mrzlagora wrote:Ferratas keep hikers irresponsible, and they rape the mountain.
Thoughts?
When in Bavaria I used the Klettersteigs. A poor man's Ferrata, but it's still ironwork on the rocks. When I can face going back to Germany, (without my lovely late wife
), I'll get going on some of the easier Klettersteigs again.
But with the research I used to do on all my solo mountain walks, (my wife "only" did the lower level walks with me), it meant I could get up to places and reach summits I'd otherwise be denied. Leaving alone routes I could see were above my low skill levels.
Because I've never climbed and never will, I don't see why me dragging my fat ass up such a mountain is either irresponsible or causing rape by ironwork. It's how I enjoy the mountains.
But yes. I am sure there are those who get out of a cable car high up, and wearing trainers and the wrong clothing who will try their hand on a Klettersteig or Via Ferrata. That's irresponsible IMHO, but still doesn't mean that the ironwork being there is a rape of the mountain.