Aleš Kunaver

Aleš Kunaver was born in Ljubljana to Henrijeta and Pavel Kunaver. After graduating from high school, Kunaver enrolled at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana. He had started mountaineering at age 14, and as a student he constructed climbing equipment and tools for the mountain rescue service. With his wife Dušica, née Zlobec, he had three children: Vlasta, Brigita and Primož. He built a prefabricated house for the family with his own hands. For family holidays he designed and made a plastic boat "Kuna". The construction of this boat was so good that Jure Šterk crossed the Atlantic in one of the "Kunas". Aleš's only job was in Avtomontaža, a bus body factory, where he first worked as a constructor, but soon became the commercial director of this factory. He traveled officially in Europe and much of Africa, as their buses have been established in many countries. Kunaver also wanted to introduce the production of aircraft in Avtomontaža, for which he drew some new types, but these plans, as well as many others, were interrupted by his death in a helicopter accident in the forest above Blejska Dobrava on 2 November 1984.

In 1979, in Sabji Khola, Humde, the Manang Mountaineering School was established with the financial support of Yugoslavia and the government of Slovenia and the great effort and unselfish help of Mr. Ales Kunaver.

In 1978 Kunaver proposed to the government of Yugoslavia to help establish a mountain guide school in Manang. The project was approved and the assistance of the Consulate General of Nepal in Slovenia, Mr. Aswin Kumar Shrestha played a vital role in acting as the bridge between NMA and the Alpine Association of Slovenia.

Between 1950 and 1960, Kunaver and his fellow climbers climbed some exceptional routes, both on domestic and foreign mountains: the first winter crossing of Kamnik Alps; the first winter ascent of the long German route, the Long German Triglav north wall; the first Slovene repetition of Bonatti's route in Grand Capucin; the first Slovene repetition of the classical route in Drus and many others. He made several first ascents in the Slovenian Alps, among them:

Aleš Kunaver was a Slovenian alpinist and tour guide, born June 23rd, 1935 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Kunaver died November 2nd, 1984 in a helicopter accident on the slope of Vrš above Blejska Dobrava.