Ines Papert climbs Scaramouche on Hoher Göll, Berchtesgaden Alps

Repeating an 8a doesn’t make headline news nowadays, but when the 8a in question is located up in the mountains, was established in 1989 by the Huber brothers and has been repeated only half a dozen times in just under three decades, then evidently there’s something very special about the route.

The climb that was repeated at the start of September is called Scaramouche and breaches the 300m high West Pillar of Hoher Göll in the Endstal valley close to Berchtesgaden, established and freed by Alexander Huber and Thomas Huber with difficulties up to 8a. Apart from these technical difficulties though, the route is psychologically demanding as the bolts are run-out and the pro needs integrating with trad gear.

After having attempted the route in the past, on Sunday 4 September Ines Papert teamed up with Matthias Raiter and redpointed the 9-pitch line, sending all pitches first go except for the third which she sent on her second attempt. After the successful redpoint Papert stated "I have spent about 10 to 14 days in the route over the past years. I have cursed, doubted, and laughed. Seldom have I climbed a route that was as technically demanding. My greatest respect goes to Thomas and Alexander for their first ascent of this wall, at that time, in that style, in one of the most beautiful walls of our planet, in Berchtesgaden."

While on theme of Endstal, Huber brothers and beautiful routes that are rarely repeated: this valley also hosts Om, another masterpiece freed by Alexander Huber. Graded 9a, this single pitch sports climb had to wait from 1992 until 2009 for Adam Ondra to pull off the first repeat. Since then though... nothing.

Scaramouche
Alexander Huber, Thomas Huber 1989, first ascent
Reinhard Hones 2009
Hajo Friedrich 2011
Charly Fritzer 2012
Josef Pfnür 2016
Ines Papert 2016

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19/06/2009 - Alexander Huber, Om and Adam Ondra
On 14/06/2009 Adam Ondra carried out the first repeat of Om 9a, the route first ascended in 1992 by Alexander Huber at Endstal in Germany.