Words by Jane Carswell

Ask the guest services team at CMH Summer Adventures and they likely cannot count the number of times they hear from guests, “I have heard such amazing things about the Bobbie Burns Mt. Nimbus Via Ferrata, I really want to try it!”

So, what’s all the hype?

Via Ferrata, or ‘iron roads’ have become the hottest thing since sliced bread for anyone looking for a amazing adventure vacation. Simply put, it turns ordinary people into mountaineers, allowing you to attain great heights and exhillaration in a relatively safe environment. You can find them scattered throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe. The Mt. Nimbus route constructed at CMH Bobbie Burns a few years ago is the most extensive route in North America.

How does it work?

CMH’s professional mountain guides walk you through a thorough safety briefing ensuring that everyone is comfortable with the way the system works. Each guest is given two lines attached to a harness around the waist and legs. Sturdy caribiners are the link between your lines and the steel cable that is permanently fixed into the rock. You then climb up re-bar steps drilled deep into the rock face and, maintaining an attachment to the steel cable for the duration of the route, simply meander their way up steep (ok, near-vertical) rock faces and across suspension bridges. On the Mt. Nimbus route there is some down-climbing involved as well as a thrilling rappel 60 metres down to terra firma before a nice hike through the valley back to where our helicopter picks you up for the flight back to the lodge for a celebratory beer on the glorious deck. This video gives a great overview of a day on the route.

More on the Mt Nimbus Via Ferrata at CMH Bobbie Burns here.