You don’t need rock climbing experience to find yourself clinging to granite cliffs 1,200 feet above the village at Palisades Tahoe.

The Tahoe Via Ferrata is an assisted climbing adventure that employs steel cables, ladder rungs, foot holds, and suspension bridges bolted to the rocks to allow climbers to traverse tricky and steep terrain.

“If you can climb a ladder for 10 or 15 feet, and if you can hike in Tahoe for an hour, you can do the Via Ferrata,” says Sean Kristl, general manager at Alpenglow Expeditions, the guiding company behind the excursion.

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Participants, who must be taller than 3’11”, wear a harness with a specialized lanyard and carabiner that attaches to the cable along the route and keeps them connected to the rocks for the entirety of the climb.

“There’s no experience necessary. Our guides are just phenomenal at coaching people through some moments that might be difficult, but are usually more or less psychological blocks, like fear of heights,” explains Kristl.

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“Via ferrata” is Italian for “iron path,” and these outfitted climbing routes can be found around the world, including more than 1,000 in the European Alps, with a majority in Italy and Austria. Assisted climbing paths high in the Alps have existed for centuries, connecting villages to higher pastures, however the origins of via ferratas are most-often associated with World War I when they were constructed in Italy’s Dolomites to help troops cross the rugged mountains.

In Tahoe, Alpenglow Expeditions, in partnership with Palisades Tahoe, constructed their via ferrata on the Tram Face and offers 2, 3 and 4-hour tours that follow different routes along the rocks. (Private tours are also available, but there is no independent climbing allowed on the Tahoe Via Ferrata.)

“We really allow the guides to choose the route for the day. This is where their professionalism comes into play,” Kristl notes, adding that all guides are certified through the American Mountain Guide Association. “From the base as they ride up in the 4×4-vehicle, they’re evaluating everybody and seeing what their hopes and dreams are, and perhaps what their fears are. And then they’re picking a route that’s appropriate for them.”

With roughly 800 feet of climbing, participants can shuffle across “monkey bridges” suspended between two rock features with sweeping views of the Olympic Valley below, climb steep vertical ladders, and traverse footholds while hugging giant granite boulders.

“It’s a great adventure for everybody. We’ve had kids as young as five years old, and we’ve had adults as old as 85 years old on the Via Ferrata and everything in between,” says Kristl. “It really is just such an accessible adventure for those people who maybe aren’t interested in technical rock climbing but want that same feeling.”

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• All safety gear — harness, lanyard, and helmet — is provided, but wear sturdy hiking or approach shoes with grip. Alpenglow also rents out its preferred shoes for guests. 
• Due to manufacturer’s limitations on the lanyards, participants who weigh less than 88 lbs or more than 250 lbs must be booked in a private group and a second rope will be added in steeper sections. 
• Consider bringing a small backpack for water, snacks and sunscreen.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2024 edition of Tahoe Magazine.