TOMAZ HUMAR - THE INTERVIEW

This is an interview conducted during the Ouray Ice Festival in 2004. Tomaz spoke English well, but his accent does make some of his answers difficult to fully understand. Below we offer a very brief summary for each of his answers along with the full audio version. Listening to the audio, for us, is like traveling back in time. To a time when something as simple as walking down the street with Tomaz gave one the excitement of being on an expedition.

1) In 2000, you fell while working on the construction of your new house. Take us through the therapy, your recovery, how you feel the accident affected you, and how you feel today.

After thanking the gods, Tomaz segues into the effects of an accident on the mental state of an alpinist and what it means to be an alpinist …
FULL AUDIO ANSWER

2) Take us through some of your most memorable moments and your most memorable climbs.

Tomaz splits his life into two halves like a game. The first half ended with his fall into his basement. The second half was a third period defined by a difficult recovery. The fourth and final quarter …
FULL AUDIO ANSWER

3) You actually prefer to climb solo on big routes. Do you miss the comradery or support of a climbing partner high in the mountains?

Tomaz estimates he spent 80% of his time alone. While known for his charismatic presence at parties, he was more content being able to sneak off alone … FULL AUDIO ANSWER

4) Your hand shake is one of a kind. Grasp hand with iron grip, rip the shoulder down and straight out of the socket. Why so aggressive?

He forgets his business cards at home so he leaves acquaintances with a wringing hand for memory … FULL AUDIO ANSWER

5a) Your friends and fellow climbers from around the world call you the animal. This is a strong nickname. Where does it come from? Your climbing, your attitude?

Basic instinct. Tomaz’s philosophy was to live as we were born, not as we were taught …
FULL AUDIO ANSWER

5b) Does it have anything to do with the bull snort you save for gorgeous women?

Not a bull … it’s a horse … FULL AUDIO ANSWER

6) Talk a moment about the importance of meditating. It is something you say you use to help you achieve what you do.

Meditation was something that was very important to Tomaz. Not so much for reaching the top, but for being a survivor … the one who came back from the dead … FULL AUDIO ANSWER

7) What are the top three most important aspects of climbing for you?

Always come back, do it for yourself, do it with style … FULL AUDIO ANSWER

8) More than your public self, you want people to understand what’s on the inside. What is on the inside besides two spleens (that’s a one-in-a-million phenomenon)?

Ask god about the spleens. People come to this world with one purpose, the pursuit of dignity, not wealth or all the other shit … FULL AUDIO ANSWER

9) Any last words?

Whatever you do, do it with style and have fun …
FULL AUDIO ANSWER