Jürgen and I decided to do a via ferrata today, the weather be damned. It is overcast, but not raining.
He picked me up at 8:00 and we drove up to get Ralph.
Jürgen picked a great via that had us climbing alongside a waterfall. It is called the “Klettersteig Verborgene Welt.” Here is a link with maps.
Ralph went with us so he could hike. This via was just above Amlach, about ten minutes up the road then a drive up and up another winding, gravel road that took us high into the mountains. We are in the Lienzer Dolomiten, near Spitzkofel, right under the Simonskopf Peak where I lost my camera two years ago on a via ferrata. The LOCATION.
We parked near a bridge, the Klammbrückl, with a river flowing in a slot canyon 120 feet below us.
We all hiked in together on trail #10, about 8/10ths of the way to the Kerschbaumeralm Hut, and that’s where the via ferrata started. Ralph stayed to take some photos of us starting the climb before he hiked the rest of the way to the hut.
We walked to the base of the Klapffall, the waterfall that the via ferrata, or klettersteig, is built around. Jürgen and I got our harnesses on, and we both put on our rain coats due to a slight drizzle and the mist from the waterfall. He graciously let me lead, since he had been here before with Lorenz and Petra.
Right off the bat we crossed the river at the base of the waterfall on a cable. Then we worked our way up the face, and into the canyon. As we climbed I looked for places I could brace myself, or have good footholds so I could take photos of and film Jürgen.
Three bridges, one and a half hours, much face climbing and slick, wet rock later, we emerged on top. It was a great climb, just a lot of fun.
We packed up and headed the rest of the way up to the Kerschbaumeralm Hut to meet Ralph. Just as we reached the hut it started to rain. So we sat inside and ate knodel soup, had a beer and coffee, and just wasted time until it cleared up outside.
We headed down and out, grateful for a good day’s climb.
That night we all got together at Jürgen and Veronika’s house for one last dinner. After eating we sat and talked, and it was reluctantly that we left. Many promises to visit in California and back here again.
Tomorrow we head for Munich to meet up with Lorenz and Petra.
That will be a great time. Still... I am going to miss the adventures, hiking and climbing here.