Via ferrata tutorial 03: Tour planning

There are two keys that guarantee safe and enjoyable via ferrata tours: solid planning and honest self-assessment. This is impressively confirmed by the mountain rescue statistics - the majority of rescue operations involve the recovery of uninjured but "blocked" via ferrata climbers! Blockage means: your strength is exhausted, your nerves are on edge, you can no longer go forwards or backwards.

The serious planning of a via ferrata tour can be reduced to five points:

Tour selection Current conditions Weather conditions The group Equipment

Choosing the tour

Which tour suits your abilities? It is clear that it is crucial to know the difficulty of a via ferrata. However, more is needed for an overall assessment: How long is the via ferrata - in meters of altitude and in hours? How persistent are the difficulties? Is it exposed to the sun or north-facing? What about the length and difficulty of the ascent and descent? Is it a sport via ferrata close to the valley or an alpine via ferrata in the mountains?

Don't worry: there are perfect sources of information on all via ferratas in the Eastern Alps - in book form and on the internet. The "Topo" is of particular importance. On a single page, the route, difficulty information, rest areas, escape routes etc. are shown schematically.

The current conditions

The more alpine the route, the more important it is to ask questions about the condition of the via ferrata - e.g. in early summer: Has the via ferrata been checked and cleared after the winter? Are there old snowfields on the ascent or descent? Is it wet after a period of bad weather? Is there a particular risk of falling rocks? Tour portals on the Internet, tourist and mountain guide offices, Alpine Club sections can be recommended as reliable sources of information.

The weather

A via ferrata is also an oversized lightning conductor! This explains why we pay so much attention to the weather forecast - especially the information on the risk of thunderstorms. The same applies to the weather: the more alpine your project, the more important it is to be informed about the temperature and wind force.

The group

Via ferratas are even more fun in small groups. Provided the destination is chosen in such a way that nobody is overtaxed - neither physically nor mentally! Via ferratas with children are a special kind of challenge. Everything has to be right - especially the choice of route and the adult supervisor's ability to master the difficulties.

The equipment

Is our equipment complete and in good working order? Harness, via ferrata set, helmet, gloves, appropriate shoes, clothing for wind and cold, sufficient fluids and food, a copy of the topo. And for emergencies: smartphone, first aid kit and - for alpine climbs - bivouac sack, headlamp and hiking map.

What else should you consider on a via ferrata? Take a look at the article and video "Via ferrata: everything you need to know".