40 years since the ascent of Makalu, the first Slovenian...

40 years since the ascent of Makalu, the first Slovenian eight-thousander.

These days mark 40 years since the first Slovenian ascent of an eight-thousander. The Mountaineering Association of Slovenia expedition led by Aleš Kunaver climbed the south face of the 8463-meter-high Makalu via the first ascent route in October 1975 and with this achievement placed Slovenia alongside the Himalayan superpowers. The summit was reached by seven alpinists: on October 6 Stane Belak - Šrauf and Marjan Manfreda - Marjon (without the use of supplemental oxygen), on October 8 Janko Ažman and Nejc Zaplotnik, on October 10 Viki Grošelj and Ivč Kotnik, and a day later also Janez Dovžan. On the 40th anniversary of one of the greatest achievements in world Himalayan climbing, the jubilee Himalayan expedition Manang 2015 is departing to Nepal, which will present its goals and plans at a press conference on Monday, October 12.



Slovenian alpinists first encountered Makalu in 1972, when they crossed the magical 8000-meter mark in its south face, reached an altitude of 8200 meters and as Himalayan beginners stirred the entire mountaineering world, but above all this expedition marked a turning point in Slovenian climbing of new routes in the most difficult Himalayan walls, which at that time was still a true rarity even among Himalayan superpowers. "In 1972 we were a smaller expedition and had worse conditions than three years later. We didn't exactly know where we were going and how we would tackle the ascent, we decided on the wall, but unfortunately did not reach the summit, we were 200 meters short," recalls Janko Ažman, who three years later with Nejc Zaplotnik reached the summit of Makalu: "In 1975 we were more numerous, a strong team, we knew what awaited us, the experiences from 1972 helped us a lot. Some of the alpinists were the same as three years before, we divided into ropes, which proved successful. Soon Nejc and I started working together on the mountain, which resulted in us reaching the summit as the second rope after Marjon and Šrauf. The feeling was good, but at the same time we were worried because we still had to get back down. It turned out well, also thanks to Aleš Kunaver, who was the driving force behind both expeditions and knew how to motivate us very well."



The first ascent of Makalu (8463 m) via the south face in October 1975 marked the definitive breakthrough of Slovenian alpinism to the world mountaineering pinnacle, as it was only the third wall climbed in the Himalaya. The summit of the world's fifth highest mountain was reached on the expedition led by Aleš Kunaver with exceptional support from the other members by seven alpinists. On October 6, 1975, as the first Slovenians on an eight-thousander stood Stane Belak - Šrauf and Marjan Manfreda - Marjon, Manfreda completed the ascent without supplemental oxygen, which was the world altitude record at the time. Two days later the summit was reached by Janko Ažman and Nejc Zaplotnik, on October 8 the rope Viki Grošelj and Ivč Kotnik, on October 11 as the last also Janez Dovžan. The other expedition members were: Zoran Bešlin, Danilo Cedilnik, Boris Erjavec, Tomaž Jamnik, Stane Klemenc, Janez Lončar, Bojan Pollak, Milan Rebula, Roman Robas, Jože Rožič, Dušan Srečnik - Zobač, doctor Damijan Meško and TV cameraman Radovan Riedl. The success resonated strongly at home; President Tito awarded the alpinists with the Order of Merit for the Nation with a golden star, as a team they received the Bloudek Award and many other recognitions, and world Himalayan climbing included Yugoslavia in its circle. The ascent is still considered one of the greatest achievements in world Himalayan climbing today and was an excellent foundation and incentive for further Slovenian successes in the highest mountaineering in the world.



"We ourselves experienced the success on the mountain primarily as the completion of the bold idea from 1972, which gave direction and incentive to our future goals in the Himalaya. This was the first conquered eight-thousander for Slovenia (at that time also still for Yugoslavia) and the final contact with the world Himalayan pinnacle," wrote Viki Grošelj in the book Velikani Himalaje, which can also be read around the world in its English edition Giants of the Himalayas. "Makalu was undoubtedly a turning point in my mountaineering life and from then on the vast majority of my work was devoted to the highest peaks of our planet," Grošelj adds today, and the memory is also evoked by his climbing partner Ivč Kotnik: "Makalu is still joy, happiness, luck, youth and friendship for life. But it also means rain that doesn't stop for a week, soggy ground, leeches and a long and arduous journey with a porters' strike in between. It is our and my first Slovenian eight-thousander. I was there and on the summit. And that still warms so pleasantly today."



"In four decades, the memory of our expedition to the south face of Makalu has not faded at all. Scenes of Nepalese landscape, villages and locals return to me, as well as ascents in the Wall higher and higher, all the way to the summit. The greatest happiness I experienced was when Aleš finally allowed Zoran and me to ascend at the very end and the solitary calvary of the return with a resolved climbing partner ended happily," recalls Janez Dovžan: "Today it is unimaginable that back then with poor equipment compared to today's we endured in the steep wall amid constant threats of avalanches and icefall bullets for a full 40 days. Friendly spirit, dedication to the common task, curbing egoism prevailed and led to success that elevated us among the leading global alpinist forces. This is best evidenced by comments from renowned world mountaineering experts in Bernadette McDonald's book Alpine Warriors. Every revival of memories brings back to life all dear friends who are no more, with the bitterness of final loss and at the same time joy that we experienced wonderful adventures together."



Slovenian alpinists climbed the 14 highest peaks in the world in 20 years, mostly via first ascent routes. In 1975 Marjan Manfreda and Stane Belak as the first Slovenians stood on the eight-thousander Makalu (8463 m), Manfreda completed the ascent without supplemental oxygen, which was the world altitude record at the time. Two years later Andrej Štremfelj and Nejc Zaplotnik reached the summit of Gasherbrum I (8068 m). As the first Slovenians in 1979 on the world's highest peak Everest (8848 m) stood Andrej Štremfelj and Nejc Zaplotnik. In 1984 Grošelj ascended Manaslu (8163 m) together with Croat Stipe Božić. In 1986 Bogdan Biščak and Viki Grošelj climbed Broad Peak (8047 m), a day later the success was complemented by the first Slovenian woman on an eight-thousander, Marija Štremfelj. The same year Gasherbrum II (8035 m) became the sixth eight-thousander conquered by Slovenian alpinists Bogdan Biščak, Viki Grošelj, Pavle Kozjek and Andrej Štremfelj. On Dhaulagiri (8167 m) in 1987 stood Marjan Kregar and Iztok Tomazin, who a year later also conquered Cho Oyu (8201 m). In 1989 via the first approach route Viki Grošelj reached the summit of Lhotse (8516 m), the same year Pavle Kozjek and Andrej Štremfelj conquered Shishapangma (8046 m), the tenth Slovenian eight-thousander. A year later Marija Frantar and Jože Rozman reached the summit of Nanga Parbat (8125 m). In 1991 Marko Prezelj and Andrej Štremfelj climbed the first ascent route in the south face of Kangchenjunga (8598 m), just two days later on the main summit of Kangchenjunga (8586 m) stood Grošelj together with Croat Božić. In 1993 Zvonko Požgaj and Viki Grošelj via the classic route without supplemental oxygen reached K2 (8611 m), which was the thirteenth eight-thousander in total, but also the first in independent Slovenia. In 1995 Davo and Drejc Karničar as the first Slovenians reached the summit and then as the first in the world skied down the north face of Annapurna I (8091 m). This was at the same time the last, fourteenth conquered Slovenian eight-thousander.