Colorado Via Ferrata – Granite

Adventure awaits as you conquer the cliffside on this unique mountaintop climbing experience. Feel a rush of adrenaline as you traverse across and above the Arkansas River Valley, using iron rungs, bars, and other features to ascend. Your stomach will drop on our hanging bridge and freefall flight line!

Rappel down a rock face, ascend crags, and cross suspended bridges on AVA’s Granite Via Ferrata. This excursion will have your heart pumping as you climb the best of Colorado’s Rockies at the feet of the 14,000+ Collegiate Peaks. Our course is built directly into the mountainside, offering remarkable views of Colorado scenery the entire way.

Minimum age: 12, minimum weight: 75 lbs., maximum weight: 250 lbs.

Trip Highlights

What to Expect

• half-day, up to 3 hour climbing tour with features built into the Rocky Mountains
• A climbing experience with an emphasis on accessible features, including iron rungs and bars
• Opportunities to soar on several lines from our zipline course, traverse hanging bridges, and rappel down the clffside
• The flight line: a unique, heart-pounding adventure as you spring from the cliff face into a 78-foot freefall
• Unparalleled mountain views

Trip Itinerary

• Meet your guide and gear up at our Buena Vista outpost
• Take a short ride in our truck to the beginning of your adventure
• Fly on several lines from our zipline course
• Conquer the mountainside by climbing up crags and across rungs
• Experience the 78 foot drop of our flight line
• Return to the outpost to review your trip photos

Who will love this trip?

• Adrenaline seekers looking for a new and exciting adventure to try out
• Climbers hoping to experience a different form of this sport
• Anyone hoping to check out the Rocky Mountains from a new perspective
• Families with children at least 12 years old
• Groups looking to spend time in the best of Colorado’s mountains

Related Packages

1. Browns Canyon Rafting + Via Ferrata

   Excitement and scenery await on your Browns Canyon + Via Ferrata full-day adventure. Climb into the Rocky Mountains and rush the rapids of the mighty Arkansas River.

2. Gold Rush Rafting + Via Ferrata

   On our Gold Rush rafting and Via Ferrata multi-adventure package, adventure starts strong and keeps coming. Climb high into the cliffside above Idaho Springs and the Chicago Creek on Via Ferrata course, a unique form of climbing with features built into the mountainside. You'll then cool off over the course of 7 miles of moderate rapids on the historic Clear Creek.

3. Buena Vista Raft + Bike Package

   Spend your morning in the rapids of the Arkansas River and your afternoon exploring Buena Vista's river roads and high-country trails on a premium e-bike. One day, two ways to take in the Collegiate Peaks.  

4. Mount Blue Sky, Colorado Via Ferrata

   <p class="isSelectedEnd">Get your heart racing on one of Colorado's most unique aerial adventures. Our Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata takes you high above Chicago Creek on a guided cliffside climbing experience built directly into the rugged mountains surrounding historic Idaho Springs. Clipped into a continuous safety system, you'll traverse exposed rock faces, cross suspended bridges, and navigate a series of exciting features while taking in sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains below.</p> Throughout the adventure, you'll move across dramatic granite cliffs overlooking the canyon and downtown Idaho Springs, experiencing terrain typically reserved for technical climbers. Combining hiking, climbing, and aerial elements, the Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata delivers an unforgettable mountain adventure just 30 minutes from Denver.

Not sure yet? Here are some other activities

1. Mountaintop Ziplining In Colorado – Half Day

   Fly between towering old-growth pine trees and cliffs on our Mountaintop Zipline, a unique Colorado experience fun for all ages. This course may be the most incredible way to see the Arkansas River valley as you experience Colorado from a unique vantage point.  

2. Colorado River Float Trip: Scenic Half-Day Adventure

   <span style="font-weight: 400;">A Colorado River float trip is the perfect way to experience the natural beauty of the Gore Range, featuring gentle Class II rapids that are safe and fun for all ages.</span>

3. Buena Vista Full Suspension Mountain Bike Rental

   Buena Vista sits in one of the best mountain biking zones in Colorado, with more than a hundred miles of singletrack carved into the foothills of the Collegiate Peaks. Rent a full suspension mountain bike from AVA's south main shop and you can be climbing switchbacks or dropping into rock gardens within minutes.

4. Cliffside Zipline Half Day

   <p class="isSelectedEnd">Experience one of the most unique zipline adventures near Denver on our Cliffside Zipline Course in Idaho Springs. Your adventure begins in historic downtown Idaho Springs before boarding our signature Safari Truck for a scenic ride up the mountain. From there, you'll soar across six exhilarating ziplines built directly into the rugged Rocky Mountain landscape above Chicago Creek.</p> As you travel from platform to platform, you'll fly past towering granite cliffs, forested slopes, and sweeping mountain views while tackling exciting aerial features including a hanging bridge, log cross, jungle bridge, and dual race line. This half-day adventure combines adrenaline, incredible scenery, and family-friendly fun, making it the perfect Colorado mountain experience for first-time zipliners and thrill seekers alike.

5. Mt. Princeton 2 Hour Ride

   The Arkansas Valley is lined with 15 14,000-foot peaks - the most in one concentration in Colorado - which makes for one of the most scenic locations for a Colorado horseback ride. You'll get views of Mt. Princeton, Mt. Yale, Ht. Harvard and Mt. Antero on this ride.  

6. Browns Canyon Half Day Rafting

   <span style="font-weight: 400;">Browns Canyon half-day rafting trip delivers the perfect blend of family-friendly adventure and thrilling white water action. Paddle through Class III rapids on Colorado's Arkansas River while passing through the stunning granite walls of Browns Canyon National Monument, located just 2.5 hours from Denver and 1.5 hours from Colorado Springs. This 10-mile journey is ideal for first-time rafters, families with children ages 7+, and anyone seeking an accessible yet exciting white water experience.</span>  

7. Browns Canyon Sizzler

   The full-day Browns Canyon Sizzler represents the ultimate Colorado rafting experience! This trip offers a full day of classic white water rafting through class III rapids on the Arkansas River, complete with a riverside fajitas lunch.  

8. Inflatable Kayaks Half Day

   Looking to take charge of the river? On AVA’s Upper Colorado Inflatable Kayak ½ Day trip you can do just that! Whether you want to try something new or are seeking a little extra excitement or independence, the Upper Colorado Inflatable Kayak trip is perfect for you!

9. Buena Vista Townie Cruiser Bike Rental

   <p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal" data-sourcepos="15:1-15:272;369-640">Some days call for exploring Buena Vista at an easy pace instead of chasing singletrack. Our Townie Cruiser rentals are electric assist bikes built for cruising downtown, rolling along the river, and getting from breakfast to your next adventure without breaking a sweat.</p>

10. Mt. Princeton Waterfall Ride

    Ride along the scenic Browns Creek approximately 2 hours, taking in beautiful views of waterfalls along the way. The Arkansas Valley holds the most 14,000-foot peaks of anywhere in Colorado; this stunning scenery makes it one of the best places to experience a horseback ride.

11. 24 Hours in Browns Canyon

    Experience Colorado's best overnight whitewater rafting. This trip provides a unique way to explore the most popular stretch of whitewater rafting in the country as you paddle and camp in the heart of Colorado's Rockies.