From Windows to Adventure

The morning email reminds me to write an article about a via ferrata. As the head of marketing at OUTDOOR, I should be aware of that – after all, I assigned myself this task months ago.

Marketing professionals always preach that you should thoroughly test your product. But these words sound better in seminar rooms than in an office that smells of coffee and deadlines. I have to smile: on the floor below, the adventurers – always ready for mountain tours, rafting or canyoning – while I sit up here feeding ideas into my computer to draw more guests into the mountains.

I constantly have both in view, but instead of being out in nature, I navigate through Windows 11. And now, as I intend to follow this advice, I’m already worried about upcoming deadlines. The Rotstock via ferrata not only sounds impressive but also requires careful planning. Between emails and meetings, I plan the route, download GPS data, read experience reports, and pack my gear – which has definitely seen less office time than I have. My last serious via ferrata... well, it's been a while.

A Steep Start

The entry alone promises a thrill: steep, demanding, and definitely not for the faint-hearted or anyone afraid of heights. Several ladders lead almost vertically up the wall. After this literally steep start, there’s a small platform – the perfect spot for a break and to enjoy the breathtaking view. For anyone like me accompanied by a videographer: this is the ideal chance to lean back, take in the panorama, and let the more impatient climbers go ahead.

The route winds along the right side of a deep gorge, past an old tunnel hole – a relic of the past. In fact, until 1903, this place was the endpoint of the Jungfrau Railway. From here, guests once climbed the Rotstock – without any protection and with the most basic equipment!

From the Terminal to Eigergletscher

The train to the terminal in Grindelwald is pleasantly empty at this time. Lukas, our ever-present content creator, is already waiting for me with his camera, and I quietly hope he has a filter ready for “morning shortcomings.” Surprisingly, the Eiger Express to Eigergletscher features Korean entertainment, and for a moment, I feel like I’m in Seoul – aside from the breathtaking panorama all around me.

Once at the top, we head onto the Eiger Trail, where many hiking groups are already out and about. Soon, the via ferrata comes into view.

On the Rotstock via ferrata, you feel like you're in a miniature version of the Eiger North Face. The route winds through an impressive 260-meter wall, part of the majestic Eiger ridge.