Via Ferrata Jose Angster

Introduction:

The Josè Angster via ferrata is a pleasant ferrata that extends on a rocky wall with a drop of about 250 meters. The ferrata is of moderate difficulty with a slightly more difficult overhanging section and the characteristic of having distant metal steps, therefore more complex to reach for people of short stature.

Starting location:

The starting point is Grassoney-Saint-Jean. When you reach the town you will notice a small bridge to the left that crosses the Lys stream. Cross it and continue straight along a small road for 200 meters up to an open space where to park.

Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

From the car park, continue to the right towards Lake Gover. You pass a wooden building and you go to the western side of the lake, the one in the direction of the mountain. The path 4A (red trail sign on stones) is taken up and goes back into the wood. At a junction, leave trail 4A and take path 15 north to the right. After a hundred meters you reach a stony ground where there is a sign indicating the ferrata and a table. At this point we leave path 15 which would continue on a slight slope and we begin the climb along the stony ground following the yellow signs. We arrive near the cliffs and a wooden cage. We will continue to the right for a hundred meters up to the start of the Ferrata Josè Angster (30 'from the parking lot). On site, the via ferrata attachment is marked as F1 and the rubber seal around the yellow cable as opposed to F2 which is the Via Ferrata of the Children which has the rubber gasket around the green colored cable.

Via Ferrata:

The via ferrata immediately begins by facing a vertical wall with steps and brackets that are distant from each other. Climb up this wall we reach some rocky jumps and then a horizontal traverse. Beyond this there is a horizontal ledge where the F2 ferrata cable crosses along the ledge. Instead, we will continue along a vertical line, gradually bending to the right in the direction of some obvious roofs that we will notice above our head. We pass an edge and continue the vertical ascent with a slightly overhanging section (key passage) always assisted by distant steps until we reach a statue of a Madonna inside a glass protection in a fissure in the rock. We continue now vertically in the direction of the roofs. We come to a series of more laid down lines in which to proceed is less tiring than the first part. Now the ferrata alternates rocky leaps with flat or inclined stretches of path until it reaches a flag (in bad condition ...) which represents the end of the Ferrata Josè Angster (1h 30 'from the start - 2h total).

Descent:

From the end of the ferrata on the left you will notice a half-destroyed hut with a slab 1750 m. To the left of the hut you will notice a stone with indications. We will follow the path 4A downhill going down bends along the wood until we meet the path from which we reach the end of the F2 ferrata. Continue to descend until you reach the path traveled on the outward journey and from there towards the car (30 'from the end of the via ferrata - 2h 30' total).

Notes:

The approach path deserves a note. The poles and signs with yellow signs indicate how to reach the end of the via ferrata, not the beginning. This can be confusing. If you reach a ruined building with the 1750 license slab you are near the end of the via ferrata and you have the wrong road.

The steps are very far apart making the progression much more challenging for short people. The cable is positioned so that it jumps outwards so in the case of a long distance between the steps it is best to climb directly on the rock with your hands and feet.

Opportunities:

The Ferrata Josè Angster extends next to the Via Ferrata of the Children, ferrata which as its name suggests is much less demanding. Sharing with the Josè Angster both the approach path and part of the return path could be done both to fill up half a full day. You could then continue towards via ferratas passable in half a day, such as the Via Ferrata Covarey or the Via Ferrata del Gorbeillon. The neighbor is of a completely different difficulty Ferrata of the Grassoney Guides which could be covered in half a day but which requires excellent preparation and physical strength.