“Via Ferrata” meaning “iron road or way” in Italian, was conceived during World War 1 when the Italian and Austrian forces were engaged in ferocious battles to gain control of their frontiers mainly in the mountainous Dolomite region.
Tens of thousands of troops died. To assist troop movements at high altitudes the forces fixed wire lines and ladders to the rock faces enabling their soldiers to gain control of the peaks. These were the first Via Ferrata.
Today the major region for modern Via Ferrata routes is the Dolomites but many more countries are constructing their own systems.
From the desperate needs of war time there is now a major mountain sport which is enjoyed by thousands of people a year.
Modern Via Ferrata routes consist of steel cables bolted into the rock face at intervals and running parallel with metal rungs or stemples.
A Via Ferrata belay device is essential and consists of two energy absorbing tails with karabiners. This assembly is tied into the normal climbing harness with one karabiner being attached to the cable at all times.
NB. None of the above text applies to any of the photos above. These photos show cavalier disregard for the scrambling public’s safety and all anyone can deduce is that China is not a very litigious society.
