbed beyond the Adlersruhe rock. The climbing of the Grossglockner was also described by the botanist Josef August Schultes , who explored the massif together with Count Apponyi in 1802. No further ascents were made during

5664-478: The bishop's expedition started: a mountain hut (the first Salm Hut) had been built and the path in the Leitertal valley was prepared so that the bishop could use a horse to reach it. 30 people, among them Salm, Hohenwart and Wulfen, were part of the expedition. They suffered with bad weather and a first effort failed, but on 25 August 1799 Hohenwart and at least four other people, including the two "Glockners", reached—again—the Kleinglockner, where they installed one of

5760-417: The botanist David Heinrich Hoppe , started again into the Leitertal valley. Four peasants and carpenters (the "Glockners" and two others who are not known) did a track in the snow, had installed fixed ropes at some steeper sections up to the end of the Glocknerleitl, and even built a second refuge, called Hohenwarte Hut. The vanguard reached the Kleinglockner peak, however, according to the expedition records by

5856-404: The cable with the carabiners, and a means of connecting to the harness. Modern lanyards use a "Y" tape configuration, which is currently the only type approved by UIAA , as it is simpler and safer to use and harder to use inappropriately. Using the Y lanyard, both arms should be attached to the steel line, although the system still functions if only one is clipped. However, some earlier lanyards use

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5952-423: The construction of several new ones - via ferratas have less of a tradition in Norway than they have in southern Europe. There is a via ferrata Tysso in Tyssedal , starting at the Norwegian Museum of Hydro Power and Industry and climbing along the very steep hydropower pipeline. Kyrkjeveggen ("the church wall") is situated in Fjæra in the fjord of Åkrafjorden . The route of Kyrkjeveggen elevates 500 meters to

6048-405: The core of which is the Via delle Bocchette system, consisting of several sections, including the Sentiero Bocchette Alte and the Sentiero delle Bocchette Centrali. The northern end of the range can be reached by lifts from Madonna di Campiglio, and it is possible to spend several days at high elevation on the network of via ferratas, staying at mountain huts. However, in accordance with the wishes of

6144-421: The eastern route to the peak of Kebnekaise , one in Funäsdalen , one in Kittelfjäll and four on Skuleberget in the High Coast area. In the Lake District , Honister's via ferrata is based on an old miners' track up the steep face of Fleetwith Pike . In the Yorkshire Dales , How Stean Gorge 's via ferrata was constructed in 2009 for recreational purposes and incorporates fixed beams and ladders over

6240-429: The energy of the fall more effectively than a short rope length and so keep the climber and equipment intact. However, in spite of these equipment developments and the perception of via ferratas as being more secure and safe than rock climbing, people are more likely to injure themselves if they do fall, partly because of these elevated fall factors and partly because there are often rungs and steps on which to land. After

6336-422: The first summit crosses (one of the main goals of the church expedition). Hohenwart's reports did not tell clearly that they had not touched the highest point but Bishop Salm (who had reached the Adlersruhe rock at 3,454 m (11,332 ft)) was informed. Dissatisfied, he invited another, even bigger expedition the next year. On 28 July 1800, 62 people, among them the pedagogue Franz Michael Vierthaler and

6432-408: The hardest technically in the world is in Austria: the "Arena" variant of the Bürgeralm-Panorama-Klettersteig in Styria . The Northern Limestone Alps, which run from near Vienna to the Swiss border, remain at the heart of Austrian klettersteig, with routes concentrated in key mountain groups: the Rax (where some of the oldest via ferratas are), the Hohe Wand , the Totes Gebirge , the Dachstein ,

6528-531: The latest route was finished in December 2021. In December, 2021 Baia de Fier received the National Record for the largest cluster of Acrobatic Via Ferrata in Romania. Another cluster of five routes is called "Astragalus" (named after the Astragalus species of herbs) and can be found near Șugău River (Bicaz) – these routes were opened in Spring 2017 and are subject to a fee. The mountain rescue service in Bihor county built two routes near Vadu Crișului and one route in Pietrele Negre, near Arieșeni commune, in

6624-404: The main Glockner crest, which runs over the Grögerschneid , 3,660 m (12,010 ft), and the ridge elevations of Glocknerhorn , 3,680 m (12,070 ft), and Teufelshorn , 3,677 m (12,064 ft), to the Untere Glocknerscharte , 3,598 m (11,804 ft), which connects to the 3,721 m (12,208 ft) high Glocknerwand . A prominent ridge, the Stüdlgrat , named after

6720-428: The main ridge of the Central Eastern Alps and the Alpine divide . The Pasterze , Austria's most extended glacier , lies on the Grossglockner's eastern slope. The characteristic pyramid -shaped peak actually consists of two pinnacles, the Großglockner and the Kleinglockner (3,770 m or 12,370 ft, from German: groß 'big', klein 'small'), separated by the Glocknerscharte col . The name Glocknerer

6816-473: The more notable routes: long suspension bridges (59m at the via ferrata de la Grande Fistoire), wire "monkey" bridges (via ferrata de la Chal); routes into and across gorges (the "spectacular" via ferrata Gorges de la Durance); routes up and around waterfalls (via ferrata de l´Adret: la Passerelle) or simply overhanging and strenuous (the neighbouring via ferrata de l´Adret: Le Bastion). Other routes facilitate visits to historic sites. Les Mines du Grand Clôt near

6912-882: The most challenging via ferrata overall in Austria. Other notable routes in the Northern Limestone Alps are the Innsbrucker Klettersteig in the Karwendel and the Tajakante Klettersteig in the Mieminger Chain just to the east (both routes are in Tirol, near Innsbruck). The Central Eastern Alps have seen more recent development, with large numbers of routes in the Otztal and the Stubai Alps , and on either side of

7008-689: The most outstanding routes with regard to scenery and grading are the Braunwalder via ferrata in the eastern Swiss canton of Glarus and the Daubenhorn via ferrata near Leukerbad in the Valais. Also known as Leukerbadner Klettersteig (1&2), the latter is also the longest via ferrata in Switzerland. There are about 180 via ferratas in Germany , the easiest of which can be approached without special equipment. Many are in

7104-559: The most popular was built in 2010 near Malyovitsa hut. There are also 4 via ferratas in the Rhodopes - near Smolyan , Rakitovo and Trigrad . There is a via ferrata system in the town of Děčín . It has an easy shared starting section at the end of which you can choose a number of different routes with a variety of difficulties. There is also a via ferrata in Semily called Vodní Brána (Water Gate). Another system of three via ferratas forming

7200-403: The mountains. The aim was to tunnel close to the enemy and detonate explosives to destroy their fortifications. A via ferrata now uses these tunnels, allowing one to descend into and through the mountain. There are a great many other via ferratas in the Dolomites, including many shorter routes such as the easy Via ferrata Averau, or the difficult Via ferrata del Canalone. There are via ferratas in

7296-607: The new Salmhütte and the Glocknerhaus along the alpine route from Heiligenblut. A first ascent by skiing was made in 1909 and the circumnavigation of the massif soon became a popular ski mountaineering tour. The Grossglockner became Austria's highest mountain, when the South Tyrolean Ortler region had to be ceded to the Kingdom of Italy according to the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain , which promoted its reputation as

7392-584: The north, to Ortler in the west, to the Padan Plain in the south, and to Triglav and the Totes Gebirge range in the east. The Grossglockner rock summit, due to its high Alpine, heavily glaciated appearance, is often compared to the mountains of the Western Alps . Together with the Kleinglockner to the southeast it forms a distinctive double peak . There are differing views in the literature as to whether

7488-494: The occasion of the silver wedding of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria and Empress Elisabeth ; both had visited Heiligenblut and walked to the present-day Franz-Josefs-Höhe viewpoint in 1865. The cross was installed on 2 October 1880. Pallavicini also had the Archduke John Hut erected at the former Adlersruhe resting place of Bishop Salm, today the highest situated mountain hut in Austria. The Austrian Alpine Club built

7584-602: The peaks to attack from there (see Mines on the Italian Front ). Trenches, dugouts, and other relics of the First World War can be found alongside many via ferratas. Since dangerous ammunition remains and the like can still be found today, warnings are given in the area of the former main battle line against digging and picking up old metal parts. There is an extensive open-air museum on 5 Torri, and around Lagazuoi, where very heavy fighting took place. This wartime network of via ferratas has been restored, although not until well after

7680-526: The people of Kals tried to lay out a straight ascent from the western side, which however was not reached until Julius von Payer explored the ridge between Glöcknerleitl and Ködnitzkees in 1863. Johann Stüdl had a via ferrata erected along the southwestern ridge the next year and the Stüdlhütte erected at its foot in 1868. Already in 1869, most expeditions to the summit started in Kals. The first winter ascent of

7776-400: The quality of the protection. For many years, via ferratas were climbed using simple climbing equipment , namely carabiners fixed to short lengths of rope or slings attached to a chest (or sit) harness, on the basis that one would not fall very far. However, it gradually became apparent that these systems did not prevent serious injury. With only a short length of rope to absorb the energy of

7872-749: The region's climbers, the routes do not reach any major summits. There are over 150 via ferratas in Italy outside of the Dolomites, most of them constructed fairly recently. There are notable concentrations at the northern end of Lake Garda , in the Aosta valley , in the mountains east of Lake Como and in the Friuli region, split between the Carnic and Julian Alps . Some of the more notable routes are: France saw its first via ferrata in 1988 – La Grande Falaise in Freissinière in

7968-555: The risks of unprotected scrambling and climbing or the need for technical climbing equipment. They expand the opportunities for accessing difficult peaks as an alternative to rock climbing and mountaineering , both of which require higher skills and more specialized equipment. Via ferratas can vary in length from short routes taking less than an hour to long, demanding alpine routes covering significant distance and elevation (1,000 metres (3,300 ft) or more of ascent) and taking eight or more hours to complete. In certain areas, such as

8064-613: The river as well as rockface sections. Grossglockner The Großglockner ( German : Großglockner [ˈɡʁoːsˌɡlɔknɐ] ), or just Glockner , is, at 3,798 metres above the Adriatic (12,461 ft), the highest mountain in Austria and highest mountain in the Alps east of the Brenner Pass . It is part of the larger Glockner Group of the Hohe Tauern range, situated along

8160-564: The safety requirements and conformity assessment procedures of the PPE regulation (EU) 2016/425. The requirements of the Regulation are supported by a European Harmonised Standard, EN 958. This standard was revised in 2017 to include several redesigned tests to prevent the type of failures involved in the 2012 accident. The "via ferrata set" comprises a lanyard and two carabiners. The lanyard consists of an energy-absorbing system, two arms that connect to

8256-518: The scholar Belsazar Hacquet (1735–1815), Glockner is possibly derived from German: Glocke (" bell "), referring to the mountain's characteristic shape. It may also be a Germanised version of the Alpine Slavic word Klek ("mountain"), as maintained in the Slovene name Veliki Klek . The Grossglockner lies on the border between the Austrian states of Carinthia and Tyrol ( East Tyrol ). The peak

8352-455: The seriousness of the route are often provided – the Kurt Schall guides use a five-level adjectival scale; Smith and Fletcher use a three-point scale A–C. The old Hofler/Werner guidebooks use a single general grade on an A-G scale. Most guidebooks provide some further information to help assess the nature of a route, such as the length of the route, the maximum height reached, and even a grade for

8448-617: The southern regions of Germany near the Austrian border. There are also many via ferratas in other areas – most notably in Saxon Switzerland . As opposed to via ferratas in the Dolomites, many routes were built in modern times and they have a sport character, and can be short and much more difficult than classics in the Dolomites. This small country has 15 vía ferratas. In 2019 Bosnia and Herzegovina got its first via ferrata on Velež . There are at least 7 vía ferratas in Bulgaria . One of

8544-474: The start of the 20th century in the Northern Limestone Alps . For many years route development remained focused in this area and it is only recently that via ferratas have been built across the Austrian Alps. As a broad generalisation, routes in Austria fall somewhere between the long mountain routes of the Dolomites and the shorter sporting routes of France. That said, the via ferrata currently (2012) considered

8640-792: The top. There is also one in Hemsedal . The most known is the Via Ferrata Loen in Stryn . It opened in 2012. This track contains the dramatic hanging bridge, Gjølmunnebrua . Trondheim boasts a via ferrata opposite the Trondheimsfjord on the Munken mountain, with views of the city. Since 2015 Straumsfjell in Setesdal is Northern Europe's longest via ferrata. The one in Lom starts from 380 m MSL to end in 1524 m MSL,

8736-506: The valleys around the Dolomites, such as Via ferrata Burrone Giovannelli near Mezzocorona , in the Etschtal (Val d'Adige) which ascends a gorge. Brenta To the west of the main Dolomites, on the other side of the A22/E45 road, are the smaller Brenta Dolomites , which are compact but dramatic, and rise above the town of Madonna di Campiglio . The Brenta contain a dense network of via ferratas,

8832-541: The village of La Grave in the Hautes Alpes department takes the climber up a sheer cliff where a lead mine operated with little success between 1807 and 1925. This route is illustrated with sign boards in English and French telling the story of the struggle to extract small amounts of ore in very difficult conditions. Another via near Lumbin in the department of Isère , the Vire des Lavandières, passes an old section of route called

8928-405: The way. The main type of energy absorber in use today is a tearing energy absorber. This consists of a length of webbing specially sewn together to allow progressive tearing in case of a fall. Such devices can only be used once to arrest a serious fall and will exhibit visible damage afterward. The advantages of this type of absorber are that it is compact and that it can be easily verified that it

9024-644: The Échelle des Maquisards built in 1943 and used by resistance fighters during the Second World War. Responsibility for maintaining via ferratas in France lies with the commune in which the via is situated. Maintenance can be costly depending on location, with vias at higher elevations being subject to damage by snow and ice through the winter months. Some communes have decided to fund this maintenance by charging an admission fee, but this applies to very few vias and most remain free of charge. The first via ferrata in Spain

9120-503: Was built in 1954 (Canal del Palomo, Huesca , Grading D). After that, it took longer before a sporty route was created in 1993 at Montserrat in Catalonia . Today there may be around 200 via ferratas in Spain. Most of them are located in Catalonia, Aragon , Comunidad Valenciana and Andalusia (around Ronda and Malaga ). Due to the weather, they can mostly be used all year round. Only

9216-588: Was constructed in 1988 (Via Ferrata de la Grande Falaise, Freissinières , Grading C/D) While high mountain via ferratas have continued to be developed, the modern era has seen the rise of more "sporting" routes, sometimes closer to the valley and often more challenging in nature, with severely steep sections and requiring high strength. Routes have been built in dramatic locations, alongside waterfalls or in canyons. Other routes include features such as wire bridges and even zip wires, designed to increase their appeal to visitors. Climbing via ferratas came to be recognised as

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