A few months ago, I read on ZaoBao.com about Orchard Central latest attraction: The world's tallest indoor via ferrata.
I had done some indoor rock climbing in the past and rather enjoyed the experience. Via ferrata is not rock climbing, but is similar in the sense one has to climb up a wall:) I figured I would enjoy it too.
Also, according to my online research, via ferrata is fairly popular in Europe. I personally didn't think it would be popular in California. Californians would frown upon allowing anyone to drill permanent metal rungs into rocks for any reason. Doing it to promote touring would be unimaginable.
I reached Orchard Central at about 3pm. Took me a while to find BorderX, the company running the Via Ferrata. It was located on the 4th floor. We were to climb up to the 8th floor.
I was given a climbing harness and helmet to wear. Instead of being belayed by someone on the ground, there was a Y shaped rope attached to the harness. At the end of each rope was a carabiner. This is to be hooked on a metal cable running near the metal rungs. The cable were held to the wall via anchors drilled into the wall. If a person fall during climbing, the carabiner would be caught by the anchors. The Y shaped rope ensured at least one carabiner would always be clipped in, especially when moving carabiner from one stretch of the cable to a higher section.
A second protection was a long rope tying me and my guide together. The lead climber would secure the rope in pig tail shaped anchor drilled into the wall and I was to release them when I climbed to the appropriate height.
Finally, a quick draw with carabiner at the end was connect to the harness. This is for resting. I could connect a carabiner directly on the metal rungs, leaned back and rest while climbing.
Since this was my first trip, the guide, Zaki, was the lead climber and I followed. I had expected the climb to be a walk in the park, but it was actually quite tiring. While the hand hold and foot hold were really good compare to rock climbing, there was still some exertion. Also, the metal rungs were not always in a straight line. Sometimes, it bended according to the wall and part of the metal rungs had to be climbed with out leg hold. On the lower section of the wall, leg holds were mounted to the wall, but on high section of the wall, I had to press off directly on the wall. There were also overhang structure to make the route more interesting.
Zaki was very patient and encouraging as I started climbing. There was a lot more for the climber to do compare to rock climbing. Clipping carabiners to the next section of the protection cable, releasing rope from the pig tail pin. Sometimes I would forget and found myself tied down:(
During the climb, I learned that Zaki is actually a competition rock climber. This is his full time job, leading climbs at BorderX. Due to work, he had not have time to train, but going up the Via Ferrata was a piece of cake for him. He usually take 4-10 people as a group up on each climb. But, during the holiday season, things were slower and I was the only client.
We stopped on a ledge to catch our breath, then pushed on. At the top of the climb was a small room to rest before climbing down a straight ladder into the shopping mall.
My first climb took about 20mins. According to Zaki, he had clients taken anywhere from 10mins to 1hr 20mins on this climb. I asked if anyone had fell from the Via Ferrata and he told me it had happened. It was usually a rather traumatic experience. Compared to rock climbing with belay, a fall on via ferrata would not be caught until the anchor point. The distance between the anchor point was usually half a person's height, but at certain places was up to a person height. No wonder Zaki was advising me to clipped on the the next higher anchor point as soon as possible.
I half joking told Zaki I did not get my money's worth on one 20min climb. He told me I paid for an hour and could go again! This time, he put me on the right hand route, which was a more straight route but had more difficult overhang structure. There was also no resting ledge in the middle of the route.
I asked to be the lead climber and Zaki oblidged. The initial part of the climb was fairly easy and I got up quickly. At the overhang structure, I cheated and used the quick draw to rest between each rung. I did not check the time, but felt I made good time.
After my second climb, I was drenched. Zaki told me the air conditioning did not have good flow near the wall, but I suspected my physical conditioning was not quite up to par too. I decided to call it a day.
Overall, via ferrata was quite fun. It was a pity the BorderX facility had limited number of route. While easier than rock climbing, via ferrata was still quite physically demanding. I liked the fact I could loop my elbow over the metal rungs to "lock" myself to the metal rungs while climbing. This provided much stronger hand hold using a stronger muscle compare to hand hold in rock climbing.
More pics from my Via Ferrata climb here.
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That night, I met for dinner with Stella at Newton Circle Food Center for fried Hokkien noodles. Most Singaporean/Malaysian restaurant in the Bay area are operated by Malaysian, which prepare a different style of Hokkien noodle. This is one dish I craved for the most when I return to Singapore.
I got to know Stella while she was working in the Bay area. She had left San Francisco for Melbourne, Australia in 2007, but for family reasons, moved back to Singapore in 2008.
We talked about how life style was different in Singapore compared to San Francisco and even Melbourne. There were a lot more things to do and places to visit. Comparatively, activities in Singapore were more limited. Part of her wanted to move to a more "westernize" society, but part of her was glad she was home with families.
We chatted about her recent travels to African Safari, and her travel plans for the new year. It was a good time.
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