Via Ferrata
Explore the best of the Rocky Mountains with a unique Via Ferrata adventure. Traverse across a mountaintop cliff face, climb using features built into the mountainside, and free-fall into the stunning scenery. Highlights include rappels, hanging bridges, iron rungs, and even ziplines, so you won’t miss out on any aerial adventure.
Find your Colorado Via Ferrata Adventure
Via Ferrata, Italian for “Iron path,” refers to a mountain route equipped with ladders, cables, and bridges to make it more accessible. Via Ferratas trace back to the 19th century; however, they are most famously known for their use in World War I. The Italian military constructed several Via Ferratas into the Dolomites to aid in strategic positioning and allow troops to cross the rocky alpine terrain. Via Ferratas are currently used largely for recreational purposes by tourists and hikers. Modern courses maintain the same basic structure but include more handholds and cables for easier access. Over 1,000 Via Ferratas exist worldwide in North America, China, Africa, and Iceland–all with unique features and landscapes! The Via Ferrata provides a fantastic opportunity to try out a new and exciting outdoor adventure! Because ladders and cables are built directly into a cliff face, Via Ferrata requires less technical knowledge than traditional climbing. AVA offers two unique guided Via Ferrata experiences: the Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans) Via Ferrata at our Idaho Springs outpost and the Granite Via Ferrata at our Buena Vista location.What an AVA Via Ferrata Adventure looks like
What to expect
On Your Via Ferrata Adventure
Our Guides, Your Safety
At AVA, our guides are the heartbeat of our adventures, shaping not only AVA’s identity but your unique adventure. Passion motivates our guides as they impart their love for what they do, ensuring unparalleled adventure experiences across every course and climb. Because safety is our priority, we require our guides to complete extensive training hours that exceed industry standards, as they learn how to respond to and anticipate outdoor emergencies. Via Ferrata guides undergo extensive belay and rappel training, are CPR and First-aid certified, and must lead under the supervision of an experienced guide before guiding their own trip. Additionally, AVA only uses harnesses, lanyards, and carabiners that have been regularly inspected, and guides receive safety training on all equipment. Before beginning a Via Ferrata course, AVA guides will show you the ropes, assist with gear, and answer any and all questions you may have!
25 Years of AVA Adventure
AVA Rafting & Zipline has provided unique outdoor adventure experiences in Colorado since 1998. AVA first opened its waters as a whitewater rafting company, launching our first Via Ferrata course in 2017 at our Idaho Springs outpost. In 2018, we expanded our Via Ferrata adventures to our Buena Vista location. On both our Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata and Granite Via Ferrata courses, be prepared to experience the Rocky Mountains from a completely new angle! You will traverse along the cliff face, climbing across ladders, rungs, cables, and bridges to navigate the mountainside. We provide all the gear needed for your trip besides footwear and clothing. You will be fitted with a harness, lanyards with secure clips, gloves, and a helmet. Our specialized two carabiner/ lanyard harness system ensures that you are always connected to the cliff face, as it is impossible to clip out of both carabiners simultaneously.
Your Via Ferrata Trip with AVA
Both our Via Ferrata courses in Idaho Springs and Buena Vista represent an exciting opportunity to climb and traverse Colorado’s mountainsides. Our Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata is just 30 minutes from Denver and one hour from Breckenridge. Suspend your disbelief as you view Idaho Springs and the Chicago Creek from mountaintop bridges and rappel 70 feet down the cliff face! You will even fly across 3 lines of our zipline course, experiencing the best of both aerial adventures. Our granite course at our Buena Vista outpost is just one hour from Breckenridge, Vail, and Aspen and begins with a thrilling zipline to your starting point! You will ascend crags and rappel above the Arkansas River Valley, gaining magnificent views of the 14000+ foot Collegiate Peaks throughout the entire course. This course also includes our newest and most thrilling feature, the Flight Line: a stomach-dropping 78-foot freefall
Mountaintop Tips
Via Ferrata trips will run despite the weather, excluding high winds or lightning. Bring a raincoat and wear layers, as Colorado weather can change in the blink of an eye! You may bring a small backpack to carry water or any extra layers, but we recommend phones, wallets, and other valuables remain locked in your car. On all Via Ferrata trips, closed-toed shoes are required, and we recommend that you wear comfortable clothes that will not get in the way of any equipment. Please avoid wearing skirts, short shorts, jeans, and long necklaces, and hair shoulder length or longer should be tied back. Because we want everyone to be able to make the most of their zipline experience, we ask that you please arrive at our outpost 15 minutes before your scheduled trip You do not need to be a rock climber or an alpinist to take on a Via Ferrata adventure, but there are some physical capabilities necessary to traverse the routes. Some sections of our Via Ferratas require that you climb iron rungs, much like a ladder. The adventure can also take up to 3.5 hours, so be sure that you are physically capable of keeping moving for that long. Please also ensure that everyone in your party meets the age and weight requirements.
Why AVA?
At AVA, our unwavering dedication to Colorado's great outdoors, exhilarating adventures, and exceptional guest service drives us to continually surpass industry standards since our founding. Beyond equipping our guides to expertly navigate our zipline courses, we instill in them the highest values of respect, professionalism, and collaboration. We believe that a Via Ferrata adventure with AVA will leave you with a resonating passion for Colorado’s great outdoors and its thrilling adventure opportunities.
- 25 years in service
- Your safety is our job
- We set the bar high
- We have the trip for you
Can’t decide which adventure to choose?
Too many options? Not sure where to start? We know, it’s a lot to choose from! To narrow down the list to a handful of trips that are just right for you, try our Adventure Compass, below, which will provide a customized set of recommendations. Want a little extra bang for your buck? Try one of our adventure packages and combine Whitewater Rafting with Ziplining, a Via Ferrata, UTVs, or Rock Climbing. If you’re looking for something a little different, don’t worry, our Adventure Specialists can help you create your own custom adventure package!Explore the AVA Landscape
Find us across Colorado! Use our handy map to determine the activities convenient to your destination.Photo Packages and Retail
Upon concluding your adventure, join your guide back at our outpost where you can peruse snapshots from your journey! These photos are available for immediate purchase, as well as our collection of apparel and souvenirs. If your guide contributed to an unforgettable experience, please don’t hesitate to express your appreciation with a well-deserved commendation along with gratuities. We trust that your time with AVA will stand out as a highlight of your time in Colorado, and we can’t wait to see you back, cliffside or on the water!