First via ferrata in the world on the Dachstein.

Statistics

116

m

59

m

10

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Moderate

Description

Friedrich Simony, also known as the "Dachstein Professor", wandered in 1840 from Vienna via the Salzkammergut to the Hohe Gjaidstein and marveled at the Hallstatt glacier and the Hohe Dachstein.

On 6 September 1842 he reached the summit of the Dachstein for the first time.

In the rocks it was for Simony a "quite horrible climbing".

Without further ado, Simony wrote a letter: "I wish a wealthy friend of Alpine nature could find himself and sacrifice a small sum to make him walk." With this letter he began to collect from his patrons and the high-net-worth spa guests of Bad Ischl.

His personal guide Wallner used 250 gulden to work iron pins, hand hooks, carved kicks and an 80 fathom long, thick ship's rope as climbing aids.

It was completed on 27 August 1843, the first via ferrata in the Alps.

On 16 September 1843 Friedrich Simony climbed the Dachstein for the first time over the new via ferrata and spent the night at the summit.