SummitClimbs Field Note: A via ferrata (“iron path”, in Norwegian klatresti) is a climbing route fitted with fixed steel cables, rungs, ladders and bridges, so that ordinary hikers can climb steep terrain clipped to the rock without their own ropes or climbing skills. Norway’s best-known example is Via Ferrata Loen in Nordfjord, which ends on the summit of Hoven (1,011 m), right next to the top station of the Loen Skylift. This guide explains how a via ferrata works, what gear you need and why it is less forgiving than many people think.
What a Via Ferrata Is
On a via ferrata, the mountain is equipped with fixed protection such as steel wire, rungs, ladders and bridges. You wear a harness with two short lanyards and clip into the steel cable, so a fall is stopped by the fixture. According to Norwegian Wikipedia, normal fitness and coordination are usually enough; you do not need serious climbing technique. Routes are generally climbed one way, upwards, and where the route is not part of a longer mountain tour there is usually a separate return path back down.
Routes vary enormously. Some are short and take less than an hour; others are long alpine routes with 1,000 m or more of ascent that take eight hours or longer. Some are little more than exposed paths, while others are steep, strenuous and even overhanging in places.
Where the Idea Came From
Simple protected paths have probably existed in the Alps for centuries, and fixed aids were installed on the Dachstein in 1843 and the Zugspitze in 1873. The routes most people associate with the name were built in the Dolomites during the First World War, when Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops fixed lines and ladders to the rock to move at high altitude. Many of those routes have since been restored with steel cables and metal rungs. Today there are more than 1,000 via ferratas in the European Alps alone, and they are found in many other countries, Norway among them.
Via Ferrata Loen and Hoven
Via Ferrata Loen ends on the summit of Hoven (1,011 m) above Nordfjord. Beside it runs the Loen Skylift, an aerial tramway from roughly sea level by the fjord to the top of Hoven. It is one of the steepest in the world, with gradients of up to 60° and an average of 45°, and was opened by Queen Sonja on 20 May 2017. From the summit of Hoven you look out over inner Nordfjord, the villages of Loen and Olden, Lodalen and Oldedalen, and towards Jostedalsbreen National Park. Signed and improved hiking paths start from the top, and the Hoven Restaurant sits at the top station. Check the operator’s own pages for current route rules, guiding and opening times.
At a Glance
- What it is: a climbing route with fixed steel cables, rungs, ladders and bridges
- Skills needed: normal fitness and coordination, plus a head for heights
- Standard gear: harness, helmet, suitable shoes and a via ferrata set (Y-shaped lanyards with an energy absorber and two special carabiners)
- Norway’s best-known route: Via Ferrata Loen, ending on Hoven (1,011 m) in Nordfjord
- Getting down from Hoven: the Loen Skylift or the signed hiking paths
Gear and Safety: Less Forgiving Than It Looks
Many people think a via ferrata is safer than rock climbing, but a fall can be harder on the body. In ordinary climbing a long rope absorbs much of the force; on a via ferrata only short lanyards do, so the fall factor can be high, and you can land on rungs, steps, cable and bolts. That is why a proper via ferrata set has an energy absorber where it attaches to the harness. In the EU, these energy-absorbing systems count as personal protective equipment and are tested to the standard EN 958, which was revised in 2017 after a fatal accident in 2012 in which both lanyards of a set failed.
- Use a real via ferrata set: two lanyards in a Y with an energy absorber; never improvise with a sling.
- Use the right carabiners: via ferrata carabiners are marked with a K in a circle (for Klettersteig), open wide with one hand and take high loads.
- Always stay clipped in: keep at least one carabiner on the cable at all times.
- Watch your fingers: pinched fingers between carabiner and cable are a typical minor injury.
- Go with a guide if you are new: they provide equipment and show you how to move safely.
- Weather: check the forecast on yr.no before you start.
The SummitClimbs Take
A via ferrata lets you into steep, exposed terrain that would otherwise need full climbing skills, and Loen gives you one with a fjord below and a cable car beside you. Treat it as climbing, not as a walk: use a proper via ferrata set, stay clipped in, and go with a guide the first time.
Facts from Norwegian Wikipedia (Via ferrata), Wikipedia (Via ferrata), Norwegian Wikipedia (Loen Skylift) and Wikipedia (Loen Skylift). Always check current conditions and operator rules before you go.