Via Ferrata in Ouray The Ultimate Guide 2023: New Routes and Info
Climber Crossing the Upper Bridge on the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata - Photo by Travis Perkins
Hundreds of feet off the ground, heart pumping, breath is taken while soaking in the views of one of the most beautiful towns in America; Ouray, Colorado.
All while securely clipped into a bomb-proof steel cable ensuring, despite every nerve in your body telling you otherwise, you will never fall off the rock.
The Via Ferrata is the perfect entry-level rock climbing adventure, with no rock climbing skills or experience needed. Steel cables, bridges, and rungs take you high above to the same scenic places rock climbers go.
What you will find in this guide:
Safety: Do I need to hire a guide?
Age and Weight limits
Safety Tips
Ouray’s Via Ferrata Routes: Difficulties, the time required, and operating hours
Climbers on the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata - Photo by Travis Perkins
What gear do you need for the Via Ferrata?
Gloves! Leather is good, and fingerless are cool.
Mid-layer insulative jacket
Waterproof shell jacket (if there is any chance of rain)
At least 1 liter of water
Snacks
A cellphone/camera
Sunscreen
Be prepared by bringing a small backpack with the above items inside.
If you can wear all these, then I guess you don't need a backpack.
Also, don’t forget these essential personal items:
Spectacles
...
Wallet
Watch
Required safety gear for the Via Ferrata:
A UIAA-certified climbing helmet (to protect from rockfall)
A UIAA-certified climbing harness
A UIAA-certified Via Ferrata Lanyard
Adequate footwear; either dedicated hiking shoes or approach shoes with sticky rubber soles (all the guides use these).
The Ouray Via Ferrata routes are free and open to the public, as long as you have the required safety equipment and feel that you have the climbing experience. Go for it! You can rent Via Ferrata gear here
Basecamp Mountain Guide Jason Doyle crossing the last bridge on the Ouray Via Ferrata
Do I need to hire a guide for the Via Ferrata?
You may ask yourself, “But, do I really need a guide to do the Via Ferrata?”
You should hire a guide if the answer is yes to any of these questions:
Are you over 265lbs?
Are you under 88lbs?
Are you doing the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata?
Do you want an added margin of safety?
Many people, even experienced ones, choose to hire a guide for the Via Ferrata. If you are not an experienced climber you may find that you would prefer the added safety margin of having someone there at the ready to put you on a rope. Also if you are bringing kids, a guide can make the experience much more enjoyable for everyone.
People react to heights in different ways. If you are concerned about this err on the side of caution.
A word about safety
Although all the Via Ferrata routes in Ouray are designed and tested to meet standards that exceed any of the possible forces a human could exert on the components, you need to use caution.
A fall on the Via Ferrata is not like a fall in climbing where you are caught by a soft stretchy rope. Your Via Ferrata lanyard is designed to keep you from reaching the ground and is a backup to your climbing. Let's just say you don’t want to fall on your lanyard.
Your Via Ferrata lanyard only works when you have it clipped into the cable, pay attention and make sure you are clipped in on at least one side when moving between cable sections.
A guide will coach you through difficult sections and always carries an actual climbing rope that can be used to give you a belay when the going gets tough. Some routes like the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata requires a guide due to permitting restrictions and difficulty.
Hire a guide if you exceed the weight limit for Via Ferrata Lanyards (weigh over 265 lbs) or have kids with you that are under the weight limit (weigh less than 88 lbs).
Basecamp guest on the lower portion of the Gold Mountain via Ferrata - Photo by Travis Perkins
How hard is the Via Ferrata?
If you are in good enough shape to do a three-mile hike and can climb up and down a ladder multiple times then you will do just fine on either the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata or the Ouray Via Ferrata downstream route.
The technical rating on Via Ferrata is subjective, much like rock climbing. If you have been rock climbing with ropes, either in a gym or outside, and can easily do routes rated 5.9 or harder you most likely be fine with any of the Via Ferrata routes in Ouray.
When in doubt choose an easier route, there are always harder bypasses for when you are feeling more comfortable.
The official Via Ferrata difficulty rating is called the Fletcher/Smith rating system. This is the system used in Europe and is the number you will find in guidebooks or at the start of the routes.
“The Fletcher/Smith rating system consists of two parts. The first is a number, from 1 (easiest) to 5 (most difficult), which indicates the straight technical difficulty. The second is a letter, and it indicates the overall alpine commitment (or 'seriousness', as it is described in the guidebook). There are three letters: A (least commitment), B, and C (the greatest commitment).”
The Via Ferrata Route difficulties in Ouray are rated as follows:
The Gold Mountain Via Ferrata VF 4B (Easy/Moderate), optional VF 6B (Hard) “Hardman’s Pitch”
The Ouray Via Ferrata Downstream Route VF 4B, (Easy/Moderate)
The Ouray Via Ferrata Upstream Route VF 4.5B (Moderate)
The “Hardman’s Pitch” on the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata - Photo by Travis Perkins
What Via Ferrata Route Should I try?
Ouray has three Via Ferrata Routes. I ranked them in a purely objective, ok somewhat subjective order. Whichever route you choose you should have a blast. Expect to spend around half-day on any of these routes and be sure to bring the gear recommended in this guide.
THE GOLD MOUNTAIN VIA FERRATA (NEW)
Climbers starting out on the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata - Photo by Travis Perkins
Difficulty: VF 4.5B, (Moderate) with optional VF 6 “Hardman’s Pitch”
In regular person terms, the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata requires slightly more vertical climbing on ladders than the Ouray Via Ferrata, but most people would say they are a similar difficulty.
Time required: 5 hours or a half-day.
The Gold Mountain via tour winds up the red cliffs north of Ouray, following historic mining routes and structures overlooking the beautiful rugged San Juan mountains.
If you can hike about three miles and climb up and down a ladder multiple times you can do this route
I am a bit biased, but I recommend you try the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata. This is the local favorite and route preferred by Basecamp’s mountain guides for two reasons. First, the route is entirely private, there are no lines, and no wait times. Second, the views are a thousand times more spectacular since the route is above Ouray instead of in a canyon like the Ouray Via Ferrata.
Kid crossing the Upper Bridge on the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata
The only downside of the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata, If you want to call it a downside, is that you have to hire a Basecamp guide since the route is on private land. But, the route is much less trafficked, the gear is included, and you have someone along to take pictures and help you along the way. Also, there is a shuttle so you don’t have to walk around town in a harness and helmet.
This route was built by Xander and Logan Tyler (Owner of Basecamp) and they specifically built the route to make the movement fun for climbers. Unlike the Ouray Via Ferrata, the route goes up not across.
The rungs are placed specifically to teach you basic climbing movement that actually translates to rock climbing. The route goes through and around historic mining buildings. At one point, you actually go through a mining tunnel!
Getting to the Gold Mountian Via Ferrata:
The Gold Mountain Via Ferrata snakes up above the red cliffs north of town near Rotary Park. All you have to do to get to this route is show up at the Ouray Adventure Center, collect your gear, and take the shuttle.
Price for a guided day on the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata
Shuttle to and from the route is included.
All safety gear is included on guided trips.
Price based on the Client to Guide ratio:
5:1 – $198/person
4:1 – $212/person
3:1 – $246/person
2:1 – $273/person
1:1 – $439/person
2. The Ouray Via Ferrata (Downstream Route)
Difficulty: VF 4B, (Easy/Moderate)
Time required: 3-6 hours
Operating Hours: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, 7 days a week.
The Ouray Via Ferrata was the first route established in town. Winding along and above the Uncompahgre River through the Ouray Ice Park the sounds of rushing water beneath the foot rungs fill the carved canyon walls around you.
Like the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata, the Ouray Via Ferrata offers a family-friendly experience that is truly fun for people of all climbing abilities. The route twists and turns along with the canyon with airy bridges and an optional vertical “Sky Climb” bypass at the end.
This route is free and open to the public, as long as you have the required safety gear. But you may want to hire a guide if you are going for the first time or you do not have much climbing experience. You can either rent the gear from us or hire a guide.
Getting to the Ouray Via Ferrata (Downstream route):
Either walk to the ice park from town via Box Canyon Rd. or drive up Camp Bird road and park on the big bend past the Mountain Rescue building with the old jeep in front, before the bridge.
Walk across the bridge up the dirt road and find the sign for the Via Ferrata trailhead on the left. Be sure to check in with the ranger at the beginning of the route.
Price for a guided day on the OVF (Downstream Route)
All safety gear is included on guided trips.
Price based on the Client to Guide ratio:
5:1 - $149/person
4:1 - $169/person
3:1 - $189/person
2:1 - $239/person
1:1 - $399/person
3. The Ouray Via Ferrata (Upstream Route)
Difficulty: VF 4.5B, (Moderate)
Time required: 4-6 hours
Operating Hours: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, 7 days a week.
The upstream route is similar to the downstream route except instead of going down the canyon, you go up the canyon. The upstream route is more challenging than the downstream route with more vertical climbing and fewer rungs. There is an emphasis on forcing you to do more natural rock climbing moves.
I recommend that you have some Via Ferrata experience or climbing experience before trying this route.
The Upstream route is longer and more sustained than the downstream route and includes a vertical 60ft “Helix Ladder” along with some more pleasant surprises.
At the end of the route, there is the famous “leap of faith” at the narrowest part of the garage that leads you to a steep climb to the rim.
Getting to the Ouray Via Ferrata (Upstream Route):
(Same directions as the Downstream Route) Either walk to the Ouray Ice Park from town via Box Canyon Rd. or drive up Camp Bird Rd. and park on the big bend past the Mountain Rescue building with the old jeep in front, before the bridge.
Walk across the bridge up the dirt road and find the sign for the Via Ferrata trailhead on the left. Be sure to check in with the ranger at the beginning of the route.
Price for a guided day on the OVF (Upstream Route)
All safety gear is included on guided trips.
Price based on the Client to Guide ratio:
5:1 - $149/person
4:1 - $169/person
3:1 - $189/person
2:1 - $239/person
1:1 - $399/person