Our sunrise Via Ferrata climbing elopement began before the first light of dawn was seen on the horizon. We awoke too early for words, merely grunting at one another as we greeted the dark sky at the campsite. If you’re reading this and thinking “What in the world is a Via Ferrata,” I should go ahead and explain the adventure we were heading towards. Via Ferrata is Italian for “Iron road”. The first of these iron roads were created in the Alps which made difficult to traverse mountains, like the Dolomites, more accessible. This was done by combining mountainous hiking with climbing aids such as ladders and cable systems. When venturing onto a Via Ferrata you begin with gearing up and wearing a harness. You’ll then use climbing gear to safely fasten yourself to a cable before climbing/hiking either horizontally or vertically. One interesting fact about these alpine roads is that, during the first World War, established iron roads actually assisted in moving troops to and fro! Telluride’s Via Ferrata was inspired by Europe’s own and the build began at the hands of climber, Chuck Kroger. Therefore the Telluride Via Ferrata is fondly known as the “Krogerata”. You can read more about Chuck and the controversial start of Telluride’s own San Juan Iron Road here and here.
Halfway into town, we stopped to find me (Micah) gas station coffee - don’t knock it - sometimes it’s the easiest and tastiest choice when you’re up for such adventurous early starts! Slowly, we made our way in to Telluride, Colorado, still no light of day to be found. We met the elopement crew (hair/makeup stylist, videographers, and ourselves) gathered together in a warm hotel room. Taralyn and Victor were in the midst of getting ready and you could feel their excitement and anticipation growing. We were all looking forward to the hiking and climbing we would be doing, which would be a check off the bucket list for these two! Taralyn and Victor are outdoor enthusiasts who love to travel and try new things. Taralyn can boast traveling to over 50 countries and when I heard that they’d been Wing Walking in Washington (check it out here!) I knew they would have the time of their lives on the Via Ferrata. We quickly documented details and before long we were ready to hit the road. Taralyn and Victor had chosen to have their first look at the base of Telluride’s Via Ferrata before starting their climb. As we left the hotel, we drove them up in separate cars to avoid seeing one another’s attire. The Black Bear Pass Summit road to the Kroger Via Ferrata is a high clearance four wheel drive road. High clearance is a must to even begin the crawl uphill. There is a decent step at the base of Black Bear Pass to deter any low clearance vehicles from attempting the climb. Even with high clearance, taking it straight on is discouraged. Regardless, with careful approach we were able to take a Honda C-RV and in much easier stride, a Toyota 4runner up this section. Just past this, the road became relatively flat and easy. But, it was bumpy enough to have us all laughing as we drove up with laps full of prepped camera gear. There’s never a dull moment when taking rugged roads to beautiful places for mountain elopements.
As we approached the end of our trail, we drove by Telluride’s famous Bridal Veil Waterfall. The falls towered high above us with 365 feet of gleaming streams of water pouring down in the deep shadow of the granite and quartzite walls. The road turned another switchback and soon we stopped at the edge of yet another turn in the road uphill. The parking area for Kroger Via Ferrata is only big enough for 2-3 cars across. You’ll have to go early to find parking, otherwise your approach will involve a 1.2 mile hike that begins at the Bridal Veil Falls public parking and trailhead. If hiking, you will need to connect Bridal Veil Falls trail to Black Bear Pass road. Black Bear Pass will take you the remaining length to the start of the Via Ferrata. As we stepped out of the car we were greeted by a brisk breeze from dawn slowly warming the Eastern sky. It was a crisp Fall morning and pink and golden hues were stretching across the Western hills. Telluride sat far below our perch with street lights that twinkled in the dusky silhouette of the mountains. Victor walked down the hill and out onto the flat open ledge that led to Pipeline Wall Climbing area, awaiting his bride. Mining debris lay strewn across the hillside; rusted pieces of metal, old tramway tracks, and rubble emptied from ore tubs. There is a lot of history throughout these mining settlements and it feels humbling and reverent to reminisce on the lives lived here in the past. Victor stood confidently with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. With my mind considering the history of the land, I thought he could pass for a gold rush prospector in the Rockies; full of contemplation for what lay beneath the stout San Juan rocks before him. But in the present, Taralyn was making her way down to meet her groom. First looks are always incredibly special to me, but this view and time of day made for quite the experience for all of us. Rays of sunshine had licked the mountain peaks leaving stunningly vivid hues in its’ wake. The valley far below held a warm glow from golden aspen leaves that starkly contrasted from the vast surrounding gray walls. It had grown even chillier as the wind pushed up from the cliff edge beyond. Taralyn and Victor saw each other for the first time and hugged tightly for warmth against the bitter breeze. It quickly calmed (Colorado weather right?) and they spent some time together taking it all in.
Back at the cars we geared up for the climb; Taralyn and Victor tied the shoelaces on their hiking boots and pulled their harnesses on. We each checked our carabiners, knots, and harnesses before turning to double check our partners. We then began our ascent onto the main trail. Telluride’s Via Ferrata is very exposed with few trees or rocks to obscure your view. It was absolutely breathtaking to be so high in altitude while looking out at such a picturesque mountain scape. Although the exposure can give some people vertigo, the majority of the trail actually maintains a decent width for your hike. Simply, don’t look down and keep moving forward! We stopped frequently to take photos and to enjoy the views as we hiked on. Spots on the trail became more narrow with longer lengths of cables to clip our carabiners into. Our footsteps became more careful as we arrived at Kroger’s bench. We signed the log book kept in a PVC container attached to the bench. There were many signatures but none who claimed they had eloped while climbing the Krogerata! From here, the trail increased in difficulty and as the sun crested the mountains we arrived at the Main Event. The Main Event is a section of smooth rock face with no trail to walk on. Instead, you’ll be stretching along metal rungs that span 300 feet across the sheer precipice with a 200+ foot chasm looming below you. Hillhound productions and I went first, tying off our camera gear and double checking each footstep and clip placement. We set up to photograph and film after reaching the far side and Taralyn and Victor soon traversed the expanse. I hope these photos show how epic this moment truly was. The sun had finally touched the changing aspen leaves and lit up the entire valley with golden fire. This created depth and an almost head-spinning effect when paired with our couple in the foreground clinging to the rock wall. Taralyns’ long wedding dress hung in suspense as her and Victor shared a kiss in the middle of the Main Event. Looking back towards Bridal Veil Falls and the historic water plant sitting high above, we were able to take in the completely awe inspiring view of Telluride Colorado’s mountain valley.
Although the Telluride Via Ferrata is known to be an out and back route, the Covid-19 pandemic pushed through creating a public use trail that skirts private property. This now allows climbers to return to base for a one way looped trail. We hiked down among bright aspen groves and were all a little more than excited for lunch. Stops and all, we took about 5 hours total on the route.
Our crew gathered together again before sunset for Taralyn and Victors’ vows. Having an elopement ceremony backdrop with changing aspen leaves was a must for this couple! As Colorado Fall can be quite fleeting, this tends to be challenging with planning! We sometimes have long Autumns with the colors lasting weeks; other times a blustery day can drop all of the beautiful colors in one fell swoop. Luckily, the Southern portion of the state, deep within the San Juans, still held leaves in the midst of vivid change! We chose a quiet Aspen grove near Ophir and Ames Colorado, and they tied the knot as golden heart shaped leaves fell from the trees. These floated softly to the ground all around them and made for quite a magical Autumn sunset. Make sure to scroll to the end to watch their jaw dropping video captured by Hillhound Productions!
I hope you enjoyed sharing in this beautiful San Juan Elopement! I asked Taralyn and Victor to share a few favorite moments and advice from planning their elopement day below!
Post Elopement Reflection
What do you remember most? “Watching sunrise during first look with the alpine glow and seeing the entire town of Telluride light up. Most. epic. sunrise. ever.”
What inspired your details and theme? “We did not want to put married life on hold because of covid so we went ahead and did an elopement the way we thought was best for us. We both love adventure and wanted something that would be truly unique to us as a couple where people would say "Yeah, that's something Tara and Victor would do."
Which piece were you most excited for? “Climbing across the Main Event in our wedding suit/gown. The "Omg-I-can't-believe-I'm-doing-this-in-this-attire" moment and the fulfillment of surviving it!”
What was your favorite photo from the day - and what made it so special to you? “The uniqueness of being suspended on the side of a mountain in our wedding gown/suit high above the gorgeous fall foliage. Not everyone gets to do that and have the perfect timing for it. It was absolutely perfect for us.”
What advice do you have for couples who are in the midst of planning their own big day? “Don't think about what other people think. It's your own wedding, so you do whatever you want that makes you both happy and content. Spend money on what truly matters for you and never compare with others.”
Anything you wish you’d done differently? “No, everything was perfect!”
You're married! What advice do you have for couples after they say their own vows? “Live and love each day as if it's your last, you're never guaranteed about tomorrow.”
Vendors
Video: Hillhound Productions // https://www.hillhoundproductions.com/
HMUA: Heather Dubuisson // https://hdhairandmakeup.com/
Florals: Garden of Eden // https://gardenofedencolorado.com/
Harnesses and Gear: Black Diamond and Petzl // https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/ https://www.petzl.com/US/en
Suit: Mastroianni Fashions // https://mastroiannifashions.com/
Dress: David's Bridal // https://www.davidsbridal.com/
Hiking Shoes: Vasque and Columbia // https://www.vasque.com/ https://www.columbia.com/
Rings: Kay Jewelers // https://www.kay.com/
Officiant: Rev. Chris Mohr // https://coloradoweddingceremonies.com/