Strong on rock and ice – Ines Papert
The four-time ice climbing world champion also sets strong trends on rock. She is just as comfortable with mixed, sport and Alpine climbing as with mountain climbing.
From the saxophone to crampons
Ines’ childhood in Bad Düben in Saxony was shaped by music. She was enthusiastic about playing the piano and the saxophone. Her »steep« career started when she moved to Berchtesgaden in 1993. It was there that the young physiotherapist discovered her love for the mountains. From then on, climbing became her great passion. In 2001, Ines started her professional career and won the overall ice climbing world cup. There followed three world champion titles, numerous world cup victories and places on the winners’ rostrum.
All-round vertical talent
In 2006, Ines said goodbye to the competition arena. Achievements in the mountains and expeditions were becoming increasingly important to her. She climbs extreme mixed routes, for example she climbed »Law and Order« in 2007. She was the first woman to succeed in completing a route with difficulty rating M13. Ines is also at the forefront in sport climbing. She has notched up many routes with grades 8a and 8a+ in her climbing record. In 2004, she climbed »Schattenkönig« (8b), which was her most difficult sport climbing route to date. Her all-round talent also speaks for itself in Alpine rock climbing such as with the red-point »Camilotto-Pelllisier« route (8b) on the Große Zinne (2006) or the »Letzte Ausfahrt Titlis« (8a+) in Switzerland (2003). In 2003, she secured the first red-point completion in one day of the »Symphonie de Liberté« (8a) on the north face of the Eiger. Added to that, she has a long list of Alpine routes with the IX difficulty rating in her route book.
The greatest highlight
In winter 2008, Ines, together with Cory Richards, reached the Kwangde Shar (6093 m) via a new route on the north face. She herself describes this undertaking as »the toughest adventure of my life«. There is however one experience which eclipses all the gold medals and first ascents; the birth of her son Manuel in 2000 was her greatest highlight.
