The Roche Au Dade Via Ferrata
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The Roche Au Dade Via Ferrata

Byrichard

Two days ago I was agonising about whether to go for a via ferrata(VF) or a hike. Eventually I decided that I would go for the hike, because hiking was an 18 minute drive away. I went for a walk/run and then I found that I had a burning desire to do the via ferrata. I went down to the cave and rummaged through to find various bits and pieces. I found my Grigri, climbing rope, harnesses and more. I also found that I had a tandem speed which I considered using.

It’s amusing. I had a real, deep, burning passion to do the Via Ferrata. I had forgotten how it feels to prepare for something that is potentially dangerous, but in reality very safe, if you follow the rules and regulations of the sport. It’s fun to consider whether to use the brand new VF set or to use the slightly older set. My slightly older set might have been used on one or two VF before I broke my arm and stopped climbing from 2019-2024 or so.

When I was walking along the port’s high wall in Javea in 2001 or so I felt scared at being three or four meters in height, compared to the road beneath. I questioned how I would cope with the heights that we encounter on a VF. I hoped that I would not be scared of heights again.

Luckily Via Ferrata is something you don’t forget. I found that all of my old Via Ferrata habits were still there. The habit of keeping arms straight, of resting when required, of taking pictures, of day dreaming and of patiently waiting for the rest of the group. At one or two points I was asked “why are you waiting” and the answer is simple. If I went at my speed the one and a half hour VF would take fourty five minutes. I have done VFs every weekend every summer for years so I am perfectly at home on VFs.

I was so “at home” that I took 72 photos during the VF.

The one challenge I faced was keeping the phone safe. I would have taken more photos but my key concern was dropping the phone if I slipped or lost my balance. I didn’t have as much flexibility to take photos as I would have liked. I need to find a system that gives me that flexibility. When I was doing VF all the time I had a strap so that if I dropped a camera it would drop less than a meter. Yesterday I was taking a risk every time I took photos.

In the past, when doing Via ferrata regularly, I have smashed one or two cameras to bits as they hit the rocks, over and over again. The best solution might be to use the Garmin virb.

About the Via Ferata Itself

The Roche au Dade Via Ferrata is about 45 minutes from Nyon. It is located in the valley that you pass by as you drive from Switzerland to England and vice versa. You get off the main road, drive through the village and head to a small simple parking. There are three or four routes that you can take. You have an introductory VF that takes you across several bridges. You also have the option of just going to do the zipline. There are two of them but for the second one you need to be more experienced to get to it.

For the most part I would class the VFs as easy but that’s with years of VF experience. There is one bit on the classic route that I think people should be wary of. It’s the vertical climb after the last monkey bridge because it is more vertical and physical than the other parts. This is where people might struggle if they are not prepared.

I like that there are three or four routes to enjoy because you can spend more than fourty five minutes here. You also have a picnick table. You can climb one part, get back down, have a snack or drink and do the other parts.

As you can see from the featured photo the via ferrata is right on the road, as is the parking so access time is quick.

And Finally

In the end I’m happy that I chose to climb with the Via Ferrata group rather than hike with the hiking group. One of the advantages of doing something with a smaller group is that you get to know the people better. I definitely want to do more activities with this group and I’m happy that we ended the day with a drink before driving home. I think that “end of activity” drinks, even if it’s orangina, are important.

Day 54 Of Self-Isolation in Switzerland – The Via Ferrata Season Resumes on Monday
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Day 54 Of Self-Isolation in Switzerland – The Via Ferrata Season Resumes on Monday

Byrichard

The Via Ferrata Season resumes on Monday with La Via Farinetta reopening. This news came via the Via Farinetta Saillon official page, as seen with the Facebook embed below.




Bonne nouvelle! La Via sera ouverte à partir ce lundi 11 mai ??

Néanmoins nous vous rendons attentifs sur les instructions des autorités.

N’hésitez pas à nous partager vos photos.
Prenez soin de vous!

Posted by Via Farinetta Saillon Officiel on Thursday, 7 May 2020


I’m happy with the news. I won’t rush to climb though. I’d rather wait for two or three weeks and see what happens. If no one gets sick then we can start climbing again. If Décathlon does open I can get gloves that cover fingertips to be safe.


I have altered the route I usually walk because cows are in one of the fields I like to walk through. The alternate route requires walking along a road, so it’s less pleasant because there are a greater number of people to avoid.


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In the picture above you would never know that there is a path that you can walk along. It’s only because one day I saw people walking from the other direction that I decided to investigate. If you walk closer you see that the gap is large enough for people to pass, as in the featured image. Even when you know where it is it’s easy to miss.


It’s VE day, and the poppies are out.


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I saw a flower I wasn’t familiar with and when I looked closer to take pictures I noticed that these were strawberry plants. The season for strawberries is almost here.


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Strawberry flowers


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I didn’t eat any because they’re not ripe. They’re still green, and they’re on a farm, not wild. For wild ones we have to wait until we get to the mountains again.

La Via Ferrata Farinet
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La Via Ferrata Farinet

Byrichard

Plaque describing Farinet
Plaque describing Farinet


For a week or two in April the weather was nice but since then the weather has been bad. We had new snow, high winds and rain. Yesterday rain was announced yet again for parts of Switzerland but luckily only clouds were announced for Saillon where the Via Farinetta is. I expected it to be cold and grey but practicable.


We had moments of sunshine and the weather was even pleasant. As a result of all the rain and snow the waterfalls were full of water, to the point of growing with water and spraying the first part of the Via Ferrata.


A large volume of water filling the waterfall
A large volume of water filling the waterfall


As this Via Ferrata is in a gorge communicating with the people you are climbing with requires speaking loudly. Now is a good time to see the waterfalls and gorge when they are nicely filled with water.


As I have written about this via Ferrata before I will not go on. What is interesting is that there are now four or five Via Ferrata groups, of which three for those living between Switzerland and France. You have the Via Ferrata Suisse Romand Group, the Via Ferrata Geneve/Annemasse group, the Via Ferrata de France group and the Via Ferrata d’Europe group.


This is excellent because it means that we are now a community of hundreds of enthusiasts connected by Facebook groups and this can be extended to Whatsapp groups. It means that if you have a desire to climb you can suggest a time and place and people can say “yes” or stay silent. ;-). Sometimes they say “nope, some of us have jobs” but not to me as I haven’t asked to do things during the week.


What’s more, this community is not English speaking “expats”. It is made up of locals and migrants. For years social media was about having conversations online but not being able to meet in person unless one caught the train, plane or went on a road trip. Facebook and other social networks have now reached critical mass, at last. This means that we can say “I want to climb” and then you do.


It makes meeting people possible once again. So far I’ve met two new people via the Via Ferrata group and I want to meet many more. It’s nice to be part of a nice big, open community once again. This summer I expect to participate in a few activities with these groups, as soon as the mediocre weather gives way to nice weather.

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Via Ferrata Jacques Revaclier

Byrichard

The Via Ferrata Jacques Revaclier is located on the Salève a short drive from Vitam Parc and within easy driving distance of Geneva and Nyon. The Via Ferrata requires scrambling over a few metres of rock to get to the start.





This via Ferrata has two parkings. The first of these is for the Abbaye de Pomier and the second is for the “promeneurs”. If the abbaye parking is empty use this one because you may hit the bottom of your car on the dirt track heaving up to the hiking parking.


The hiker parking
The hiker parking


This via ferrata goes sideways rather than up and requires you to go down and then up, and then across. You walk under the rock formation pictured below and then get to a section where you are more exposed to seeing the landscape and the landscape below. If you’re used to via ferrata then this is the moment you will enjoy and if you are new to via ferrata then this is the moment that will either convince you of your love for the sport, or to try something tamer next.


Nice rock
Nice rock


When you get to the end of the via ferrata you will come into a cluster of trees and you are meant to follow the red paint back to the path down. This is not well marked so requires some tracking skills. I created a GPS track of this trip. Keep in mind that later in the season the track should be clearer. At the start of the season teams of volunteers have usually not cleared these paths.





Beginners can try this via ferrata but be aware that the last part may be a challenge for beginners so prepare them for the last section. It’s short and easy to surmount but be wary of it.


Iredpoint by Frogg GMBH
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Iredpoint by Frogg GMBH

Byrichard

The Apple watch and other devices have integrated barometers that allow them to track changes in altitude. Iredpoint by Frogg GMBH is one app that takes advantage of this. It allows you to tell the app what type of climbing you are doing as well as the difficulty.


Types of Climbing


This app allows you to choose the type of climbing that you are doing. You can choose between bouldering, top rope climbing, sport climbing, trad climbing, multirope climbing, free solo, aid climbing and last, and most awesome of all, Via Ferrata. I’m pleasantly surprised by that last one. In summer this is one of my favourite pass times.


You can let the app know what type of climbing you are doing.


Climbing Grade


Right before you start ascending a route you can tell the app of the gradient that you are about to climb and this includes American, European and other gradients. For Via ferrata for example you can choose between the French PD, AD, ED and other ratings of the German number system


I am still learning how to use this app


When I tried this app at Vitam Park I made sure to state the gradient and then started to climb. You see that the height information is correct. For the second climb I did the same. For consequent climbs I did not select a difficulty gradient or took breaks on the route and you can see that the graph does not include the full climb. For future versions of this app I would like it to take the starting altitude as a base and combine climbs until the correct height is reached.


I started by climbing one top rope but subsequent climbs were bottom roped and I would like the ability, while tracking to switch between the two, as well as when I have finished climbing for the day.


Heart rate was not tracked.


This is an app with great potential and I see myself using it from now on. What I love about this app is that it tracks data while you are climbing rather than just the climb and the grade. I like that it offers such a diversity of climbing options. I will use it when I do via ferrata. I look forward to Spring and Summer when I can use it outdoors.

The Klettersteig Rider 3.0
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The Klettersteig Rider 3.0

Byrichard

The Klettersteig Rider 3.0 is a dual system via ferrata kit. It has a carabiner like standard via ferrata kits have and a “rider” system. The “rider” system fixes to the via ferrata cable and progresses with you. As you get to a part where you need to switch you move the rider system up first and then you move the carabiner. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmmXodEZQxo


What I like about this system is that if you slip or lose grip of the rungs for any reason you will only fall the length of the connector rather than the length from where you are to the most recent pig tail. This reduces the fall distance by a considerable amount. 


The Via Ferrata where I would most like such a system is Leukerbad. On the Leukerbad Via Ferrata when you get to the last third there are few handholds so you rely on finger and arm strength to progress and you get tired. With this system you would relieve that strain to some extent. It would make me feel more at ease. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXR1a-sFeS0


At 229 CHF from at least one online shop this kit is expensive. You can get Via Ferrata sets for between 60-115 CHF as a beginner. This kit is interesting for people who, like me, have practised Via Ferrata for years and use their kits every weekend in summer. Via Ferrata sets can last for years so if you estimate that you will use it from 3-5 years the price is acceptable. 


An alternative is the Austrialpin Hydra via ferrata set. It’s 60 CHF cheaper but you only block on the cable when you need a rest rather than continuously. The third option, and the most used option is a sling with a carabiner. This is also the cheapest option.  

Documenting climbing feats
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Documenting climbing feats

Byrichard

Documenting climbing feats is an interesting challenge because you deal with issues of accessibility, projects that can last for months or even years and in some cases you’re dealing with the prospect of the climber understanding the problem, and then achieving his goal. For two or three years I really explored ideas for a climbing documentary before losing steam. My interest in the topic was still there but I couldn’t think of whom to put in front of the camera. 


In my free time I have watched a lot of documentary films about climbing. Some are short, filmed over just a few hours and others are about longer duration projects that can last for a week or two. When I heard that Alex Honnold was free soloing El Cap I didn’t realise all of the preparation that he had been through. It’s only after watching his TED talk that I understood and my respect for his process grew. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iM6M_7wBMc


I like his TED talk because he really goes into detail about his preparation. You see that it is a process that takes years. Moves are practiced over and over until they are perfect. This is repeated for every pitch. Nothing is left to chance. 


Aside from the mental preparation of the climber there is also the process that the cinéma verité crew must go through. In the documentary that I have included below you learn about the questions of ethics that are posed. Questions such as “how do we film this without distractions, how do we film this without endangering his life, how do we make this as safe as possible. The answer is using professional climbers and friends as camera crew. People that know the sport know when to be quiet and what move to expect next. 


It’s interesting that in this feature they discuss the use of remote cameras for one or two sections, so that Alex feels alone and focused on the task at hand. Remote cameras on a cliff hundreds of metres off of the ground. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-wjmIFlnNo


If a documentary is well made, like The Dawn Wall was, then you watch a documentary on a niche topic without growing bored or distracted. If it well filmed then it is as complete as a book. A well made documentary is as complete as a book.


The beauty over documentary films, as opposed to news coverage is that documentaries can be relevant to a small niche of people rather than cater to the lowest common denominator. This is especially true in an age where documentaries can be seen at film festivals, specialist events, offered as videos on demand and more. Keep in mind that in 2020 climbing will be an Olympic sport and that in this context documentaries that are made about climbers are going to attract an ever-growing audience. What is niche today will appeal to a wider audience tomorrow. 


Two years ago I volunteered at the Festival Du Film Alpin and I was really happy to watch a genre, that until then I had seen mainly on youtube appear on a big screen with a large audience. Recently I was at the Magnetic Film premiere and this was an interesting experience and last night I was at Pathé Balexert, a mainstream cinema watching a documentary about climbing. The next step would be for one of these documentaries to be screened on an IMAX screen. 

The Right side of the transmission chain – acquisition
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The Right side of the transmission chain – acquisition

Byrichard

The right side of the Transmission Chain is at the event itself.  Transmission chain is a term used to describe the route that a signal takes from an event venue to the device on which you are watching an event. As a camera operator the right side of the transmission chain for me is at the event itself.

Belaying

For the IFSC World Cup in Villars this year I was both a camera operator and a belayer. Belaying at a world cup event is an interesting experience because it’s rare to clip and unclip from so many climbers in such a short amount of time. Climbers have a limited time to get up the route. They have six minutes. This means that every 12 minutes or so you’re belaying a new climber as they progress up the wall. It’s a great task for introverts. You observe what the person is doing. When they need rope you’re ready to give it. If they’re struggling you make sure to amortise their fall. When they make it to the top or come back down you help them untie the rope and then you start again.

Camera operating

Aside from this task I was camera operator during the semi-final and final of the climbing competition.  This means that whilst most people were standing in the crowd watching the competition I was on a podium in the middle of the crowd filming the climbers as they progress up the wall.

From here you see the crowd and you see the climbers from a privileged point of view. You can see the climbers and what they are doing comfortably. You’re also more attentive. You’re following their every move, watching as they clip and progress. You see them progress and you hear the commentator and hear the crowd cheering.

When you’re on the “wrong” side of the transmission you’re hearing the international sound and you’re seeing what the vision mixer is seeing but you’re not seeing the event in context. The image below illustrates this.

In television broadcasting you usually have the cameras, an OB van and an SNG truck or fibre connections. These go from the venue to the Network Operating centre. The signal is encoded either for web streaming and sent to the content distribution network or it is sent on to national broadcasters. On that side of the transmission chain you are in an air conditioned office as a passive observer ready to react if there is an issue and waiting for the event to end.

Improved Belaying – perfecting our technique
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Improved Belaying – perfecting our technique

Byrichard

Belaying is a core climbing skill. With good belaying a climber can climb as fast as he is comfortable to climb, as if without a rope and yet have his fall cushioned at be safe at all times. The belayer needs to be active. He needs to observe and be attentive. I first learned to rock climb with a rope about ten years ago on the Italian side of the Alps and at the time I enjoyed climbing more than I enjoyed belaying. I then spent several years climbing via ferrata instead. The advantage with via ferrata is that it’s a simplified form of climbing.

Over a year ago I started climbing indoors daily as I finally found a group with which to climb. My interests and skill in belaying improved. Yesterday I assisted a short belaying perfection course in anticipation of the Villars IFSC climbing event. During this session we were reminded of a few key points.

Pre-climb check

As part of the pre-climb check we check that the rope is threaded through both loops on the climbing harness. We then check that every knot on the figure of eight knot is double. Once this is done we run through the rope and put it in a theoretical basket to check that there are no knots.

Initial part of the climb

Before the first clip as a belayer we are there to assist and direct the climber should they fall. We guide them towards a good landing until they get to the first clip. Once they are clipped in we make sure that they have enough rope to progress without feeling a pull downwards. We keep one hand to feed the rope and the second is always below holding the brake end of the rope. If they fall we are ready to stop and block the fall for the first four clips. From the fourth to the sixth clip we have a choice of either absorbing the fall or absorbing the fall and letting them descend to the ground. Once above the sixth clip we are feeding rope and ready to slow the fall and then lower the climber to the ground.

A dynamic movement

When you’re belaying you keep your legs so that one is forward and the other is behind. You’re ready to step forward to quickly provide more rope and ready to step back to tension it. If they fall we are in a good position to react to slow down the fall and lower the person back to the ground.

Lowering

When lowering the climber both hands are on the brake side of the rope. One can feed the rope a little faster and the second one is providing resistance as the rope slides through the system. Gloves that protect palms are recommended that are cut off so that fingers still have a tactile feel for the rope.

Learning to fall

During the training we took it in turns to belay and then to climb. When we were climbing we learned to be confident enough to fall and trust the belayer to slow down and then lower us. As a result of this part of the climbing training I was able to push my climbing to a higher grade and be confident enough to fall a number of times. This was a pleasant part of the climbing training because it allowed me to open up more challenging climbs.

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Clean Water for Hikes and cycling, without the weight

Byrichard

Clean water is important to have when you’re cycling, hiking or climbing in summer but the issue is that it is heavy. When I go cycling I go with just one flask and I fill up the water bottle when I get to fountains that are marked as safe to drink from. When I go hiking or climbing I usually do not go with more than one and a half litres of water although I have gone with up to three litres for a hot summer day’s activities when the temperature is above 32°c.

In Switzerland, France and Italy you theoretically do not need to walk with that much water because you cross streams, fountains, rivers and lakes. If you had a water filtration system you could theoretically purify the water from these sources and continue hiking. Yesterday I came across Katadyn and two solutions for water filtration.

Katadyn BeFree

The Katadyn BeFree is a collapsible water bottle system that you fill from unfiltered water and then filter as you drink. This system also allows you to refill clean water containers within a very short lapse of time. It takes very little space in your bag and it’s light. It’s easy to have this with you at all time. It would be practical for cycling and climbing. You leave home with clean tap water and when you run out of clean water you fill this system and squeeze clean water in to your clean water bottle and continue the day’s activities. I have seen this system for 45 CHF in Switzerland.

Katadyn Hiker Pro

The Katadyn Hiker Pro is a slightly more expensive but portable solution. It allows you to filter water straight from a river, stream or lake to a clean water recipient.  It has a first filter on the hose that goes from the water source to the pump. The pump has a pre-filter to get rid of any sediment still suspended in water and the third filter filters out almost all bacteria. Clean water then flows from the pump to the clean water container. If you’re climbing near a river or exploring a via ferrata near a waterfall then the need to carry water is reduced.

SteriPen Water purifiers

According to this article you can go a step further to stay safe. Almost every article and review mentions that the two systems above are not designed to kill viruses. If you want to go that extra step then you have the Steripen Aqua UV Water purifier.  It is meant to kill almost all bacteria and viruses. The link is to the cheapest model. The second option is to boil water.

“Boiling can be used as a pathogen reduction method that should kill all pathogens. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for 1 minute. At altitudes greater than 6,562 feet (greater than 2000 meters), you should boil water for 3 minutes.Apr 10, 2009” source:

Water Quality maps

If you’re going to drink river or lake water in Switzerland this document from March, 2017 provides maps with water quality information. In some areas waters may be contaminated with chemicals or pesticides and it is good to check that cattle are not upstream of your water source.

For a more recent article: How To choose A Water Purifier or Filter for Backpacking.