Photos

This is the Kaminspitzen Via Ferrata outside of Innsbruck, Austria. There are about 70 of these "Iron Cable" routes on Austria's mountain borders, many along its border with Germany. These routes were built before WWII so Austrian soldiers could more safely patrol the high Alp peaks. There were many hand-to-hand combats along these routes, and every so often as the snowfields receed the bodies of soldiers are found. Nowadays these famed Via Ferrata routes are used by sport climbers. The cables and iron bars are attached to sheer rock faces, and climbing harnesses and equipment are used to clip in. It's not "pure" climbing; you're using aids and hardware bolted into the rock. But the climbs are still high adventure, and photographing while you're en route is not easy. This section is a sheer drop for over 1,000 feet.