Ten years ago, a via ferrata opened on the Kleiner Ifinger that has inspired mountaineering fans from near and far ever since. The Heini Holzer via ferrata combines exciting passages with a unique panorama and is a piece of living mountain history.
The south-west flank of the Ifinger seemed to the Meran mountain guide, Peter Vanzo, as if it might have been made for a summit-ending via ferrata, at that time a rarity. “We did not have a single via ferrata in the vicinity and always had to go into the Dolomites,” he recalls. “The Ifinger seemed ideal to me, as unlike many via ferratas, which end somewhere in the rocks, it offers a summit finish.” And so, from the idea, a project developed that after initial scepticism was put into practice thanks to support from the hospitality industry and later the Alpine Club.
The approx. 8-week construction time was a logistical challenge. “There were 4 of us, with some materials being delivered by helicopter,” says Vanzo. From May to July, the men worked through wind, rain and even snowfall. Even during the construction phase, the growing via ferrata attracted curious locals, who would test the route, which in places was still unsecured, after hours.
Even before the official opening in September 2016, it was anticipated that the via ferrata would be a great success. On peak days, up to 500 people braved the ascent, and by the end of the year, visits numbered almost 5000. Today, too, ten years later, the Heini Holzer via ferrata is equally popular among tourists and locals. What makes it so special? “It isn’t just the technical difficulties, but the overall experience,” explains Vanzo. “The view over Meran and the valleys, the feeling at the summit.” The via ferrata was consciously designed to be moderately hard, so as many people as possible could manage it. Nevertheless, Vanzo advises that inexperienced climbers should first try easier routes or only tackle it with a mountain guide.
The via ferrata owes its name to the extreme skier and mountaineer, Heini Holzer. The idea of naming it after the Schenna-born pioneer of steep-face skiing came about during a planning meeting. As Peter Vanzo recalls, “Whenever I wanted to explain to anyone where the route was supposed to go, I always said, ‘Where Heini skied down the mountain.’ Everyone knew what I meant.” Holzer was known not only for his reckless descents, but also for his inventiveness. His small size of only 1.53 metres caused him to develop the so-called “Griff-Fiffi” an extension tool, with which he was able to reach distant hooks and belay points when climbing. Tragically, Holzer’s life ended in 1977 during his 104th steep slope descent on the north-eastern face of the Piz Roseg in Switzerland. Today, the route commemorates not only his courage and passion but also keeps the memory of an extraordinary man of the mountains alive.
A decade later, Peter Vanzo still climbs the route here regularly with visitors. “I would do everything exactly the same way again,” he says, smiling with satisfaction. The experienced mountain guide has no doubt that the Heini Holzer via ferrata will continue to hold an appeal: “It isn’t just about sporting trends, but also the summit experience – and that is simply unique here!”
Heini Holzer via ferrata in brief:
Length: approx. 1 km
Altitude diff.: approx. 550 m
Difficulty: medium (A, B, sometimes B/C)
Duration: 3–4 hrs ascent, plus approx. 30 min. to Grosser Ifinger summit (+ 81 m climb)
Season: from May to October
Access: with the Merano 2000 cable car or the Falzeben gondola to the Piffinger Köpfl