Via Ferrata

At AVA, our guides are the heart of every adventure, shaping both our reputation and your experience. Their passion drives them to share their expertise, ensuring every climb and course is unforgettable. With safety as our top priority, we go beyond industry standards, requiring extensive training to prepare our guides for any outdoor scenario.

Via Ferrata guides receive in-depth instruction in belaying and rappelling, hold CPR and First Aid certifications, and must complete supervised trips before leading their own. AVA also prioritizes top-tier equipment, regularly inspecting harnesses, lanyards, and carabiners. Before you embark on your Via Ferrata journey, our guides will walk you through safety procedures, assist with gear, and answer any questions to ensure a seamless experience.

Since 1998, AVA Rafting & Zipline has been delivering unforgettable outdoor adventures across Colorado. What began as a whitewater rafting company grew to include Via Ferrata courses, with our first opening in Idaho Springs in 2017, followed by an expansion to Buena Vista in 2018.

Both the Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata and Granite Via Ferrata offer a one-of-a-kind way to experience the Rockies. As you scale the mountainside, you’ll navigate ladders, rungs, cables, and suspension bridges, all while secured to the rock face. We provide all necessary equipment—harnesses, lanyards with secure clips, gloves, and helmets—so you only need to bring appropriate clothing and footwear. Our advanced dual lanyard system ensures continuous connection, making it impossible to unclip both carabiners at once for maximum safety.

Both our Via Ferrata courses in Idaho Springs and Buena Vista represent an exciting opportunity to climb and traverse Colorado’s mountainsides.
Our Mount Blue Sky Via Ferrata is just 30 minutes from Denver and one hour from Breckenridge. Suspend your disbelief as you view Idaho Springs and the Chicago Creek from mountaintop bridges and rappel 70 feet down the cliff face! You will even fly across 3 lines of our zipline course, experiencing the best of both aerial adventures.

Our granite course at our Buena Vista outpost is just one hour from Breckenridge, Vail, and Aspen and begins with a thrilling zipline to your starting point! You will ascend crags and rappel above the Arkansas River Valley, gaining magnificent views of the 14000+ foot Collegiate Peaks throughout the entire course. This course also includes our newest and most thrilling feature, the Flight Line: a stomach-dropping 78-foot freefall

Via Ferrata trips will run despite the weather, excluding high winds or lightning. Bring a raincoat and wear layers, as Colorado weather can change in the blink of an eye! You may bring a small backpack to carry water or any extra layers, but we recommend phones, wallets, and other valuables remain locked in your car. On all Via Ferrata trips, closed-toed shoes are required, and we recommend that you wear comfortable clothes that will not get in the way of any equipment. Please avoid wearing skirts, short shorts, jeans, and long necklaces, and hair shoulder length or longer should be tied back.

Because we want everyone to be able to make the most of their zipline experience, we ask that you please arrive at our outpost 15 minutes before your scheduled trip You do not need to be a rock climber or an alpinist to take on a Via Ferrata adventure, but there are some physical capabilities necessary to traverse the routes. Some sections of our Via Ferratas require that you climb iron rungs, much like a ladder. The adventure can also take up to 3.5 hours, so be sure that you are physically capable of keeping moving for that long. Please also ensure that everyone in your party meets the age and weight requirements.