Canyon Reaches Great Heights with Climber Tomaž Špelko

GORINCHEM, the Netherlands – We recently contacted Tomaz Spelko, who just came back from a 4-week climbing expedition in South America, visiting the most spectacular mountains in Ecuadorian Andes. Bringing his Canyon watch CNS-SW7 along, he climbed the extinct volcano Chimborazo (6267m), going from tropical weather to glacial climate in matter of days. The watch exceeded Tomaz’s expectations, measuring up high-end devices, and proved to be a reliable tool in even the most extreme environment. Here is the exclusive interview with the climber.
 

A 4-week climbing expedition in South America

Canyon: Where did it all started?

Tomaz: The idea came up while talking with two close friends whom are also climbers. Mountains in Ecuador have earned a worldwide reputation among mountaineering fans, and this seemed to be the challenge we were waiting for, and to push our limits. We started to prepare and organize the trip right away.

The Canyon multifunctional watch CNS-SW7 was purchased for the purpose of this adventure in the Andes highlands, which has unpredictable weather conditions.
 

Canyon: What inspired you to get into climbing?

Tomaz: I got my first mountaineering experience when I was fourteen years old. Friends of the family invited me to join them in climbing Triglav, the highest Slovenian mountain (2864m). I was thrilled. The experience was unforgettable: The feeling and the view you get once at the summit… Incredibly beautiful! It was truly a defining moment for me. I started to climb mountains more often together with friends, my girlfriend or even solo, trying to go higher and higher, always looking for new challenges. I went to the Alpine Climbing School where I gained knowledge and experience under the tutorship of world-renowned Slovenian mountaineers. A few years later, I succeeded to climb a lot of the highest and the most beautiful mountains all around Europe. 
 

Canyon: Tell me more about the journey in the Andes.

Tomaz: The expedition took us a month, and we came back just in time for Christmas. We climbed some of the world’s highest volcanoes such as Antisana (5758m), Cayambe (5790m), Cotopaxi (5897m) and Chimborazo (6267m), among others. Chimborazo is the highest peak in Ecuador and the highest peak in the world if it is measured from the Earth’s center. Indeed, while the summit of Mount Everest reaches a higher elevation above sea level, the Chimborazo’s summit is the farthest point one can get from the center of the Earth and still be on land. This is possible because of the shape of the Earth: an oblate spheroid. We often encountered dangerous situations and the climb was exhausting, but we reached our goal. So I can say the expedition was very successful!
 

Canyon: When did your Canyon watch come in handy?

Tomaž: All the mountains are covered in eternal snow and shrouded in clouds most of the time. Due to the tropical climate, the weather is unstable and changes several times a day. In the mornings, the weather is pretty good. The afternoons are rainy in the lowlands and it is snow storming in the mountains. The watch SW7 helped me forecast the conditions and the easy-to-read icons displayed what the weather would be.
 

Canyon: Were the watch’s measurements accurate?

Tomaz: I compared the watch’s results with advanced devices’ measurements such as altitude, air pressure, temperature and compass. Within three weeks I performed the calibration for height and air pressure only twice. The compass was accurate all the time. The top height it recorded was 6310m at the top of mount Chimborazo, and a temperature range between -16 ° C and +30 ° C, which was also the same as shown on advanced devices.

The watch was most of the time attached to my backpack’s straps, exposed for many hours to rain, snow and cold. It also froze once, but it still worked without any problems!

Canyon: What tips can you provide to help others achieve such goal?

Tomaz: When climbing a mountain, the environment that can be very challenging. The bad weather, glacial crevasses and factors related to high altitude such as low air pressure, low temperatures and low levels of oxygen, are among the dangerous complications one can encounter. Extensive physical and mental training, loads of preparation, as well as proper equipment are a must. I also believe that without the support and understanding of my girlfriend and family, it would very difficult or almost impossible for me to achieve.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, good equipment is a pillar of success of such expedition. Devices with special features like this Canyon watch has are highly valuable in the mountains, especially in rugged conditions. When I purchased the SW7, I was curious to see how it would work in comparison with high-end devices. Although the watch is affordable, it still measured up to high-end devices. It exceeded my expectations and proved to be a reliable tool in even the most extreme environment.  I definitely recommend it to any climbers or outdoor fans alike.
 

Canyon: Any plans for the future?

Tomaz: I hope to get a chance to climb some more beautiful mountains in the future. I am always up for a challenge!

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