Enormocast 324: Ines Papert – Only One Life

Photos: Klaus Fengler, Torje Stenkjaer, Ines Papert Collection
Subscribe

On Episode 324 of the Enormocast, I sit down for the second time with German climber Ines Papert. The first time was way back in 2016 when Ines and I climbed together in Indian Creek and found time torecord an interview. At that time, Ines was the single mom of a teenager but still managing the life of a pro climber. As her boy gained more independence in the following decade, Ines’ career flourished as she climbed all over the world focusing on alpine climbing in the greater ranges. This interview finds Ines contemplating aging, her life as a mom, and her motivations as a rock climber and ice climber as alpinism takes a back seat for now.

Ines on Instagram

Ines’ Website (surprisingly up to date trip reports!)

Enormocast 319: Freja Shannon – Moments of Glad Grace

Photos Fay Manners, Hamish Frost, Al Lee
Subscribe

On episode 319 of the Enormocast, I connect across the Atlantic with Irish/Swedish climber and guide, Freja Shannon. Freja split her youth between the west coast of Ireland and Sweden. Her first mountain sport was snowboarding which took her to Chamonix for a winter season when she was 19. But in that spring, she found climbing and finally felt “this is it!”. Freja dove into all the alpine pursuits with abandon and started racking up ascents in Chamonix, her other home in Sweden, and discovered that the sea cliffs of Ailladie were only a few miles from where she grew up. Then an serious fall in 2023 in the Alps broke her back and dealt a major blow to her confidence. Freja’s body recovered quickly but she’ also had to reassess her risk tolerance and her commitment to the alpine. The fire is still there, but Freja’s focus may have changed for the better.

Enormocast 317: Alik Berg – A Climber’s Climber

Subscribe

On Episode 317 of the Enormocast, I sit down at the Banff Mountain Film Festival with alpinist Alik Berg. Born in Edmonton and living in Canmore, Alik has spent most of his life forging himself into the climber’s climber: reliable, strong, smart, and bold. His view of the ethics and philosophy of alpinism were instilled by his dad, but also tested on the big walls of Yosemite as a teenager. As the years progressed, big wall Alik transformed himself into an expert winter alpinist in the Canadian Rockies. Though he is relatively unknown outside of the deep community of alpinists in the Bow Valley, he is revered and respected throughout that realm of compact, snow-dusted, limestone and rime-covered necky leads that is Canadian Rockies winter climbing. Never one to spray about himself, Alik agreed to sit down for the Enormocast because he wants to share the hard fought wisdom of his years in the range and beyond as those that came before shared with him.