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passthepitonspete
Dec 27, 2001, 6:40 PM
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The Euros have a different kind of way of equipping their mountains, which is called a via ferrata. These are basically fixed "ropes" of cable or even barstock steel that are bolted to the mountain to allow for ease of passage. They were originally set up by professional guides in order to speed their clients up and down the mountain, which is something you would probably want to do, too, if you were getting paid a few thou to risk your neck dragging some gumby up the Matterhorn in between lightning storms and the hundred-or-so other likeminded guides who are blocking your path. On many mountains, there are networks of these bloody things criss-crossing the crags! Who the heck needs to actually rope up?! Sheesh! Yes! You too can go "rock climbing" in the Alps! Even if you are someone's great grandfather, you can enjoy this glorious alpine experience! Just think of it! No cliff is too steep for you! You can go anywhere, even places where people like you don't belong. Just clip on your quick-draw, and away you go. Or do you? Before you read any further, what do you think the consequences of falling onto a via ferrata will be if you are clipped to it with a quickdraw? Do you know anything about "fall factors? Do you think that a fall factor of 2 is the highest fall factor you can generate? Think again! If you take a fall onto a via ferrata, and you fall ten metres onto a one metre long quick draw, you have generated a fall factor of 10! If you do this, the only thing still attached to the end of the quickdraw will be your harness and possibly your skin - the rest of your body, including your musculo-skeletal system, will be plummeting downward towards the top of the "telepherique" where people like you should have had the good sense to stay. If you are going to attach yourself to a via ferrata, you should do so the better way. It would also be a really great idea to know why the hell you're doing it. Cheers, Dr. Pee'd On [ This Message was edited by: passthepitonspete on 2001-12-27 11:31 ]
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theooze
Dec 28, 2001, 4:11 PM
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Dear Dr. P: You will be delighted to know that the via ferrata has now made its North American debut: http://viaferratatorrentfalls.com/ Cheers, Hans
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clorda
Jan 2, 2002, 5:58 PM
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Registered: Nov 27, 2001
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Hey Pete... I see you've been checking out the Zyper... Does this have anything to do with our past conversations? When are you putting one on the belay between the anchors and the rope when soloing? Any new ideas regards to my post/e-mails on screamers on the belay station? Happy new year to all... CL
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jds100
Jan 2, 2002, 8:39 PM
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Stu (or anybody), how did this hideous thing get built in this country!?! And, in Kentucky!!? Apparently near the Red!!!?! Isn't there a climbers' group down there? These things are B-A-D. Nasty Euro habit, shoulda never come to this country. Kinda like usin' rosin on the rock. Worse, actually. This'll make people think they can go up on rock "safely". Pete knows whereof he speaks, about the deadly forces of a fall on a via ferrata. And, Tori Allen -or, rather her parents- should know better than to have her prominently displayed on the website linked by HansChlorine (Stu). This is another example of her (or her parents') commercial "success-by-more-media-exposure" ethic, rather than participating in and benefitting climbing in a way that is other than selfish. Next, we can just sit back and watch as they cut steps and pave a path to the top, because, hey, as we all know, it's gettin' to the top that counts, right? Not how ya do it! Right, Tori?
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jds100
Jan 3, 2002, 4:41 PM
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Stu, I actually recieved a couple emails from a climber in Kentucky and from the builder of the via ferrata. It is important that it's built on privately owned land, and that the landowners have reopened the land for conventional climbing as well as the via ferrata. Monsieur Horvath, the builder, seems to be a nice enough guy, with a reasonable sensibility about the environment and climbing. I don't agree with the assumption that it's a "good thing" to bring more people to the rock, by any means necessary (so to speak), but that's basically what the motivation of landowners and the via ferrata builders is. So, if they keep this kind of thing on private land, .....
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kriso9tails
Jan 4, 2002, 4:41 AM
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Those landowners are really nice to climbers. They've even allowed new route development recently. It (the via f.) was used in the Rocktoberfest celebration put on by the RRGCC. [ This Message was edited by: kriso9tails on 2002-01-03 20:42 ]
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metoliusmunchkin
Jan 4, 2002, 5:23 AM
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The Via Ferrata? It seems as though many of you have mixed feelings upon the likes of the Via Ferrata. What exactly is it? Could anyone be so kind as to gently discribe the processes and definitions of a Via Ferrata? I would be much obliged.
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metoliusmunchkin
Jan 4, 2002, 11:36 PM
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Registered: Apr 7, 2001
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Thank you very much for the assistance! P.S. The Second World War was between the First World War and VietNam, not the Civil War and VietNam. Just funnin' ya.
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