Austrian climber Charly Fritzer making the second ascent of To Those Who Wait (IX,9) on Creag Coire na Ciste, Ben Nevis. The Secret is the prominent crack-line just right of the arete. (Photo Greg Boswell)
Well known German climber Ines Papert is visiting with Austrian Charly Fritzer, and it’s all go in the Scottish mountains at the moment!
On Wednesday January 26, Ines teamed up with Pete Macpherson made an early ascent of Daddy Longlegs (VIII,9) in Coire an Lochain whilst Charly climbed Ventricle (VII,8) with Greg Boswell. On Thursday (January 27) they headed up the Ben. Mike Tweedley and Greg made the second ascent of Apache (VIII,9) and Charly repeated To Those Who Wait (IX,9), Greg’s test-piece on the hanging crack above Number Three Gully, first climbed just four weeks ago. “Charly got it second go after falling because a chockstone ripped on his first attempt, and Ines might be going back to try it again later in the trip,” Greg reported.
Yesterday (January 28), Mike and Greg visited Coire an t-Sneachda and repeated Pete Macpherson and Martin Moran’s recent route, Omerta (VIII,9). “I managed to climb the route on sight, but only just,” Greg told me. “The crux pitch is mega pumpy and technical. I found it very strenuous to protect due to the dirt and ice in the cracks, and once you had got the hard won protection it was not very good. I thought it was high in the grade.”
