The Via ferrata in the Dolomites in northern Italy was so inspiring that I also did it in Grindelwald, a village in the Swiss Eiger, and in Saas-Fee, a village in the valley next to Zermatt, the city of the Matterhorn 😁
What is via ferrata?
It is a mountain route equipped with steel cables, ladders and other fixed anchors fixed to the rock. A “Via Ferrata” translates as “Iron Path” in English. It is more of a climbing route than a typical mountaineering route.
What's good about via ferrata?
Personally, Via Ferrata is less likely to get lost than regular mountain climbing because the route is wired 😁 Conversely, it is easy to stagnate because the route is fixed 😅
The Via Ferrata Season
The best months for a via ferrata trip are between May and early October. Important factors are the weather as well as the operating schedules of buses and lifts....
What Equipment do I need to climb a Via Ferrata?
・Via ferrata set: a lanyard and two carabiners, used to connect the harness to the steel cable of the ferrata. A securement device specialized for via ferrata is easier to use than a simple device using a sling and carabiners of rock climbing.
・Climbing harness:
・hiking/mountaineering boots:
・Helmet:
・Via ferrata gloves:
general mountaineering items, etc....
Via Ferrata climbed in the Swiss Alps 2019
Saas-Graund
⭐️ Jägihorn (3206m, K5) Panoramic Climbing
✅ Mittaghorn (3144m, K3) Climbing Route
Grindelwald
✅ mini Eiger North Face : Rotstock (2663m, K2)
⚠️ Degree of Difficulty : K1=easy ~ K5=most difficult
Jägihorn, 3206m, Difficulty K5
Saar Grund 🚠 Kreuzboden (2400m) ➡️ Weissmieshütte-SAC (2726m) ➡️ Jägihorn (3206m, Difficulty K5) ➡️ Kreuzboden (2400m)
I thought I did my best to climb it 🚶🏻But it took me 5 hours!
This was the first Via Ferrata I climbed in Switzerland. It is not as big as Tofana di Mezzo (3244m) or Tofana di Rozes (3225m) in the Dolomites of northern Italy, but it was a very hard climb for a via ferrata.
The 120m long leaning suspension bridge is scarier than I had imagined 😨 I underestimated it 😂
⚠️ There is also a route to bypass this suspension bridge, in which case Degree of difficulty : K3
I think the climbing crux is the vertical wall after crossing this suspension bridge. If you have never climbed before, you might not be able to climb it 🤔
The view at the top of the mountain is also good. So I recommend this Jägihorn route 😁
Mittaghorn, 3144m, Difficulty K3
🚠 Morenia (2550m) ➡️ Mittaghorn, 3144m, K3 ➡️ Egginerjoch ➡️ Felskinn 🚠
I thought I did my best to climb it 🚶🏻But it took me 4 hours 30 minutes!
When I climbed up, it was changed to the normal setting, which is to go to Egginerjoch (2989m), over the glacier to Felskinn (2989m), and take the ropeway from Felskinn (2989m) back to Saas-Fee, probably because the lift was out of service.
The course is a 180-minute walk from the summit (Mittaghorn, 3144m) to Egginerjoch (2989m) - over the glacier - to Felskinn (2989m).
The regular setup seems to descend on the Plattjen (2570m) side (90min).
In any case, the important point is that you need to take into account the end time of the ropeway when you walk.
From the beginning to the end of the climb, it was gaseous and sometimes snowy, so it is difficult to evaluate 🤔
Climbing-wise, if you can climb about (5b) in French grade, you should have no problem. There is one place where a bolt is driven into the rock and out into space, but it wasn't that difficult climbing.
What kind of views would we get if it was clear? 🤔 The route is basically a ridge climb, so it is supposed to have great views.
The day we climbed, I didn't see anyone on the Via Ferrata route 😢 but many Alpine ibexes 🦌 welcomed me 🤣
Rotstock, 2663m, Difficulty K2
Eigergletscher, 2320m ➡️ Rotstock, 2663m ➡️ Eigergletscher, 2320m
It took 90 nim to walk there while fully enjoying the scenery 🚶🏻
This Rotstock (2663m) North Face route is commonly known as the Mini-Eiger North Face? 🤔
Climbing-wise, it is easy. If you are a climber who has climbed (5c) in French grade, you can climb this route without via ferrata securement ⚠️ but via ferrata securement is a must, when you climb.
After all, this route is for those who can't reach the Eiger North Face, but have a special attachment to it and want to experience the Eiger North Face vicariously 😁
On the day I climbed, there was a light dusting of snow in the shaded areas, the wind was blowing cold, and there were many conditions reminiscent of the North Face. So it was exciting to feel the Eiger North Face in a certain way 🤣
My personal recommendation for climbing this mini Eiger North Face is to climb Rotstock (2663m) after walking the Eiger Trail from Alpiglen station (1615m).
I think you will enjoy the mini Eiger North Face more if you first enjoy the "original" Eiger North Face as much as you can on the approach and then enter via ferrata, mini Eiger North Face 🤣
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