Via Ferrata Operator in Grindelwald
20 to 22 May 2027
Training as SOA Via Ferrata Operator
Date: 20 to 22 May 2027
Location: Grindelwald
Meeting point: 09:00, Grindelwald Terminal / Google Maps
Course language: German, English
Course coordinator: Tina Gertsch, Head of the SOA Rope Section
tina.gertsch@outdoor.ch
2nd course leader: Ewan McCulloch, IFMGA mountain guide (SBV)
e.mcculloch@yahoo.com / 079 828 82 13
Price:
SOA members CHF 850
Non-members CHF 1050
Registration deadline: 8 May 2027
Course content
- Course content
- Theoretical and practical equipment knowledge
- Trip planning, risk management
- Belaying technique, safety measures
- Climbing and guiding technique
- Rescue and evacuation techniques
- Alarm procedures and first aid measures
- Instructing/briefing guests
- Guiding and looking after guests on via ferratas
Exam content
- Practical exam: a rescue scenario on a via ferrata
- Theory exam on the course content
Required equipment
- Via ferrata equipment
- Rucksack, helmet, climbing harness, via ferrata set
- 30 m rope
- Rescue equipment
- Various accessory cords (1x at least 5 m), progress-capture pulley (Micro Traxion, Nano Traxion or similar), pulley without progress capture, rope clamp, Grigri or similar, HMS and screwgate karabiners, slings 60 cm + 120 cm, prusik, lanyard (Dual Adjust or similar)
- Small first aid kit
Prerequisites
- Minimum age 18
- Head for heights
- Moving safely at height
- Good general health
Supporting documents
- SOA Canyoning Guide II (or equivalent)
- SOA Tripleader
- Proof of experience: at least 5 via ferrata ascents
- Certificates for first aid and BLS-AED-SRC complete courses or First Aid Level 1 IAS (IVR) (all max. 2 years old)
- Proof of accident insurance
Important: Tripleader and Canyoning Guide II training are prerequisites for the course and cannot be obtained afterwards.
Courses/exams are only considered passed once all documents have been submitted; certificates are issued only then. Missing documents (e.g. BLS/AED, first aid, logbooks) can be submitted up to 3 months after completing the course/exam – after that, any claim to certification of the training/exams/courses lapses. The same applies to any resits, which must also take place within 3 months of the exam date. For later certification, the training/exams/courses must be repeated in full. This rule applies from the 2024 course year onwards.