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Tomaz Humar summits Aconcagua via new route
10:12 a.m. EST Jan 6, 2004
And what did you do over the holidays? Well, before ringing in the New Year, Slovenian climbers Tomaz Humar and Ales Kozelj traveled to South America and summited Aconcagua, opening a new route for much of the way on the Andes’ highest peak.
The pair headed to the mountain in November with plans to scale the South Face. After completing acclimatization by mid-December, Tomaz and Ales wait for the appropriate weather break, which occured up about a week later.
The ascent took five days, 2,500m of which was climbed along a high new route. Another day was spent crossing Aconcogua and descending to the valley. They returned to Base camp on December 23. Tomaz said that this climb was the most difficult of all his ascents. Both he and Ales believe it’s the most difficult route on the South Face to date. The pair climbed roped together, something Tomaz has not done for six years. He stated, “The last person on the other end of my rope was Johan (Janez Jeglic, his climbing partner on Nuptse). All I can say about Ales is this – a new kitten with well sharpened claws is born.”
Tomaz has climbed on Nuptse, Annapurna, Ganesh, Ama Dablam, El Capitan, and in 2000, the South Face of Dhaulagiri. After a domestic freak accident, many operations and lots of rehabilitation, Tomaz went back in action summited Shisha Pangma, then attempted Nanga Parbat last summer. His climb was thwarted by severe amoeba dysentery, rotten snow and tough weather.
Image of Aconcogua by Silvij Morojna courtesy of www.humar.com
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