Via ferrata in Braunwald – out and about with the entire family

It’s fresh outside and there are still small droplets of dew clinging to the grass. The morning mist slowly rises like a mysterious shroud and nestles like a huge ball of cotton around the rough peaks of the Braunwald via ferratas. Joy, Manuel and their three kids set off on their way towards the Gumen mountain station, accompanied on their tour by mountain guide Tobi. The small group spent a night at the nearby Ortstockhaus cabin. After an approximately 40-minute trek through the morning stillness, the six reach the Berggasthaus Gumen restaurant at around 1,900 m above sea level. Right behind it is where you climb up to the beginners’ and kids’ via ferrata. Alternatively, you can also travel directly from the Linthal valley station to Braunwald with the funicular railway and travel from there towards Gumen with the combination lift.

Having just unpacked the equipment, the kids discover something much more exciting next to the via ferrata: ‘There! Between the trees! Is it real?’ In fact, there are two curious eyes peering out from between large fir trees. Fantastic Mr Fox seems trusting and creeps to within just a few metres of the group and observes the scene with a watchful gaze. The kids are elated, as they have never seen a fox so up close before. Even the overcast morning doesn’t put a damper on the mood.

Being well prepared and a partner check are essential

The beginners’ and kids’ via ferrata is well suited to beginners and families with kids. However, the following rule still applies: good preparation and the right equipment for the mountain are an absolute must. Joy and Manuel decided to hire a mountain guide because this was the first time they were going on the via ferrata. They discussed the weather on the mountain, the difficult passages and the route on the via ferrata the evening before.

The family puts on their equipment in a sheltered place in front of the via ferratas the next morning. Everyone helps each other with slipping into their via ferrata sets and putting on their helmets. Two heads are better than one – mountain guide Tobi checks all of the participants to see whether the via ferrata sets are correctly attached to the harness and whether everything is in the right place. After a brief practice run on the rock behind the house, Tobi shows how to correctly attach the carabiners on the via ferrata set to the wire ropes. This is extremely important to ensure that no one puts themselves in danger. After a couple of run-throughs, it’s finally time to get started! Safety is top priority and the place where you put on the via ferrata equipment has to provide enough space and be sheltered from rockfall. You should make sure to put your helmet on before you start climbing up to the via ferrata.

The easy via ferrata in Braunwald offers plenty of varied passages with different levels of difficulty. This gives beginners an extremely well-rounded insight into what is to be expected on the big via ferrata which is 200 metres long. The family carefully feel their way up the first few metres of elevation gain on their climbing tour, until everyone is feeling a little more assured. The kids quickly lose any timidness they had when climbing and after their first cautious steps, they soon find climbing easier. At a leisurely pace and keeping sufficient distance from one another, they gain height in the first, steep passage. Mountain guide Tobi and Joy also belay the two little girls with a safety rope. Again and again you can hear a ‘click, click’ as the carabiners snap shut. Manuel and their older son bring up the rear.

After around 20 minutes on the Alpine terrain, they reach the most challenging point on the via ferrata – a tricky, exposed transition around rugged rock. There are two different levels of difficulty here (K2 and K3), but with the assistance of the mountain guide, the girls are also able to climb this tricky section in style. The route once again becomes more manageable from here on out. Enough time has been planned in for the route, meaning there is time to stop now and again to take some deep breaths and enjoy the view out over the mighty Glarus Alps – although you can’t see very far today because of the sea of fog.

First via ferrata in the bag!

The route is then a traverse along the beautiful grain of the limestone walls onto which iron footholds and ropes have been attached, and which you can use to work your way across the rock face with small side steps. On this portion of the route, you have good visual contact with the group and can cheer each other on. On the descent, the kids are abseiled down the last section by mountain guide Tobi. It quickly gets cold as the three kids wait hungrily for the mountain guide to abseil their parents down. Everyone is craving a hot schnitzel, so they quickly hurry back to the Berggasthaus Gumen restaurant where a tasty lunch is awaiting them in the warm hut. The delicious cheese spaetzle are well deserved after this fantastic first experience climbing a via ferrata!