Look Out Below! Via Ferrata at Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center, West Virginia [Video]

Clipping!

Have you tried a via ferrata? For those who don't know what it is (and I didn't before I tried it last year on The Most Epic Trip), it's an Italian-born sport designed to traverse cliff sides. Instead of going straight up and coming down, as in rock climbing, you go up... and then traverse, traverse, traverse.

The via ferrata (we visited Nelson Rocks, West Virginia) was much more intense than I gave credit for. With my climber ego in tow, I approached the cliff with a bit of a scoff; regularly-placed steel rungs were drilled into the rock for hand and foot placement. To me, this looked more like climbing a ladder. However, five minutes in, I changed my tune. My ego subsided as I realized I was strapped to a wall with static, short leashes which- with one bad move- could lead to a factor five fall. There were times when I wished I had my chalk bag as my hands became increasingly damp from gripping steel rungs misted with early morning dew. My strength, endurance, and balance were nearly maxed.

What made it worth it? The views. With a via ferrata, you don't have the "I'm-at-the-top-quick-glance-around-now-lower!" summit in an attempt to save your belayer's aching neck. Instead, this experience gives you an extended view resulting from a long traverse across a band of rock jutting high above the surrounding hills- at least in my case in West Virginia. This was the closest I've ever felt to being suspended in mid-air; for an entire morning, I maintained an elevation of nearly 200' on the side of a cliff. It was taxing, yes, but it was heaven. (Cue John Denver. ;)

Want to see what it's like first-hand? You're in luck. We happened to take a little video during our experience at Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center. 


Video: Gina Bégin
Edit: Steve W. Weiss

Though via ferrata is still new here in the states, places are cropping up across the continent. If you have a chance, give it a go. 

Have you done this? What did you think?