Via ferrata Part 2

• Posted on September 16, 2008 at 1:22 PM
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One of the zips on the canyon trail, photo from CMH.

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From Via Ferrata Part One

After lunch on the first day at Canadian Mountain Holidays Bobbie Burns Lodge we took a short helicopter ride to the Canyon Trial. This was the lodge's bad weather stand by - a day long hike along the Vowell River - until they installed a series of zip lines and cable cars back and forth across the river. Now it's an attraction in its own right.

We hiked from the landing site into the woods for 15 minutes until we came upon a tower of ladders that lead to a lofty perch in a spruce tree above the river. From there a 300 foot zip line flew over the river and seemingly into a waterfall or rock wall upstream.

It was the longest zip I had ever seen and was lots of fun. It ended in the middle of the river. The guides pulled me into a hanging basket where they transfered me to another zip right against the raging falls. From her it was a short high ropes/via ferrata scramble to shore. Everyone agreed the scariest part was definitely the ladders getting up to the zip line.

We hiked along the trail for another couple hours. Every 15 to 20 minutes we'd swing across on a cable car or zip line, rap down a cliff or scramble along a ledge above the river. It was lots of fun.

About half way along the trail we caught our flight home in time for a drink before dinner. Dinner was a delicious salmon with risotto. There was plenty of seconds or thirds; this was no weight loss trip. Tomorrow it's off to the via ferrata. Should be interesting.