Anton (Ante) Mahkota was born in the settlement of Dol pri Hrastniku in 1936. Between 1960 and 1994, he worked for the newspaper Delo as a journalist, photojournalist, correspondent, and editor-in-chief of three magazines: Jana, Avto, and Teleks. He was also the CEO of the ČGP Delo publishing company, and oversaw the construction of Delo’s corporate high-rise, popularly dubbed the Black Widow.

The founding father of the legendary Podarim-Dobim fund drive
In 1986 he founded the Podarim-Dobim fund drive and led it until 1996. The drive was intended to ensure funding for the development of top-level sports in Slovenia.

Last year was the 50th anniversary of his ascent to 7000 meters. Between 1955 and 1966, Mahkota completed 16 pioneering ascents, according to today’s edition of the newspaper Delo.

The author of Slovenian mountaineering books
Mahkota wrote about his mountaineering life and ascents in the book Sfinga, which was published in 1979 and is widely considered one of the key works of Slovenian mountaineering prose.

Sfinga (“the Sphynx”) is the nickname for a 300-meter vertical – and in some places overhanging – column on Triglav’s north wall, which is the central subject of the book. Vojko Anzeljc filmed a documentary based on the book in 2011. Ante Mahkota was married to singer Marjana Deržaj until her death in 2005.