UKC

Hi everyone,

Me and my buddy are looking to go on our first via ferrata trip, we both have little experience with guided via ferrata, but are quite experienced (indoor) climbers(6c or 5.11b). I am at the beginning of my research and there are a couple of questions I can't find the awnser to yet.

First of all, what does one do incase of a fall? I specifically want to know about how to get your partner up again, assuming you fall quite far down. And if your partner is up on his feet on the route, how does one continue?(your kit is basically broken at that moment right?)

Is it advisable to take a rope and belaying device up? And what sling do you advise to buy?

Thanks for replying!

Quite simply the rule on VF routes is not to fall. You have the potential to travel considerable distance and hit an awful lot of rock on the way down, so will probably be needing Mountain Rescue assistance. Think of it more like scrambling than rock climbing.

​​​​​A short rope (we use a 20m half) is handy if one of you are a weaker climber, as it allows you to rig a simple top rope to get past a tricky move. Also if you decide to abort a route, you can then absail down tricky sections. Most people don't bother with a rope, we tend to only carry it on harder routes and even then it usually stays in the bag - once you get a rope out it slows progress and can create congestion on busy routes.

​​​​Possibly better to buy VF lanyard sets (don't even think of making a DIY combo from climbing kit) out there as you will have more choice. As a girlie I prefer the smaller krabs as they are easier to operate.

Get a VF lanyard set. You can often hire them from local climbing stores. You probably don't need to take a rope. The only time I have taken one is when I was climbing with the children, although I didn't need to use it. A couple of slings and karabiners can be useful if you want to stop and belay yourself without using the lanyard.

As above don't fall off. If you do it will probably be serious, particularly if you bump into VF furniture on your way past.

Hi Frank

I have occasional VF experience (eg Dolomites) spread over many years since well before specialist kit was available. What Jenny says is good advice. Treat it like protected scrambling. I've never fallen on a VF and wouldn't expect to, but I always use the proper kit nowadays, just in case. If you can climb 6c indoors I doubt you'll find anything on VFs difficult to climb, but you will be in boots and on real rock which is very different to climbing indoors of course. And once you've finished the VF you may be negotiating the descent in a mountain environment with no more cables to guide you. So mountain walking experience is possibly just as relevant. 

Quite often you come across VF sections when Alpine mountaineering which is rather different, as you normally won't have VF kit. Usually we tackle these roped up and moving together (simul-climbing) using the VF anchors as running belays, which is an alternative "safe system". But for "normal" VFs I wouldn't expect to use a rope although I might carry one, for example to cope with anything unexpected on the descent.

Enjoy it!

Martin

Take a quick draw or short sling so you can easily and quickly clip in and rest should you need too.

Don’t fall.

Don't carry too much as it won't help your balance or your speed.  Just a light harness and VF lanyard, water, a shower proof and some sarnies are all you need.  If your bag is bigger than 15l you have too much.

Think fast and light and safely off before any storms turn the VF into a lightning conductor.  Falling or faffing are generally not good VF options.

Good point.

It's surprising how many people struggle with long scree descents, or can't handle the exposure on mountain paths. Also we have been caught up out a few times with the path basically disappearing, and no obvious decent route.

Plus do take into account the weather, you really DO NOT want to be caught on a VF in a thunderstorm.

As others say don't fall.  If you are doing VFs that are difficult enough that you think you might, take a dynamic rope, a few krabs, belay device etc with you and belay each other on the difficult bit.

A VF set is the difference between being dead at the bottom of the mountain and being able to be helicoptered off for a few weeks in hospital.  Because of the very high potential fall factors and stuff to hit on the way falling is not something to be contemplated.

And yes, get a proper set, don't DIY.  The shock absorber ("screamer") is essential to deal with the high fall factors involved, and as they aren't expensive you'd save nothing by DIYing.  If you used a static sling, if the sling didn't break you would.

Been there, seen it, done it, been terrified to within inches of my life (fortunately wasn't hit though).  Indeed, don't.  You're clipped to a lightning conductor...

If you're being guided is the guide not providing equipment and in charge of getting you out of whatever trouble you end up in?

Your climbing ability will get you up 95% of VFs with no trouble at all.  Do you know what routes you're going to be doing?

Good point, I missed this in the OP.

Tbh given your climbing ability why do you think you need a guide?

VF equipment is pretty idiot proof (although I admit I have seen plenty of idiots missusing the system) and I would have thought you would be comfortably able to tackle grade most 3/4 (Italian dolomite grades) VF routes. 

As above you would need map reading skills and an awareness of mountain safety, but the routes are well publicised and most people just turn up with their own equipment. 

One thing I love about VF is that unlike rock climbing you need minimal equipment. Also following the cable you can't go off route and don't have to worry about placing gear or rigging belays (so ideal for someone with limited experience on real rock) - just harness up then clip and go.

Or indeed get away from the highly polished dolomitic limestone on the route and on to wonderfully grippy stuff just centimetres away!

I always wore comfy climbing shoes just to make it a little more fun. Though that not so much on runged ladders which hurt considerably underfoot (like on the VF Michielli Strobel).

Nobody's mentioned wearing a helmet. Given the number of people on VFs there is potential for stonefall, camerafall etc. Also take a headtorch. A lot of VFs have interesting wartime tunnels.

And make sure it works, unlike me in the tunnel at the end of the Trincee.

I agree with everyone who said don't muck about trying to make DIY kit, just buy/hire a proper dynamic lanyard.

I  would recommend taking a short rope and a couple of krabs/slings - useful as a backup on a tricky section, in case there's any damage to a section of cable, or if you need it on the way down. And even in summer you can get sections of cable that are buried in snow/ice on the higher altitude routes - we used a rope on one section on one day because of this and on another day when we didn't have a rope with us, it resulted in a rather dodgy 5-people daisy chained together with the VF kit to cross a col with a >200' drop either side.

Edit - yes, def wear a helmet and take a head torch.

youtube.com/watch?v=me0dSWbEq8I&

RE: what if you do fall. As shown in this vid, when the kit deploys you're only hanging down a couple of metres, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get yourself back up to the cables. If you can't hand-over-hand or climb you can prussik up the lanyard. A partner can help and some parties take rope so they can belay or even hoist. 

As for carrying on, falling on Via Ferrata should be considered "an incident" and is not part of the game as it is in climbing. Even if you are uninjured, your safety margin is gone and you can't afford to take another fall, so you should get yourself to safety as cautiously as possible. That could mean belaying, abseiling, retreating, asking others for help, or just finishing the route very carefully.

As others have said, because you can happily rest on gear at almost any point you shouldn't fall unless there's an accident.

Have fun

All of the above. The ladders etc can be hard on the hands. Fingerless gloves are a good idea.

The Cicerone guides are very good. They have difficulty grades and length grades.

Difficulty will not be an issue with your climbing ability, but start on a couple of shorter routes to get your head in the right place. The long routes can be big days out. Some cross glaciers. The exposure can be huge. That's all part of the fun.

To echo the points above - a helmet is essential (lots of people don't and you'll see a lot of bloodied heads). The Cicerone guide will tell you if you need a torch (and if it says you do - you really do!).

Queues on popular routes can be long - so avoid the honeypots on weekends and get up early. That also helps avoid the thunderstorms (and you really need to check the weather). You'll see spots on the cable where it's been 'blown apart' by lightning strikes.

...and don't fall.....

Mitchel strobel is probably my favourite VF, not too difficult but 'fun'.

Absolutely 100% agree about helmets, have had a few close calls from rockfalls.

Also yes headtorch to explore the old wartime tunnels, some are frighteningly extensive and still really well preserved. Even if the guidebook doesn't recommend a torch for the route, you will often find tunnels just begging to be explored.

Regarding gloves, many climbers prefer the feel of rock under their fingers but yes very helpful if you are planning to haul on the cable. Don't waste your money on proper VF gloves though, cheap builders gloves are just as good and whatever you use they will get trashed.

Rats - forgot to mention gloves! Bought a pair of fingerless ones in a shop in Cortina and they now live in a bag with my VF lanyard. Unfortunately, my Italian wasn't good enough to successfully ask about the superior-looking Salewa ones in the window

I've known a couple of people use gardening gloves, but they're not ideal for it.

Hi Frank.

I work out in the French alps as a climbing instructor and have written a free app guidebook to all the via ferrata around Briancon.

First off where are you going for your trip, via ferrata can vary massively from big mountain routes that need good mountain skills just for the walk off to ones that are 2 mins from the parking and more like cragging, this can have an effect on what kit you pack etc.

It's hard to tell from your post if you are being guided or not. If you are the guide will probably rope you and run through all the safety stuff you need to know and sort out any issues that arise in the day. If you're not being guided then you need to sort any issues out.

In terms of a rope, in France if working with under 18's it best practice to rope them up and most guides/instructors will rope all groups up. the rope is there to stop issues around unclipping both Karabiners and can be used to belay group members on steeper more exposed sections. If you are both climbing 6c this probably won't be an issues for you in terms of steeper bits and using the kit properly. if you did want to carry a rope just in case (not a bad idea) then a 30m thin thin single is fine and not to heavy. 

What to do if you fall off, as many other have said the number one rule is don't fall, there is far too much stuff to hit on the way down and it won't be nice. you do that picking routes that aren't to hard for you (if doubt start easy and work up the levels), have a way of resting if you do get on a hard section, many new via ferrata lanyard have a 3rd shorter arm that you can clip in to a rung and rest on, I really recommend one of these. If you don't have one you can use a sling or quick draw.

The question about what to do if you fall and the lanyard is deployed comes up a lot. The reality is that a big fall will likely result in injury and your party will probably need rescuing. If by some miracle the person that fell is uninjured they will probably be very shook up and still need rescuing. 

For a lanyard, most climbing shops will hire them in an area with via ferrata, if you want to buy, then decathlon is probably the cheapest, Petzl and black diamond are probably the most popular.

Petzl have a ebook about via ferrata and some useful stuff on their site - https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Downloads-eBooks/AccessBook-Viaferrata

Hope you have a great trip. cheers

Great advice from Rob @ ecrinscollective. 

We took his advice (and used his fantastic App) and started on the easier routes in France before gradually progressing to the harder/longer ones. We bought the Petzl Scorpio Eashook lanyard and both thought it was brilliant. Would thoroughly recommend it. The gate on the krab is wider than the Edelrid set and it’s really easy to operate, even when wearing gloves. Also, it’s got a resting loop which could come in handy. 

Black Diamond fingerless gloves were really useful and I’ve used them since for mountain biking. 

Definitely wear a helmet! 

We took a 35m rope for the big mountain route which had sections without any cables, including one across an exposed scree slope. It ended up staying in the rucksack but better to have it and not need it rather than the other way round. 

Approach shoes work well for the routes with short walk-ins but boots are a good option for mountain routes. 

I can’t advise what to do if you fall but, as others have said, try not to cross that bridge! 

Have fun- it’s brilliant! 

I have done most of the sport type of ferrata in France and Spain and all of the above advice is good. In addition I always carry a Petzl Connect which can be fastened onto a staple, pigs tail or cable loop and pulled into a suitable length to hold you if tired or taking a photo. If you were to survive a fall and feel like carrying on then the Connect along with another sling can be alternately clipped to the staples to provide continuous security. 
I also carry a zip wire pulley as some of the ferrata have zip wires which can be really fun unless you’re coming in too fast. 

Just to point out that pulley ownership isn't necessarily required (I'm sure you're aware of this). All the VF I've done in France with zip wires have hired pulleys out.

Also, it's definitely preferable to be facing forwards as you reach the end of a zip wire 😁

I've been caught out on one in a thunderstorm myself in France. It was one that went all way to the summit and I was forced to escape off down a gully and find my own way down for fear of lightning. I learned a lot that day but one of the main lessons was not to underestimate just how quickly conditions can change when you're high in the mountains. I'd set out in glorious summer conditions, I hadn't brought much in terms of warm clothing. It all seemed so carefree and easy but I think via ferrata can lead you into a false sense of security. When the storm rolled in, the temperature just plummeted. Holding onto all that metal started numbing my fingers with the cold and the reality set in that I was solo, high up and ill-prepared in what had become a pretty hostile environment. I made it down, surviving a close encounter with rockfall just to add to the epic, but I was hypothermic by the time I got to my car.

Some above have advised fast and light, but I'd suggest a balanced approach if it's a high route and give your self a bit of contingency. 

All you need is harness, helmet, approach shoes, fingerless gloves and VF lanyard. I would though also really recommend a set of poles for the wall offs as it makes life so much more pleasant on scree slopes. 

In terms of difficulty you wont fall off. I cant see the point of a rope, you could bring one to start for confidence but i think it would eventually get ditched for weight savings. Unless maybe one of your party really suffers from exposure fear, then might be a good confidence aid. That said, im probably barely climbing 6c and did I Magnifici Quattro (VF6B) the "hardest VF in the dolomites" and it was a pleasant jolly. From a difficulty perspective you can make it as hard as you want and always grab the cable and pull if it gets tricky. 

You'll have a blast, you can get some huge mileage days out in amazing mountain scenery. Stop for a beer and a coffee in a summit refugio and soak it all in. Biggest thing to worry about is queues if you have a late start and missing the lift down