When I heard we were doing a via ferrata in Austria as part of our adventure trip in Montafon, I was SO excited. Well, to be honest, I was pretty confused at first as I didn’t even know what a via ferrata was.
But upon looking it up and seeing photos of people scaling mountains with tiny ladders, crossing ravines holding onto just a wire, and clipping into iron wires along miniature steps drilled into the sides of cliffs… I thought, ‘Yes. This is the perfect thrill for me!’
As part of our weeklong trip to Vorarlberg, Austria for the Propel Conference, we split up into smaller groups to explore different regions of Vorarlberg. Our group was the most adventurous one – we did a few stunning hikes and one of the most thrilling via ferratas. Check out my travel guide to Vorarlberg for more information on visiting the area.
What is a Via Ferrata?
A via ferrata is essentially an aided climb through a portion of mountains, cliffs, or rocks that require a bit more security. You follow along a steel wire that is connected to the rocks at various points, climbing up various ladders and fixed anchors along the way. You’ll have two carabiners to secure your harness to the wire, one of which must always be clipped onto the wire at any given time.
‘Via Ferrata’ is actually an Italian term meaning ‘iron road,’ because of the metal wire that you remain clipped into for the duration of your climb. It’s basically a level up from hiking and a level down from climbing.
There are via ferratas in many mountainous destinations in Europe, and I must say they are my new FAVORITE adventure. And the Austria via ferrata we were about to do was one of the most unique.
The Via Ferrata Silvrettassee in Montafon, Austria
As part of our trip, we were to do the Via Ferrata Silvretassee in Montafon, one of Vorarlberg’s most adventurous regions. Our plan for the day was to do a hike around the Silvretta-Stausee Reservoir, have lunch, and then do our via ferrata. We had no idea what we were in for!
I must admit, we noticed the via ferrata on the dam when we started our walk. We looked down and saw the steel wire winding its way up the dam, zig-zagging along the surface above small handholds that looked like that of a rock climbing wall. From above, it didn’t look too menacing. But from below it was a whole different story.
Preparing for the Silvrettassee Via Ferrata
After a (maybe a bit too) hearty Austrian lunch, we met our international mountain guide Hanno, who was to guide us on the via ferrata. He gave us harnesses, helmets, gloves and everything we needed to have a comfortable and safe adventure.
We walked down a steep hill to get to the beginning of the climb, and it quickly became clear just how vertical this climb was when looking up at the tiny fixed handholds going up the wall. The handholds were about the size of my hand at the bottom, but I nearly got vertigo watching the tiny ‘trail’ get smaller and smaller going up the 100m tall concrete wall.
I could feel the anxiety AND excitement growing in my chest. This wasn’t like any via ferrata; it was unique. You could quite literally see the whole thing at once. We could see some tiny people climbing along the part at the top, and exactly the path they took to get there. I think this fact was a bit overwhelming for some girls in our group!
Hanno showed us exactly how to maneuver along the via ferrata correctly. He attached two of his carabiners to the wire, pushed them along above his hand, then detached and reeattached one, and then the other, making sure to keep one attached at all times. Then, it was time for us to try.
A Few Issues Starting the Via Ferrata
The most apprehensive of us started the climb first, so they could get any help they needed and have our support from behind. There was one issue though – two of the girls completely froze after going up a couple of steps! Even after getting the footholds right, something in their bodies just said ‘NOPE’ and could hardly move.
One of the girls quite literally froze and had a tough time taking the next step up. The next one had uncontrollable shakes in her legs – although usually a lover of climbing, there was something about this vertical wall climb that her body simply refused to be okay with. So rather than push themselves, they decided it would be best to skip out on this one and take photos of us from above.
And, Up We Go! What the Via Ferrata Was Like
Once we decided to go on without the first two girls, it was my turn up next. One after the other, I placed my hands and feet on the little handholds. They were exactly like the harder version of a rock climbing wall – some were quite large with a place to put your fingers, and others pretty small and slippy.
I had my Go Pro pole attached to my wrist, which in hindsight definitely made things a lot harder for me, but it was worth it for the epic adventurous content from scaling the side of a dam!
I found the climb extremely exhilarating and felt my body’s sense of precision kick in – if my hand or foot wasn’t perfectly positioned up here, I could be in for quite a scare. And I could see right in front of me what I should be afraid of – a 30+m drop straight down!
The dam wasn’t a full 90 degrees vertical, but it sure felt like it. When we arrived at the first little bench, the remaining 3 of us clipped in and let out a big, temporary sigh of relief to be on what felt like more of a solid and safe structure. We dangled our feet offer the edge, looked at the view, and marveled at it.
One of the girls asked to pass me because I’d periodically stop to take photos, which I thought nothing of at the time. I was happy to go more slowly and get some videos and photos done on one of the most unique adventures I had done.
The Silvrettassee Austria Via Ferrata Took One more Prisoner
When we started going again, I noticed that the girl in front of me and the guide quickly went off along the wall. Thinking that either they were getting it done at a record speed OR I was going too slow, I just watched them disappear along the via ferrata. The whole thing is about 320 meters, so it’s not massive, but it does go up and down the dam a little bit.
I slowly made my way across the footholds, taking photos here and there and making sure not to slip up. But towards the end, I heard that the other girl actually went into a panic at the top of the wall!
This is truly not a good via ferrata to start and decide to stop halfway through – the only way to get off the Silvrettassee via ferrata is to literally rappel down the wall itself onto the ground, or complete it! I mean, you’re literally perched on the side of a dam! It’s a bit of a stressful situation to be in.
I really felt for her, but massively respected the fact that she decided to get the damn (pun intended) thing done as fast as possible, which she definitely did.
The Most Thrilling Parts of this Montafon Austria Via Ferrata
While I was carefully and excitedly making my way along the wall, I realized that I had come to a part of the dam that is indented, leaving only three wires to cross – one to stand on and two to hold. This was the second most thrilling part of the adventure – it was mind-blowing to look down at your feet shuffling along a thick wire with nothing but 30m and air between you and sure death, ahem, I mean the ground. 😛
I heard the other girls cheering for me from the top – I was almost there! I made a silly frightened look at them before refocusing all my energy on not slipping off the wire. Now was NOT a good time to wish I had better grip on my shoes!
After making it to the end of the iron bridge, the via ferrata descended down a ladder and then climbed back up the dam towards another bench and eventually the ending. Once I got to the bench I decided to put my Go Pro pole away – it had been enough of a distraction up to this point and I was sure that I had enough content. Now, it was time to enjoy!
When the footholds ended abruptly, I was a bit confused until Hanno showed me that there was a swinging part of the via ferrata.
“A what?!” I asked. He showed me how to clip into a long, centrally anchored rope/wire that would swing me like a slingshot across into the final section. Terrified yet exhilarated, I followed his directions to clip in.
“Let go!” he said, to which I responded by squealing a little bit before releasing all control and placing a world of trust into this one little rope. What followed was one of the most thrilling moments of my year – I swung back and forth a few times, holding onto nothing but attached at my waist. I jumped up and down on the dam wall, and ninja-ran back and forth a few times feeling like I was rapelling down and about to rob a museum in James Bond or something. 😛
A Well-Deserved Celebration Upon Completion of the Silvrettassee Via Ferrata
After reattaching myself to the iron wire, breathing a few signs of excitement relief, and filming the last member of our group doing the same thing, we only had a few more steps and footholds until we reached the top. I gipped onto the metal ladder, climbed up onto a platform, and felt my legs wobble like jelly at the feeling of actual, solid ground. We had done it!!
We all hugged each other and exchanged stories of our experiences both on the climb and watching from the top. We laughed, we reminisced, and we unanimously decided that it was absolutely time for a well-deserved beer!
Happy to be comfortable on solid ground, we tried some delicious local beer and wine at the restaurant over the lake. Vorarlberg really has a thing for food and drinks with a view – I think it’s rarer to not have a view while eating or drinking here; it’s all so photogenic!
We watched golden hour slowly descend upon the scenic alpine valley, turning the mountains shades of yellow to orange as we downed our beverages. A hike and a via ferrata were the perfect ingredients for a long and successful day, so we couldn’t wait to get back to out hotel in Montafon for a well-deserved rest!
Want to Try the Montafon Silvrettasee Austria Via Ferrata?
If you’re up for the adventure, I highly recommend trying this adventure! It was unlike any hike or climb I have done before, and a perfect mixture of an exhilarating adventure and incredible view. You can book a guided tour on this via ferrata on Mein Montafon’s website:
Where We Stayed in Montafon: Sporthotel Grandau
We stayed at the Sporthotel Grandau in Sankt Gallenkirch, and absolutely loved it! It was the perfect combination of cozy, eclectic, and luxurious with incredible views from each room. The onsite restaurant was absolutely top-notch, serving some of the best food we had on our trip as well as an impressively diverse breakfast spread.
The Sporthotel Grandau had 2 bars onsite – one of which was one of the coolest, most eclectic, and fun bars I’ve seen in Austria. The sauna area had over 4-5 saunas and steam rooms, and us girls spent a good few hours down there after our hike and via ferrata, soothing our sore muscles.
To get to the via ferrata and Silvretta-Stausee lake from this hotel, you can take a bus straight from the doors of the hotel (well, 5m to the left) to the top. Ask the front desk for timings, and prepare for a VERY winding journey – the road up here has over 40 turns!
Other Austria Via Ferratas in Montafon Vorarlberg
Montafon is home to SO many adventures; this short via ferrata is truly just the tip of the iceberg. This region of Vorarlberg is home to 24 different via ferratas of all shapes, sizes, and difficulties.
You can try via ferratas all over Montafon, usually across rocky parts of different mountains. Check out the rest of the Montafon via ferratas here.
Disclaimer: I was hosted on this trip by Visit Vorarlberg and Mein Montafon to attend the Propel blogging conference. As always, all words are my own and I can’t wait to get back to Vorarlberg!
Passionate, full-time travel blogger with over 230k on social media and 150kMPV blog. Extraordinary photographer with two DSLR's + a drone with a love for capturing candid moments, epic drone shots, and magical compositions. I'm a natural-born content creator originally from California, but I've been on the road for 9 years living, working, traveling, blogging, and photographing my way around the world. I recommend the most amazingly adventurous and unique + boutique travel experiences/stays and helpful products to my audience and write comprehensive guides on my website that have helped millions of travelers so far. I love to inspire people to plan their dream trips, and many readers have given feedback as such. The reach on my platforms continues to soar, especially when combining cutting-edge social content with optimized articles on my high-authority website.