Outlaw
The opening descent into Ashley Gorge. Bolted rungs and short cable traverses — the place to get your clipping rhythm sorted before the route steepens.
Outlaw is where almost everyone starts. It drops from the canyon rim down into Ashley Gorge on bolted steel rungs, with short cable traverses linking the ledges. The exposure builds gradually rather than hitting you all at once, which makes it the right place to get comfortable with the equipment.
If this is your first via ferrata, spend the first few minutes here deliberately practising the transfer: unclip one carabiner, move it past the anchor, clip it back, then move the second. Never have both off the cable at the same time. Doing that consciously a dozen times on easy ground pays for itself when you hit steeper terrain later.
Lower Outlaw continues the descent and connects into Land Before Climb and the canyon-bottom trail system. Most parties are through the whole thing in under an hour.
What to Expect
- ▸Bidirectional — you can climb back out the way you came
- ▸Gentlest introduction to exposure on the route
- ▸Connects to the canyon-floor trails for an early exit
- ▸Good mobile signal at the rim; almost none below
Good fit if
First-timers, families with older teens, and anyone wanting a short outing without committing to the full route.
You'll Need Certified Gear
Every sector at Ashley Gorge requires a via ferrata lanyard with an energy absorber, a climbing harness and a certified helmet. Homemade setups are not permitted and the route is monitored. We rent full kits for $40 and lanyards on their own for $25, picked up from our self-service lockers in Roosevelt — 30 minutes from the trailhead, open 24/7.