Winter Climbing in Scotland: Ines Papert on Beinn Eighe and Glen Coe

In February 2010 the German climber Ines Papert spent a busy fortnight on Scottish winter routes with Britain’s Ian Parnell and the Quebec climber Audrey Gariepy, with Hans Hornberger filming the trip. The highlight was Blood, Sweat and Frozen Tears, a steep VIII,8 on Beinn Eighe in the Torridon hills, and the film shows exactly why Scotland has a reputation as one of the toughest winter climbing arenas in the world.

Ines Papert, ice and mixed climber

Papert was born in Lutherstadt Wittenberg on 5 April 1974 and grew up in Bad Düben, Saxony. She became one of the most successful competition ice climbers of her generation, winning the overall Ice Climbing World Cup in 2001, 2003 and 2006 and more than 20 individual World Cup events.

Away from competition she made the first red-point ascent of Symphonie de Liberté on the Eiger North Face in 2003, became the first woman to climb the M11 mixed grade, and in 2013 soloed the first ascent of Likhu Chuli I (6,719 m) in Nepal.

The 2010 Scottish winter trip

Papert nearly missed the start: snow closed Munich airport and she lost the first weekend. After that the team enjoyed some of the best Scottish winter conditions in years and ticked a long list of routes across the Highlands, including:

• Unicorn (VIII,8) in Glen Coe, where Papert led the crux middle pitch, probably the first grade VIII led by a woman
• Blood, Sweat and Frozen Tears (VIII,8) on Beinn Eighe, climbed with Ian Parnell
• Little Nipper (VI,8), a new two-pitch line on Beinn Eighe first climbed by Papert and Parnell on 19 February 2010
• Stirling Bridge (VI,7) on Aonach Mòr, North East Buttress (IV,5) and Minus Three Gully (VI,6) on Ben Nevis
• Fall Out Corner (VI,7) in the Cairngorms and Smith’s Gully (VI,5) on Creag Meagaidh

Papert kept returning to Scotland. On her Highland visits she also made first ascents of Triple X (VIII,8) on Ben Nevis and Bavarinthia (IX,9) in Coire an Lochain in the Cairngorms.

Beinn Eighe and Torridon

Beinn Eighe is a long, quartzite-capped massif in Wester Ross, south of Loch Maree, rising to 1,010 m at Ruadh-stac Mòr. The village of Kinlochewe sits at its eastern end. In 1951 it became Britain’s first National Nature Reserve.

The climbing centres on Coire Mhic Fhearchair on the northern side, known as the Triple Buttress Corrie for its three huge rock buttresses. Reaching it means a long walk in, and short winter daylight leaves little margin for a slow day.

How Scottish winter grades work

Scottish winter routes carry a two-part grade. The Roman numeral gives the overall seriousness, taking in length, boldness, stamina and protection. The Arabic number rates the hardest single move. A VI,6 is a balanced route; a VI,8 has moves harder than its overall grade suggests.

The system reflects the local ethic. Scottish winter climbing uses traditional protection placed by the leader, with no bolts. Ian Parnell has written that an on-sight of a VIII,8 on traditional gear is comparable to a bolted M8, which puts Papert’s performance in clear perspective.

Plan winter days in the Highlands around the forecast and avalanche reports from the Scottish Avalanche Information Service, and start early to make the most of the light.

Related reading

• why mountain height is not a difficulty rating
• other questions raised by winter mountain conditions
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