Get ready to pull your harness up, tighten up your helmet, and tackle the stunning terrain of Colorado’s staggering mountain ranges with a Via Ferrata course. While taking on a Via Ferrata is bound to get your blood pumping with an adrenaline rush like no other, there is much more to this adventure than just thrills. In this blog, we’re going to cover the various parts that make Via Ferratas such an addictive and fulfilling outdoor adventure.
What is a Via Ferrata?
First things first, you may be asking yourself, what even is a Via Ferrata? It is a protected climbing route that includes steel fixtures such as cables, ladders, rungs and other hardware that climbers secure themselves to with their harness and two locking carabiners to remain connected to the cliff face at all times. Read more about the history and intricacies of the Via Ferrata here!
Experience Colorado from a New Angle
One of the many reasons a Colorado Via Ferrata proves to be an unforgettable experience is that it allows participants to encounter the wild Colorado outdoors and remarkable scenery in a new way. Climbing a Via Ferrata, gives you a chance to see the landscape from a view that is inaccessible by foot or even with an off-road vehicle. While traversing cliffsides, you will have a bird’s-eye view of the area below, giving you a breathtaking experience that would be difficult to replicate any other way.
Our Granite course in Buena Vista offers stunning views of the Arkansas River and its Valley, along with the mighty Collegiate Peaks, while our Mount Evans course in Idaho Springs takes you into the cliffside above the historic town and its Chicago Creek.
Form Connections
Not only will a Via Ferrata course allow you to experience rugged terrain from a different perspective, but it also allows you to connect with other climbers, alpinists, and outdoor enthusiasts. When you join a guided tour, you are sure to meet other people who share a passion for the great outdoors and trying something new! Undertaking a Via Ferrata brings adventure seekers, regardless of their beliefs, backgrounds, or anything else, together to bond and connect in ways that may be difficult to find in other areas of your daily life.
While connecting with the other climbers, you will also be working on building trust and teamwork within the group. Via Ferratas requires participants to communicate effectively with each other and make decisions as a team that keeps everyone safe and feeling supported. Another large component in completing a Via Ferrata is trust. You will need complete trust in three things to climb a Via Ferrata: your gear, your guide, and yourself. Learning to put trust in yourself and others is a valuable skill that you can apply to other aspects of your life to improve your opportunities for growth.
Challenge Yourself Physically and Mentally
Finishing a Via Ferrata will require a certain amount of physical ability and mental resilience. You use your entire body to traverse mantles and cliffsides and climb across suspension and tension bridges. This technical physicality provides plenty of opportunities to challenge yourself and test your overall fitness. But completing Via Ferrata is also going to be a mental challenge.
When faced with the mountainside in front of you, it may trigger some fear and anxiety; however, with the support of our experienced and kind guides (and proper safety equipment), you will be able to push yourself past your comfort zone and increase your self-confidence. Once you complete your first Via Ferrata course, come back again to see how much you’ve improved physically and mentally!
While, Via Ferratas are a thrilling and exciting experience, they clearly offer so much more than just a quick spike of adrenaline. They provide new opportunities to experience the outdoors in a unique way, connect with other enthusiasts, challenge yourself physically and mentally, and learn new skills. Regardless of your experience level, a Via Ferrata is a memorable experience that is not to be missed.
With both our Granite Via Ferrata course and Mount Evans course, we offer opportunities to challenge yourself and explore the best of Colorado’s outdoors, no matter your destination or location! And try out both to experience unique features, landscapes, and witness how much your technical and mental skillsets have grown!
Written by Madison McLeod, Contributing Member of the Sales and Marketing team
Edited by Rosa Canales, Marketing Specialist
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