Day 17: Today Hans and I returned to climb the via ferrata again. This time, we rented special pulleys to descend via the 3 Tyroleans (aka zip-lines) off the mountain. After we reached the top again, we started the first Tyrolean, which ranks among the scariest things I've ever done in the outdoors! Primarily because it was just the two of us up there, with the cable in front of us that we'd seen on the first ascent, and no one there with experience on these things to confirm we'd be okay (although Hans had talked to a guy at the climbing store who told us "no problema"). I'm glad I talked him into going first! Click here for a video of him just after he stepped into the void.

When it was my turn and I stepped off the platform and the pulley started buzzing, louder and louder on the steel cable, going faster and faster over literally HUNDREDS of feet of air (probably 500 feet if I were to estimate), I thought my heart would pound out of my chest. I didn't quite make it to the other platform, and had to hand over hand the last 30 feet or so.

Then we found out that we hadn't quite brought enough rope for the rappels to the 2nd platform. We BARELY made it, using our extra webbing, slings, a pack, and very nearly our shoelaces.

On the 3rd Tyrolean I went first, and as I approached the ending platform, I thought to myself "okay, I should start to slow down about now... Ummm, any time now!!" But the cable was just a bit too taught and I crashed into the platform, fortunately okay. With Hans it was the same story -- I don't know how the commercial trips do this one!

We reached the bottom of the mountain right at sunset with a nearly full moon in the sky. What a fun day!