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Approaching the Abyss

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Approaching the Abyss ISSUE 168 Crocs and waterfalls on the Herbet A Swiss via ferrata adventure Crossing the Patagonia ice shelf Hiking Bogong High Plains Apsley Gorge canyoning Riding the Red Centre Rock climbing Umbrawarra Track Notes: Mount Barney And loads more... APPROACHING WILD THE ABYSS November-December 2018 Issue # 2018 November-December Adventures beyond the comfort zone 168 NOV- DEC 2018, NO 168 $9.90* INC GST WILD.COM.AU HIKE PADDLE CLIMB RIDE | VIA FERRATA | CLIMBING THE IRON PATH Roland Handel sets out to conquer a fear of heights in the best way possible: by climbing a mountain. Words and Photos: ROLAND HANDEL 24 Successfully over the first ladder climb, I’m confident enough to remove one hand from the cable (Photo: Adolf Schlunegger) November/December 2018. WILD | VIA FERRATA | | SWITZERLAND | t was not the hidden summit of Schwarzhorn that sucked the mois- ture from my mouth, leaving my tongue and lips dry. Rather, it was Ithe sight of the ladders. Even this far away, they induced mild panic. There was a string of them reaching improb- ably skyward, and their aluminium contrasted, distinct and sharp, against the drab but sheer rock wall they were bolted against. Up they rose, disap- pearing into the swirling mists, to a summit I hoped I would soon be standing on. But it would not be climbing the ladders alone that induced my profound fear of vertigo. That would come far earlier. Ahead lay a boulder field—broken, shattered, snow-cov- ered—through which meandered the trail to come, and then, beyond that, running to the base of the cliff, a spine of solid stone. Strung along the ridge was a steel cable. And it would be here, clipping into this, that the first real jolts of panic began. Perhaps I shouldn’t have pan- 25 icked. It wasn’t just that the 2928m Schwarzhorn, lying deep in the Alps of central Switzerland, was dwarfed by its close siblings: Schreckhorn (4078m); Mönch (4107m); Jungfrau (4158m); and the most famous of them all, The Eiger (3970m). No, it was that unlike those other moun- tains, (which require not merely climbing skills but dollops of shutz- bah and sizeable cahoonas, both of which I’m generally lacking as soon as I’m three feet off the ground), the Schwarzhorn offered non-climbers a route to its summit: a via ferrata. Via ferrata (Italian for ‘Iron Path’; and since we’re in Switzerland, the German equivalent is ‘klettersteig’) is the term given to the sequence of cables and ladders like the one before me. Via ferrata developed in the Ital- ian Dolomites during the First World War, although at that time the concept had nothing to do with leisure. The WILD November/December 2018. | VIA FERRATA | Italians, fighting the Austrians, the Germans, and each other, (specialised via ferrata) lanyard, designed to arrest your fall, installed a series of fixed ropes, cables and ladders through- is another couple of metres. That could be a long fall.” out the Dolomites, allowing their troops to move more safely “So, it is really dangerous?” I asked. Would I have to among the high altitude. While several of the routes were work out a good excuse to pull out of this adventure? converted to via ferrata routes post war, via ferrata really “Put it this way. You’re not going to die. But take a bad only gained popularity as a leisure activity during the 1970s fall, and you’re not going to be walking out of there either.” and 80s. However, it was during the 1990s and 2000s that the activity really took off, as via ferrata became more commer- cial, with routes developed throughout Italy, France, Austria and Switzerland. Today, climbing via ferrata has become rec- Back in Switzerland, climbing through the scree, ognised as its own mountain activity, with websites, guide- this conversation is still swirling through my head. books, grading systems and its own specialised equipment. Some people get short of breath when nervous, My proposed route up Schwarzhorn was graded a 2 (on a others shake and tremble, or break out in hot sweats. I get 5-point grading system – 5 the sudden urge to relieve being the most difficult), and myself, and not the conve- considered moderately diffi- nient Number Ones behind cult, classified as ‘some steep the nearest tree. Not the terrain, smaller footholds, most convenient of nervous but climbing aids provid- traits at the best of times. I’d ed. Longer ladders possible already taken one ner- (emphasis added). Essentially vous poo behind a boulder, protected but some exposed and I’d still need anoth- scrambling. Some use of arms’. er before attaching to the Google via ferrata, and cable. you’ll find dozens of imag- Fortunately, I was at least es depicting shabby looking in safe hands. My guide Adolf cables bolted to a stone wall, had more than 20 years’ ex- with vast distances between perience climbing all the big each hold, and iron footholds peaks of the Alps (including 26 that look as though they were the Eiger – twice – in win- bashed into the rock during ter). This jaunt up a Grade 2 the first world war. However, mountain, attached to a ca- the reality in Switzerland (with ble, would be a stroll in the the Swiss being, well, Swiss) is park for my seasoned moun- that most of these older via fer- tain guide. Joining us would rata have been replaced. Now- be Daniela, a Swiss girl now adays, most of the cables and living in nearby Interlak- aluminium ladders are brand en, and who compounded new, and the steel cables are my imminent doom by tell- fixed to the rock every couple ing me that she’d never once of metres. The Swiss have gone been scared of heights. She to great lengths to ensure this took great pride in telling activity is as safe as possible. me of her adventures jump- Even so, I’d still reached ing out of planes, off bridges, out to one of my climbing bud- and the numerous other via dies Matt, prior to my depar- ferrata in the region she had ture, just to be sure. climbed. The more she spoke, Daniela takes a photo as I ascend the first ladder climb. “Via ferrata. That’s crazy,” Note every body part available is pressed against the ladder the more my eyes darted was my first real piece of ad- for purchase (Photo: Daniela Küffer) around looking for my next vice from Matt. “When you are emergency rest stop. It was rock climbing, you are always apparent I’d be dealing with held pretty tight. If you fall, you never really fall very far. The the impending heights alone. ropes are pretty dynamic and you’re not really falling onto So, a couple of hours after leaving the relative safe- anything.” ty of a gondola that had deposited us most of the way up a “However, when you climb via ferrata you’re climbing nearby peak, our trudge up the rock-strewn scree end- with a bunch of people who don’t normally climb. If you fall, ed as we reached the base of the rock that signalled the you’re likely to fall onto one of them, or worse still, one of start of the actual climbing. I stared up at the ridge them will fall onto you. Depending on the last time the ca- above. The steel cable snaked its way upward before dis- ble was fixed to the wall, you might fall ten metres. And the appearing behind the boulders ahead. We each climbed November/December 2018. WILD | VIA FERRATA | | SWITZERLAND | 27 While waiting for me to peel myself off the ladder, Daniela took this photo down between her legs, revealing the exposure far below us (Photo: Daniela Küffer) WILD November/December 2018. Once above the second ladder climbing became much easier (Photo: Daniela Küffer) Painted markers on the rocks not only A photo of our route taken the identify the trail ahead, but are also following day. Of course the weather used to indicate the type of trail (blue would clear up once off the mountain & white indicates climbing, while red & white indicates a hiking trail) November/December 2018. WILD | SWITZERLAND | into our specialised climbing gear, consisting a normal both feet) at all times was proving difficult. Removing any of rock climbing harness, with two lanyards and carabiners the aforementioned body parts, would reduce my gripping attached. I fastened my helmet and then we were ready. power by at least…one, and put me in mortal danger. Trying to reach down and fumble for a carabiner, unclip it, clip it back onto the cable and then do it over again with the second carabiner, was proving even more difficult. I huffed, puffed, Climbing via ferrata involves sliding a pair of carabiners grunted and cursed as I slowly climbed. up the cable until you reach an anchor point. You then remove When I reached the top of the first ladder, I paused, con- one carabiner, attach it to the cable on the other side of the an- templating the insanity of having to step across the void and chor point and then repeat with the remaining carabiner. This onto the second ladder. I dared not look down, instead star- process means that you are always attached with at least one ing at the rock in front of me, blindly fumbling with hands carabiner to the cable, and any fall would only result in your to transfer the carabiners from one ladder to the other.
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