Yosemite's First Via Ferratta?

Has anyone considered that putting up a Via Ferratta on something like El Cap would cost tens of thousands of dollars in equipment? It wouldn’t be some janky rigged up line of Home Depot cable and rebar bent in some dudes garage. Not to mention you wouldn’t be hand drilling the 3/4in holes and hauling thousands of pounds of metal up a wall by yourself. It would take some hefty power drills and a small army at least a month to do it right. It’s just not feasible without being sanctioned by the Park and funded by donations. Unless you’re talking about some half ass, rust bucket, budget line up some dirt gully. 

Zay de Monterey wrote:

damn, a via ferrata up el cap would be fun as hell

edit before people flip: I'm just saying it would be fun. not necessarily condoning it. necessarily.

So would riding dirt bikes and having drone races throughout Yosemite, allegedly. And maybe one of those trampoline parks at El Cap meadow. And also the old firefall but with old cars set ablaze. Maybe bowling down the Water Cracks on Lembert Dome? Not condoning... just saying. But folx have been asking about it... woot. 

As usual funny thread but a great idea that came out of this is the idea that the HD cables already is a via ferratta (see maybe I have done one afterall lol ;), so it should be easy to get them fixed by using one of the companies that installs modern via ferratta's and just have them go up and do it right. The HD cables are so rough, have needed a make over for so long, would be great to see! 

Woot Woot! E

ps. For the folks that are concerned about my well-being - Life is good in Yosemite Valley talking about difficult topics does not get you in trouble we should all do it, lol!

Sloan's Dream

Ya boy Adrian Ballenger put one up at Squaw (I mean Palisades): https://tahoevia.com/

$297.67 for a 4 hour tour. 

Aramark licking their lips.

I bet there's enough cliffy terrain on Mammoth Mt. they could do something similar. 

You would love another excuse to get caught using a power drill on El Cap, wouldn't you Sloan? In all honesty the east ledges fixed lines are not that different from a via ferrata, I would rather climb a ladder than jug those lines again. But nobody on the planet has enough time or energy to hand drill thousands of 6" deep 3/4" diameter holes to install the rungs. If you're going to do it legally I support you, but I do not support a power drill in the wilderness for this outrageous purpose. 

Well Half dome has cables so the east ledges would be great especially coming off a big wall. i don't think it would be too visually ugly there either. 

Mateo Mystwrote:

Well Half dome has cables so the east ledges would be great especially coming off a big wall. i don't think it would be too visually ugly there either. 

CHOP THE CABLES!!

Mateo Mystwrote:

Well Half dome has cables so the east ledges would be great especially coming off a big wall. i don't think it would be too visually ugly there either. 

It's not the Via Ferrata cables that would be ugly. It would be the conga line of people clinging to them for dear life that would be an eyesore. Not to mention clogging an important descent route... 

Andrew Ricewrote:

I bet there's enough cliffy terrain on Mammoth Mt. they could do something similar. 

They already did. It also costs, and is targeted for tourists, not climbers. Not that a lot of people don't have fun there, so I've heard from a friend who has guided for them.

Anyone here done the Telluride via ferrata? That looks like it was actually developed by a climber. It's not in wilderness as far as I can tell, but I still can't imagine just going and creating it. 

I followed some beta from an old supertopo post the other day and found an existing "via ferrata" hidden away in Indian canyon near Church bowl. http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1238987/Indian-Canyon-Ladders

Definitely a bit of a hidden gem, trail is somewhat hard to follow in places but it's not too bad. Clearly not traveled often, the trail is a bit loose and dirty as well. There's a thick (phone?/communications?) cable that, once you find it, you can follow the entire way up to Lehamite falls and probably beyond, but I didn't go further. It's a great little day hike, the via ferrata section is pretty short, just a few ladders and a couple of bolted in cables. But gets you a very unique perspective on the valley and no crowds! 

I don't really think we should be adding more of this type of thing to the valley, it's definitely an eyesore, but cool to see a part of the valley's long history.

M Mwrote:

CHOP THE CABLES!!

Seconded.  I propose we turn this thread into a poll and organizing effort to advocate to CHOP DA CABLES!

LOL. Never gonna happen. (Thankfully)