Scottish climber Tim Miller wins 'Oscars of mountaineering' award after brush with death

The award is given to climbers who pursue uncharted territories while maintaining respect for the mountains.

A 27-year-old who described the Highlands as his playground growing up has scooped one of the world’s most prestigious climbing awards just five years after surviving a deadly avalanche that claimed his friend’s life.

Tim Miller, who grew up in Strathblane, north of Glasgow, was awarded the Piolet d'Or, or Golden Ice Axe, for his pioneering ascent of Nepal's notorious Jugal Spire.

The award, dubbed ‘the Oscars of Mountaineering’, is given to climbers who pursue uncharted territories while maintaining respect for the mountains. It is not the first time Mr Miller’s climbing experience has drawn global attention.

Tim Miller with Paul Ramsden who he partnered with on his award-winning ascent

In 2018, the climber, who now lives in Inverness, faced a near-death experience when camping at an altitude of 19,300 feet on the unforgiving terrains of Pakistan’s Ultar Sar mountain. An avalanche buried him alive and claimed the life of his friend and fellow climber Christian Huber.

Mr Miller survived by chewing through his tent’s fabric before clawing his way through six feet of snow to the surface. It was when he helped save another climbing partner on the expedition, Bruce Normand, then 51, that he found Mr Huber already dead. The survivors spent two days in their broken tent, waiting for weather to ease before being airlifted to safety by a Pakistani military helicopter.

The award is given to climbers who pursue uncharted territories while maintaining respect for the mountains.

Mr Miller said: “It was a turning point, a moment where the mountains taught me lessons beyond climbing. I didn’t take it in immediately because I was so focused on finding what I needed to survive – warmth, food, liquid, and shelter.

Tim Miller on Skye's Cuillin Ridge in 2019

“When I came down, it all hit me and I saw how much the whole thing had terrified my mum, dad and girlfriend. But it made me realise how much I need to climb. It made me appreciate being alive, and climbing makes me feel alive. We’re all humans, and we all experience fear, but I think some people experience it differently.

“I learned a lot from that experience — we made silly mistakes. Now I prepare meticulously, I’m more experienced, I have my qualifications, and I’m way more knowledgeable, so I take more control. It can be scary at times, but I feel far more stressed when I’m off the mountain and my phone starts pinging. You’re in flow when you’re in the mountains, and I find it quite hard to deal with getting off it and living a ‘normal’ life.”

Mr Miller first met one of the most decorated mountaineers Paul Ramsden, who he partnered with on his award-winning ascent, while hitchhiking home to Glasgow following a climb at the UK’s highest peak Ben Nevis. The pair’s successful summit of the previously unclimbed Jugal Spire in Nepal, which was delayed due to Covid, marked the culmination of their shared vision and years of meticulous planning. The award ceremony, held last month, saw Mr Ramsden clinch the Piolet d’Or for the fifth time.

Their route to the top was perilous, as they ascended along a singular path of ice and snow across the rock face, unsure if the route would continue unbroken to the summit. The duo did not use supplemental oxygen, fixed ropes or Sherpa support – a feat celebrated in the mountaineering world for its ethical approach and pure connection to the mountains.

Climbing on the first ascent of Jugal Spire in spring last year

Mr Miller, who suffered frostbite during the climb to the 21,532-foot summit, said: “I’m incredibly proud to receive a Piolet d’Or, but I never got into climbing for awards: the award, for me, is being able to explore the unexplored, and the adventure itself.

“On an expedition you don’t have to think about anything else for six weeks; you read, you chat, and you climb. It’s purely a psychological sport. You have to switch yourself off to be alert. All your actions have consequences, so there’s no choice, but to focus entirely. It’s like nothing else on Earth.

“There are only a handful of unclaimed peaks out there, and there’s so much hard work scouring books and Google Earth before you get there, but it’s still unknown until you’re on the mountain.”

Mr Miller grew up hillwalking with his parents, but it was indoors at the Glasgow Climbing Centre in Ibrox, where he landed his first job, that he developed his passion for climbing. From there, he began to explore local crags around Glasgow, including Dumbarton Rock and Auchinstarry Quarry. That is when he dropped most other sports and focused on climbing.

Tim Miller below the north west face of Jugal Spire, the peak which he won a Piolet D'Or for with Paul Ramsden

He said: “Growing up, the Highlands were my playground. I fell in love with climbing here – it was without a doubt the best training ground. It was such an ideal path from climbing indoors to winter climbing in Scotland; it prepared me so well and fuelled my desire for real adventure, and connecting with wild places. I built up a real bank of experience. I still love doing new routes in Scotland because there are so many amazing places to go climbing. Being in Inverness, you’re right in the middle of it all – Torridon, Applecross, Skye, Ben Nevis, Glen Coe.

“But when I conquered my first unclimbed peak, Nutcracker’s Peak in Kyrgyzstan, I realised I wanted to use climbing to travel and explore the world.”

Mr Miller, who runs his own guiding and instructing business – Miller Mountain Guides, added: “I plan to do more vertical climbing and have a bucket list that includes well-known faces, like El Capitan in Yosemite, but I also want to go to places people wouldn’t think about going; you’re more likely to find me in Kyrgyzstan than on Everest.”

The intrepid climber’s award announcement comes as #ThinkWINTER, a joint campaign between Scotland’s top mountain safety organisations, including Mountaineering Scotland and Scottish Mountain Rescue, has been launched.

It directs those looking to explore Scotland’s mountains and hills to resources to help keep them safe.

Mountaineering Scotland’s senior mountain safety advisor, Ross Cadie, said: “Winter can offer incredible opportunities for mountain adventures, but it leaves very little margin for error. If you #ThinkWINTER, check weather and avalanche forecasts, and make a plan that suits your ability – or the ability level of your group – you’ll have unforgettable winter days, for all the right reasons.”