Tomaž Humar
Encyclopedia
Tomaž Humar nicknamed Gozdni Joža (akin to Hillbilly
), was a Slovenia
n mountaineer
. A father of two, Humar lived in Kamnik
, Slovenia
. He completed over 1500 ascents, and won a number of mountaineering and other awards, including the Piolet d'Or
in 1996 for his Ama Dablam
ascent.
He became widely recognized in 1999 after his famous solo ascent of the south wall of Dhaulagiri
, considered one of the deadliest routes in the Himalayas with a 40% fatality rate.
During a solo attempt to climb Nanga Parbat
in 2005, Humar became trapped by avalanches and melting snow at an altitude of nearly 6000 meters. After six days in a snow cave
he was rescued by a Pakistan Army
helicopter crew on August 10, 2005.
On October 28, 2007, Humar reached the Eastern summit of Annapurna I (8091 m) via a route at the far eastern end of the South Face.
On November 9, 2009, Humar, who was on a solo climb via the South Face of Langtang Lirung
(last climbed in 1995), had an accident during the descent. His only contact with the base camp staff via a satellite phone
was made on the day of the accident and he appeared to be in critical condition with leg, spine and rib injuries. He was stuck on the mountain at an elevation of approximately 6,300 meters for several days before his body was found on November 14, 2009 at an elevation of 5,600 meters.
Hillbilly
Hillbilly is a term referring to certain people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia but also the Ozarks. Owing to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of...
), was a Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n mountaineer
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
. A father of two, Humar lived in Kamnik
Kamnik
Kamnik is the name of a municipality in Slovenia as well as the town that serves as its administrative, cultural, economic, and educational center. The municipality is in north central Slovenia. It encompasses a large part of the Kamnik Alps and the surrounding area...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. He completed over 1500 ascents, and won a number of mountaineering and other awards, including the Piolet d'Or
Piolet d'Or
The Piolet d'Or is an annual mountaineering award given by the French magazine Montagnes and The Groupe de Haute Montagne since 1991...
in 1996 for his Ama Dablam
Ama Dablam
Ama Dablam is a mountain in the Himalaya range of eastern Nepal. The main peak is , the lower western peak is . Ama Dablam means "Mother's necklace"; the long ridges on each side like the arms of a mother protecting her child, and the hanging glacier thought of as the dablam, the traditional...
ascent.
He became widely recognized in 1999 after his famous solo ascent of the south wall of Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri is Earth's seventh highest mountain at ; one of fourteen over eight thousand metres. Dhaulagiri was first climbed May 13, 1960 by a Swiss/Austrian expedition....
, considered one of the deadliest routes in the Himalayas with a 40% fatality rate.
During a solo attempt to climb Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain on Earth, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters...
in 2005, Humar became trapped by avalanches and melting snow at an altitude of nearly 6000 meters. After six days in a snow cave
Snow cave
A snow cave is a shelter constructed in snow by certain animals in the wild, human mountain climbers, winter recreational enthusiasts, and winter survivalists. It has thermal properties similar to an Igloo and is particularly effective at providing protection from wind as well as low temperatures...
he was rescued by a Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
helicopter crew on August 10, 2005.
On October 28, 2007, Humar reached the Eastern summit of Annapurna I (8091 m) via a route at the far eastern end of the South Face.
On November 9, 2009, Humar, who was on a solo climb via the South Face of Langtang Lirung
Langtang Lirung
Langtang Lirung is the highest peak of the Langtang Himal,which is a subrange of the Nepalese Himalayas, southwest of the Eight-thousander Shisha Pangma.-Location:The Langtang Himal forms the western portion of a complex of mountains which also...
(last climbed in 1995), had an accident during the descent. His only contact with the base camp staff via a satellite phone
Satellite phone
A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites...
was made on the day of the accident and he appeared to be in critical condition with leg, spine and rib injuries. He was stuck on the mountain at an elevation of approximately 6,300 meters for several days before his body was found on November 14, 2009 at an elevation of 5,600 meters.
Prominent expeditions
- 13. November 1994: Ganesh V (6989 m), in Ganesh HimalGanesh HimalGanesh Himāl is a sub-range of the Himalaya located mostly in north-central Nepal, but some peaks lie on the border with Tibet. TheTrisuli Gandaki valley on the east separates it from the Langtang Himal; the...
, new variation on SE face, with Stane Belak-Šrauf - 6. May 1995: AnnapurnaAnnapurnaAnnapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
(8091 m), N face, French Route, solo climb (the only traditional expedition in which he participated) - 4. May 1996: Ama DablamAma DablamAma Dablam is a mountain in the Himalaya range of eastern Nepal. The main peak is , the lower western peak is . Ama Dablam means "Mother's necklace"; the long ridges on each side like the arms of a mother protecting her child, and the hanging glacier thought of as the dablam, the traditional...
(6828 m), new route on NW face, with Vanja Furlan - 2. November 1996: Bobaye (6808 m), 1st ascent of the summit, NW face, new route "Golden Heart", solo climb
- 1. October 1997: LobucheLobucheLobuche is a Nepalese mountain which lies close to the Khumbu Glacier. There are two main peaks, Lobuche Far East and Lobuche East . At , Lobuche East is higher...
East (6119 m), NE face, new route "Talking About Tsampa", with Janez Jeglič and Carlos CarsolioCarlos CarsolioCarlos Carsolio Larrea is a Mexican mountain climber. Carsolio is known for being the fourth man and the second youngest to climb the world's 14 eight-thousander mountain peaks, all of them without supplementary oxygen .- Early years :Carsolio, the eldest of... - 9-11. October 1997: PumoriPumoriPumori is a mountain on the Nepal-Tibet border in the Mahalangur section of the Himalaya. Pumori lies just eight kilometres west of Mount Everest. Pumori, which means "Unmarried Daughter" in the Sherpa language, was named by George Mallory...
(7165 m), SE face attempt of new route up to 6300 m - then after participation in rescue action at N reached the summit by normal route) , with Janez Jeglič, Marjan Kovač - 31. October 1997: NuptseNuptseNuptse is a mountain in the Khumbu region of the Mahalangur Himal, in the Nepalese Himalayas. It lies two kilometres WSW of Mount Everest. Nuptse is Tibetan for "west peak", as it is the western segment of the Lhotse-Nuptse massif....
West top (NW, 7742 m), W face, new route, with Janez Jeglič (who died during descent) - 26. October 1998: El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
(2307 m) (Yosemite), route Reticent Wall A4-A5, 3rd solo climb (1st solo by non-American) - 2. November 1999: DhaulagiriDhaulagiriDhaulagiri is Earth's seventh highest mountain at ; one of fourteen over eight thousand metres. Dhaulagiri was first climbed May 13, 1960 by a Swiss/Austrian expedition....
(8167 m), new route on S face (up to 8000 m, without reaching the top), solo climb - 26. October 2002: Shisha Pangma, (8046 m), with Maxut Zhumaiev, Denis Urubko, Aleksej Raspopov, Vassiliy Pivtsov
- June 2003: Nanga Parbat (8125 m), his first attempt to climb Rupal (S) Face, up to ca. 6000 m
- 22. December 2003: AconcaguaAconcaguaAconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
(6960 m), S face, new route with Aleš Koželj - October 2004: JannuJannuJannu or Kumbhakarna is the 32nd highest mountain in the world. It is an important Western outlier of Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest peak. Jannu is a large and steep peak in its own right, and has numerous challenging climbing routes.The official name of this peak is Kumbhakarna, but the...
(7464 m), E face, attempt solo up to 7000 m - 23. April 2005: CholatseCholatseCholatse is a mountain in the Khumbu region of the Nepalese Himalaya. Cholatse is connected to Taboche by a long ridge. The Chola glacier descends off the east face...
(6440 m), NE face 2nd ascent with new variation, with Aleš Koželj, Janko Oprešnik - Aug 2005: Nanga ParbatNanga ParbatNanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain on Earth, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters...
(8125 m), attempt to solo climb Rupal (S) Face, up to 7000 meters (with famous helicopter rescue action - see main text above) - October 2006: BaruntseBaruntseBaruntse is a mountain in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal, crowned by four peaks and bounded on the south by the Hunku Glacier, on the east by the Barun Glacier, and on the northwest by the Imja Glacier...
(7129 m), W face of SE ridge, solo - 28. October 2007: AnnapurnaAnnapurnaAnnapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
(8091 m), S face, new route, solo climb - (ca.) 8. November 2009: Langtang LirungLangtang LirungLangtang Lirung is the highest peak of the Langtang Himal,which is a subrange of the Nepalese Himalayas, southwest of the Eight-thousander Shisha Pangma.-Location:The Langtang Himal forms the western portion of a complex of mountains which also...
(7227 m), S face solo ascent (there's no evidence that he reached the summit), died during descent
Further reading
- Bernadette McDonald (2008). Tomaž Humar. Hutchinson, London, UK. (ISBN 9780091795474)
External links
- Tomaž Humar website
- Tomaž Humar website: Expeditions
- National Geographic on incredible Nanga Parbat rescue
- Tomaž Humar dies in Langtang Lirung
- Tomaž Humar final rescue attempt
- Tomaz Humar - Daily Telegraph obituary
- Tomaz Humar Dies on Langtang Lirung - Climbing Magazine detailed obituary by Dougald MacDonald