Luka Lindic

“That was far below my limit”, says the Slovenian Luka Lindic when I ask him about the first climbing of the North Face of the 6515-meter-high Hagshu in the Indian Himalayas. After all, Luka and his two Slovenian friends Marko Prezelj and Ales Cesen have been awarded for this climb with this year’s Piolet d’Or, the “Oscar for climbers”. “Sometimes you find such a logical line. It’s normal to follow it. We didn’t find any extreme difficult terrain”, Luka remembers. Looking for his personal limits, the 27-year-old climber will travel to the North of Pakistan this summer. In early July, Luka will set off to the Karakoram, together with his compatriots Luka Krajnc, Martin Zumer and Janez Svoljsak. “We will stay on Choktoi glacier for a month. And if the conditions will allow it and if we feel good, we would like to try Latok I.”

North Ridge? North Face?

Latok group and Ogre (r.)

Lindic does not reveal what exactly his young Slovenian team is planning. There are still some challenges on the 7145-meter-high granite mountain Latok I , that top climbers from all over the world have often tried but failed till now – e.g. the extremely steep North Ridge. Since the legendary first attempt in 1978 by the Americans Jeff and George Henry Lowe, Michael Kennedy and Jim Donini, who were forced back by a storm about 150 meters below the summit, more than 20 attempts to master the route failed. The US climbers Kyle Dempster and Scott Adamson announced another try this summer. The North Face of Latok I is still unclimbed too. Actually, the Huber brothers Alexander and Thomas had planned to try the wall in summer 2014, but had cancelled the project due to the uncertain situation in Pakistan.

8000ers in mind

Luka climbing the Hagshu North Face (© Marko Prezelj)

Luka Lindic is considered one of the most talented and versatile climbers in Slovenia. But the mountaineer who is studying logistics in Styria (Stajerska) does not regard himself as being an upcoming star. “I just want to make good progress all the time, that’s important for me”, Luka says. In March 2014, he and Luka Krajnc first succeeded in free climbing the difficult route “Rolling Stone” through the 1000- meter-high Grandes Jorasses North Face above Chamonix in France. In fall 2014, the award-winning coup on Hagshu followed. “8000-meter-peaks are also in my mind”, says Lindic. “I believe, there is still a lot to do, especially in Alpine style.” I am sure we will hear a lot from Luka. Perhaps as early as this summer.