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I thought I'd give the bike approach thing a go because the mountain guide I climb with tends to prefer it if it's an option. Some of the approaches are a bit of a grind. I'm climbing Hochwilde in a few days and a bike should save about two hours of trudging.
Via Ferrata is great. Trad and sport climbers can be extremely snobby about it but they're misguided. I know a professional climber who not only loved his first route but also found it to be much more challenging than they expected. You're covering lots of vert in some cases after all. You also don't have to use the provided aids if you don't want to. It just opens up batty routes that you couldn't climb trad tbh.
It also has a dangerous reputation for being "safe". You can only fall once on via Ferrata. Your screamer will only deploy once and then you have to be rescued. The fall factor can be huge if you're unlucky. Backs can be broken. Especially if you're one of the wallies who does it on a sling and some carabiners. This is why via Ferrata has a fair few serious accidents compared to other climbing types...people underestimating it.
That said, in Italy and Austria you can find routes suitable for ages 9+ all the way to brutally difficult routes. They are well maintained now days.
On balance I prefer trad, but for working on climbing fitness...blasting 350m+ up a face is quite a workout.
Stonehedge-
All good points, I’ve never had a snobbish attitude towards it- appreciate its origins and anything that gets people up and enjoying the mountains is a good thing.
I think in my head it would feel somewhere between work(years of trees and a bit of industrial/events access) and sport climbing.
The thought of getting lots of mileage in for fitness does sound like a wise plan. I was woefully unfit for a trad route recently and had a far more enjoyable weekend doing sport routes instead.Have you seen the crazy reusable screamers from the 80s made with Velcro or just looping through rigging plates?
http://www.verticalmuseum.com/
If you’ve never browsed the vertical museum site before you’re in for a treat.
I’ve ended up hunting down one or two random bits of kit I spotted on there.. -
Sounds fun and something I'd like.
edmundro
skinny
Interesting, for some reason I’d not clocked you were on via, assumed you were on mountaineering kit.
It’s something I’ve wanted to try but never got round to doing. I’ve been regaled with some hair raising stories(loosely translated by my pa) from some of the old boys in their village in France near the alps of what doing via was like back in the 70s on rusted out WW2 steps and ladders. Sounded very niche indeed but I guess you’ve got to keep busy when it’s not ski season..
Also, combining bikes and climbing is something I’ve wanted to do for a while but loaded up my bob trailer on top of a full touring setup and then riding up to Gogarth or the Lakes is prob a bit bleak in reality. That and I have visions of looking down to see some little scrote making off with my bike while I’m up ;)