20 Questions
Describe your climbing background.
I started to climb near my home – in the Kamnik / Savinja Alps in a very strong climbing “tribe” and I was quite lucky to get through old school alpinism. Those were the days when one could get the real status in the tribe only with action and not with skilled talking.

Was there a big breakthrough or defining moment for you?
Every memorable experience in the mountains gave me energy for next trip to the mountains. There was no only one special moment.

Describe a memorable climbing experience.
A memorable climbing experience is the one which is so intense in certain aspect that I want to go climbing again – try to renew the intense experience or try to have different one. When I have to use all my skills and intuition to make things happen, I get momentum.

What are you up to when you’re not climbing?
I’m not climbing all the time. That would be boring. Being a father, husband, photographer, mountain guide or just a man is often an interesting challenge.

Any training advice or suggestions?
Find something that makes you alive, belive, stay focused in pushing the limits, be honest and try to have fun.

“When walking, walk; when eating, eat. – Zen maxim”

Who or what inspires you?
Interesting ideas and people with energy to make them happen, fill me with enthusiasm.

How do you see climbing evolving in the next five years?
I’m not a futurist to know. On my personal level I will keep trying to push my limits. Life is changing all the time and climbing is often following the spirit of the current time.

What do you think about the 5.15 grade?
Numbers? I don’t consider myself as a numerical climber and I belive that strong people will keep pushing the difficulties in climbing. The real limits are in our heads first – in the form of doubts, fears, excuses …

Care to comment on: pre-clipping more than one draw on sport routes or pre-placed gear on trad routes, chipping/comfortizing holds, glue vs. no glue?
Ethics? The climbing game is first very personal and everyone who want to pretend or “cheat” is fooling himself/herself. You can use a cable or helicopter instead, if it is just about reaching certain point and not about the way of doing things.

Do you have any vices and what are they?
I don’t feel guilty about the moments when I enjoy life. Vice really exist only in the eye of the beholder.

Any near death experiences?
How near are we talking about? Since I’m only alive I can’t say how close to death I came. I had some scared moments in life, even before I went to the mountains. Is a moment just before the hearth stroke near death experience? Can we talk about near death experience when we are still alive?

Are you a fan of climbing history? Explain?
Without (climbing) history there is no present time. We all stand on the shoulders of people who lived before. I really like stories and personalities with carisma and energy.

What are your future plans or goals in climbing?
Climbing is an endless game of making choices and and taking  responsibility for them without regrets – like human life in general. I will keep trying to push my limits in free spirit. Difficult to predict how many opportunities I will recognize in the journey with open mind. Interesting life goes on.