The Gold Mountain Via Ferrata has expanded with two extreme segments both opening in June.

travis perkins/Courtesy of Basecamp Ouray

If youre not surewhat avia ferratais, youre not alone.

Even the English translation of the Italian term iron path doesnt provide much insight.

A man climbing at Basecamp Ouray’s Gold Mountain Via Ferrata

Credit:travis perkins/Courtesy of Basecamp Ouray

To put it simply, a via ferrata is a fixedclimbing routemade up of metal rungs drilled into rock.

Climbers can scale sheer mountain faces typically reserved for experts with relative ease.

And for some climbers, it might be easy too easy.

A man at Basecamp Ouray’s Gold Mountain Via Ferrata

travis perkins/Courtesy of Basecamp Ouray

The new, 300-foot-long segment leads to an overhanging rock roof that you climb monkey-bar-style.

All journeys up Gold Mountain must be done with a local guide fromBasecamp Ouray.

A woman climbing at Basecamp Ouray’s Gold Mountain Via Ferrata

travis perkins/Courtesy of Basecamp Ouray