Happy on the summit of Sulzfluh (2817m)

Last year, when we climbed the Partnunblick via ferrata, we admired the summit of Sulzfluh with its very prominent cross and contemplated a quick ascent! Since it was late in the day we decided not to. The opportunity to climb it arose when we were scouting for a hut to stay in and Kim and Sonja, the new hosts at Carschinahütte, managed to find us a couple of beds. Our path to the summit would be via the Sulzfluh via ferrata, described as the “the ‘classic via ferrata’ in the Rätikon” on the Prättigau tourism website.

And classic it is. Everything you’d want in a high class via ferrata. From the base of the rock fortress protecting the summit of Sulzfluh to where it finishes a few metres below the very prominent summit cross. As the description on the tourism website says, this one is not for beginners! It starts with a steep difficult passage, and keeps throwing all kinds of challenges your way. Challenges that should not be undertaken by beginners, unless they’re accompanied by an experienced partner or guide. Fortunately the steep parts are interspersed with more gentle passages which allows you to catch your breath before taking you onto the next challenge.

Our day begins after a typical mountain hut breakfast. Bread, butter, jam, maybe muesli and yoghurt. Coffee – thick, strong and bitter. Occasionally a few luxuries thrown in, like cheese and ham or scrambled eggs…

After breakfast we say goodbye to Kim and Sonja, the new hosts at the Carschinahütte, who had impressed both Barbara and I with their natural warmth and hospitality. (And convinced us that we should visit this hut again in future.) After about thirty minutes of walking we fork off from the main ‘Wanderweg’ along a steep scree path to the base of the climb.

Barbara did not have the best night’s sleep, so she’s not sure if she wants to proceed with the climb. I tell her to put her pride in one pocket, stubbornness in the other, and then ask herself if she wants to do this, knowing that it’s steep and described as difficult! My maxim is that the mountain will still be here next year. But if I mess up, then I might not be here next year. Barbara takes her time thinking about it and then says “let’s do it!”.

We don helmets, put our harnesses on, and connect the via ferrata lanyards. I lead off. The first few metres consist of simple rock climbing moves. Then we climb the first vertical ladder – described in the route description as the test for hikers and the last opportunity to abandon. We both pass the test and continue.

I spot a large bird overhead and get very excited when I realise it’s a bearded vulture aka ‘lammergeier’ (or ‘Bartgeier’ as it’s known in German). Its distinctive shape easily recognisable – even from 100s of metres away thanks to the shape of its wings and tail. The bearded vulture is large bird. With a wingspan of nearly 3 m it is only slightly smaller than the Andean Condor – the largest of the bird species. Unique amongst birds of prey, its diet consists almost entirely of bone marrow. Gypaetus barbatus, the only bird of its genus was originally commonly known as the ‘lammergeier’ in the mistaken belief that they preyed on lambs. The name ‘Bartgeier’ or ‘bearded vulture’ is now more commonly used and a much kinder and appropriate name for this magnificent creature with its bearded face. After a while of circling upwards on a thermal lift it disappears over the escarpment edge.

We climb on with more steep passages following. Then a few gentler traverses and an opportunity to stop for a few minutes and have some water, followed by an airy bridge crossing, and finally a long steep mostly vertical section near the top. About an hour and half after we started we are on top of Sulzfluh, having thoroughly enjoyed the climbing, which is more like an alpine ascent than some of the more contrived via ferratas which exist almost entirely of man-made features.

We take pictures, have a leisurely drink of water, eat an energy bar, sign the summit log book, chat to some other summiteers, and then eventually we decide it’s time to make our way to our next overnight stop, Tilisunahütte which is about a 2 hour walk away. We take our time going down. We’ve got all afternoon to do it in. First through some snow, some of it looking very fresh, then across the karst and finally down a reasonably gentle path to the hut, some 600 m below the summit of Sulzfluh. We arrive at the hut, where there’s some confusion around our hut booking which is soon resolved. Ice cold Radler and Skiwasser help to cool us down. We spend the rest of the afternoon reading and writing and chatting with a few other people.

After dinner we’re off to our beds. Ready for a good night’s sleep after another magnificent day on the mountains! Via ferrata Sulzfluh definitely high on our list of great ferratas! And one we’ll probably repeat at some time.

Useful info about Sulzfluh Klettersteig (via ferrata)

• Route description and topo on Prättigau Tourism website
• The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).
• Karst – the distinctive rock formation filled with its sinkholes and cave systems.
• Thermal lift – meteorological phenomenon used as an energy source by soaring birds and gliders.
• Carschinahütte (2236 m) – we’ll add this one to our favourite huts! Thanks Kim and Sonja!
• Tilisunahütte (2211m), an Austrian Alpine club hut – a clue that Sulzfluh is on the Swiss/Austrian border.