It’s a crisp July morning in Jackson Hole. My kids are lined up at the base of a cliff, helmets on, and ready to climb.
“You clip the cable and just go,” our guide explains. A set of ladder rungs snakes 50 feet skyward, disappearing around a bend.
I’d booked a half-day excursion to show my kids the proverbial ropes in the shadow of Grand Teton. We jumped on a gondola to get to the base of the cliff. For the next 2 hours, a vertical adventure would unfold above 9,000 feet.
Via Ferrata: Strange Origins

As outdoor activities go, via ferrata has an unusual history. It was invented in Europe during World War I as a military method of moving over steep terrain. Italian for “iron way,” the no-ropes-required routes involved bolts, steps, cables, and ladders drilled and affixed to cliffs across the Alps.
After the war, it became recreational. Tourists without mountaineering ability could access peaks and stark limestone faces in the Dolomites and beyond.
Today, you can’t spit without hitting one in the Alps. Over the years, I have clipped into the via ferrata “iron way” in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and France. The routes are easy from a technical standpoint, with minimal gear required to access great heights.
In America, the cable-protected climbs are becoming more common. They have popped up in recent years in West Virginia, Kentucky, and around the American West.
At the start of my career, in 2006, I was sent by the New York Times as a young journalist to cover the trend. My story, “Hit the Heights, but Take the Stairs,” documented a 350-foot cable line installed in the Wasatch over Ogden, Utah.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort jumped on the via ferrata train in 2018. The resort built its cliffside courses with an eye on engaging visitors after the snow melts.
Last year, the company added a suspension bridge and two advanced routes. It all opens for the 2024 season this month, along with nearby alpine hiking trails and a new “skywalk” viewing platform attraction at the top of Rendezvous Mountain high overhead.
Time to Climb

A True Alpine Experience


Jackson Hole Via Ferrata: If You Go
- Season: June 15-October 6, 2024
- Tours: Half-day (3 hours) and full-day (6.5 hours)
- Cost: $446 (half-day), $698 (full-day) for two people
- Routes: 17 routes for all skill levels
- Gear provided: Yes
- Bring: Water, snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses, and gloves (optional)
- Group size: Max five per guide
- Age and weight limits: 10+ years, 88-264 lbs.
- Weather: Lightning, thunder, rain, and snow may cause delays
- Guides: All guides are certified in first aid and CPR
- More details: Jackson Hole Via Ferrata