Watch: Juraj Koren’s Fly, Climb, Conquer

For some pilots northern India at this time is all about exploring the XC potential. Not so for the adventurer Juraj Koren, who recently returned from a solo fly-climb-fly project.

He succeeded in making the first ascent of an unnamed 5,880m mountain having flown in and out on a Zeolite 2.

Launching from above the Solang valley, Juraj flew 33km into the mountains. As he approached at 5,500m, skis hanging from his side, he realised the plan he originally had wouldn’t work. “There was not enough snow on the north face and the peak was much steeper than it looked on the satellite images.”

Not to be disappointed, he set his sights on another peak, landed on a glacier at 5,000m and set up his tent. He then continued to the summit. From there he down-climbed to a col and flew back down to his camp, returning in the morning by flight.

The film is called Veni Vidi Volavi – I came, I saw, I flew – a take on Caesar’s famous line. Fans of Juraj are used to him referencing Norse and Roman gods and quoting Latin. (His favourite motto, per ardua ad astra – through adversity to the stars – is also the motto of the Royal Air Force.)

But in this case, he says he felt like Alexander the Great slaying his enemies and named the mountain, Gordian. “Like Alexander, I finally broke the problem and won over myself.”

He added: “Mountaineers might say it’s a small mountain, pilots might say I’ve flown only a few kilometres, but I don’t really care. I have fulfilled my conditions for a solo ascent on this masterpiece. Arrive, climb the first ascent, fly away and all by yourself, para alpine style. And also carrying everything with you.”