As Aspenites I think nearly all of us have been to Telluride at some point. Personally I have been there dozens of times in the past 10 years- to ski, see the fall colors, soccer tournaments, concerts and so on. But I had no idea there was a hidden gem at the end of the box canyon. High above the valley floor is a lateral climbing route bolted to the cliff, called the Via Ferrata.
A Via Ferrata, which literally means “iron road” in Italian, is a common route in the Alps. In Telluride this particular route offers steel cables and rungs anchored into the sheer rock faces, allowing climbers to make their way across narrow ledges by clipping in as they traverse the most dangerous portions. There was some secrecy when the cables were first installed by Chuck Kroger, but lately is has become popular and permitted guides lead climbers across daily in the summer. The guiding services can also provide the specific climbing gear required
The hike starts out innocuously enough on the road from the valley floor toward the iconic Bridal Vail falls. The Via Ferrata trail leads off to the left, on the opposite wall to the falls. After a quick scramble uphill the trail immediately becomes a narrow goat path, barely a foot wide, and as you continue the ground gets further and further away.
All the beta a received before the hike was to prepare for the “Main Event” right in the middle of the Via Ferrata. Unlike the narrow path, this section is merely steel ladder rungs drilled directly in to the wall. This is the first moment I felt any type of fear on the climb as my height suddenly became an issue. Even with the dynamic cables I was secured too, I was too short to reach the cable while standing on my tiptoes on the rung. For several long moments I found myself frozen with indecision, a sheer cliff of a couple hundred feet directly beneath me. Finally I decided to reach across to the next step, stretching my tether as far as it would go. At the last second I glanced down at my foot to make sure it was on the rung, and my stomach flipped, as all I could see was the ground far below. The Main Event is probably only 25 feet across, but my heart was in my throat for every inch of it.
We crossed one at a time, so no one was ever on the same cable simultaneously. As advertised the Main Event was the most harrowing section. This is the only section I was unable to look down with out getting a little dizzy. The rest of the climb offered stunning views of the valley and two other canyon walls.
The Via Ferrata can be done as an out and back or as a loop. Mostly this means to be prepared for traffic in the other direction, and making space and sharing cable so people can climb over you to continue. As a loop the final section of trail offers views of some of Tellurides oldest mining equipment, with cables and machinery strewn through the trees it is a trip back in time.
The gear you need are sturdy hiking shoes, a climbing harness, a dynamic lanyard to clip in, locking carabineers, a helmet and gloves are not a bad idea.