Note that this photo was actually taken on the fixed ropes that bypass the Jordan Ladder, which is the normal route. We went this way because we thought the ladder was broken, but our friends went the normal way (up the ladder) and said it was fine.

Everyone'll be going that way once they see this, to get their own momento. Fabulous photo, thanks for sharing.

I never cease to marvel at the fact that this part of the Italian Ridge of the Matterhorn was climbed as long ago as 1867, before the fixed rope and ladder were attached, by the Maquignaz and Carrel brothers, and daughter. It was at least IV+ by modern standards and far ahead of its time. It's also hard to imagine just how futuristic it was, given that only 7 years earlier almost none of the main Alpine summits had been climbed, and the Matterhorn had been regarded as impossible by all but about three people ... who kept trying it until they succeeded.

Is this a Via Ferrata?

Ahaha it does feel like it at points. I think this amount of fixed gear is common on the more popular guiding routes (Hornli, Mittellegi, Dent du Geant etc). However, there are also long sections of very exposed scrambling and snow ridge traverses that are without fixed gear. Indeed, in the conditions we found it, those sections could barely be protected with natural gear. So it wouldn't be accurate to call the route as a whole via ferata.