Chapter 675

Sep 1-9, 2024

Via Ferrata

exciting

link to Colorado 2024 Photo Album

What's a Via Ferrata? Italian for a way of iron. Steel cables and hoops attached to rock allowing climbers to safely traverse hillsides. At Ouray, the city established a course along the magnificent Uncompahgre River gourge and allows free access to anyone over 18 as long as they have a harness, helmet, and two safety cables.

We were mildly interested in trying a little bit ofit but decided, nah, not necessary.  Colleen still wants to try and has a new pair of rock climbing shoes !

We watched the climbers attempt the easier downstream section here from the Yankee Boy Basin bridge (left yellow line). They say the stream has been naturally orange for thousands of years from drainage through the Red Mountain iron deposits. However, there is also mine drainage contaminants heavy metals and arsenic that exceeds drinking water quality limits.

The Chinese girl in dark blue is taking the bail out route after attempting to go up sky walk - the high vertical cliff section further up stream.

We spotted this trio attempting the vertical sky walk but ended up failing and took the escape route in the end.

It's a dramatic sight.

A struggle for sure. You can see the cables going down the canyon from whence they had come just before.

Downstream the Box Canyon road bridge crosses the stream and you can see the blue wall used by winter ice climbers. A really big deal  international ice climbing festival was held this year including three world championships. My cousin displays his technique in this video. The pipes carry water to town and in winter they sprinkle the cliffs to make for "fun" ice climbing.

We hiked some of the Ice Park Perimeter Trail leading to the VF and encompasses the whole site. Colleen contemplates going across the three wire bridge to the more difficult upstream section, but doesn't have the required equipment.

These climbers are starting the easier downstream section crossing the three wire bridge.

Sometimes you gotta hang like a monkey.

Sometimes there's an awkward transition to the next leg of the climb.

It helps to have a partner for security. One guy showed up solo and asked if we were going to proceed. He waited around for some others to pair up with.

In the upstream section we saw this couple resting before attempting to go forward on a strenuous route.