Sad sad news.....

After another fantastic achievement by the strong Polish team - appears the news about two missing climbers....You all have my deepest sympathy. Maciej Berbeka and Tomasz Kowalski are missing on there way back from the summit."On March 5th, 2013, Maciej Berbeka, Adam Bielecki, Artur Małek and Tomasz Kowalski bagged the first Winter Broad Peak (8047m) in the Karakorum, Pakistan. They summited between 17h30 to 18h00 local time.
After the summit Artur Małek and Adam Bielecki went down to Camp 4 at an altitude of 7400m, while Tomasz Kowalski and Maciej Berbeka bivouacked (without a tent) on the pass at 7900m. Maciej started going down with Tomasz staying at the bivouac. On March 6th Tomasz Kowalski (27) and Maciej Berbeka (58) were officially declared missing"

The first Winter Broad Peak summit team.
courtesy FTP / Polish Himalayas

Today (9/3) Krzysztof Wielicki, Artur Małek, Adam Bielecki and all three HAPs, Shaheen Baig, Amin Ullah and Karim Hayyat, along with other staff of Base Camp started trekking through Baltoro Glacier. Expedition is over," reported Jan Komorowski, an university friend of Tomasz Kowalski.
Krzysztof Wielicki, Manager of the Polish Broad Peak team on the mountain, have issued the following statement: "Having regard to all the circumstances, the identified conditions, my experience and the history of Himalayan mountaineering, as well as knowledge of high altitude physiology and medicine, and even after additional consultations with doctors and co-organized expeditions in Poland, we must conclude that Maciej Berbeka and Tomasz Kowalski are dead."
                

"Given the time that has elapsed since the last contact, the height at which it happened, the state in which they already were, the current appalling weather conditions and all the other factors I have decided to end the expedition."

"We pack the base and began our descent down. The march through Baltoro Glacier will take about 5 days. Back to Poland occurs around March 20."

First Winter SUMMIT on Broad Peak

Polish Winter Kings.
They did it! Maciej Berbeka, Adam Bielecki, Artur Małek, Tomasz Kowalski bagged the first Winter Broad Peak.

"Summit captured between 17.30 to 18.00 local time. All four climbers of the summit team made the First Winter ascent of Broad Peak 8047m," reported Artur Hajzer, Leader of the Polish Himalayan Winter 2010 - 2015. http://polishwinterhimalaism.pl/pages/posts/winter-expedition-of-polish-mountaineering-association-to-broad-peak---topo-of-the-route-to-the-summit-609.php

"Adam Bielecki made the summit of Broad Peak [today, 2013.03.05] and it is his third Pakistani 8000er within the space of one year, two of which are First Winter Ascents; Gash I [FWA] on 2012.03.09, K2 on 2012.07.31, Broad Peak [FWA] on 2013.03.05."

"Maciej Berbeka made the summit of Broad Peak [today, 2013.03.05] and it is his third First Winter Ascent; Manaslu [FWA] on 1984.01.12 with Ryszard Gajewski, Cho Oyu [FWA] on 1985.02.12 with Maciej Pawlikowski, and now Broad Peak [FWA] on 2013.03.05."
 

History of Everest - in winter

Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy celebrating their summit.
Image by Bogdan Jankowski

 33-years ago on February 17th, 1980, Everest was summited for the first time in Winter. This was also the first winter summit of any of the 8000 meter peaks. Two climbers of a Polish team, Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy topped out at 7am.

On EverestIn November 1977 the Polish team leader, Andrzej Zawada, flew to Kathmandu to get permission from Nepal to climb in winter. He got a permit to climb from December 1st, 1979 to the end of February 1980. To have such a short time on the mountain Zawada said was "actually insane". But on the other hand he didn't want to opt out as this would be the first time permission was granted to climb Everest in winter      
On December 20, 1979 all their luggage was in Nepal and on January 4th they made base camp with all members of the expedition and all the luggage in place. The next day the Polish team started to negotiate the Ice Fall.

The cold, the ice walls, strong winds, frostbite and injuries hampered the team's progress. One member was blown off his feet and fell 20 meters. Conditions frightened everyone, said Zawada at one stage. Most climbers retreated.

On February 15th a first attempt to the summit was made, but they turned around at 8350 meters. In the morning of 16 February, the last summit push was made from Camp 3. Krzysztof Wielicki said, "I saw anxiety, fear, sadness in the eyes of Zawady." Wielicki and Leszek Cichy summited at 7 am on February 17th, 1980.

They started on the Ice Fall on January 5th.
Image by Stanisław Jaworski

This remains as one of the greatest achievements in mountaineering history - I am humble and respectful of their courage.
Their story became my passion and I clearly remember the first time I read their stories ... for more than 20 years ago!!

Nanga Parbat winter quest is over

Again, it appears like it does succeed for a winter ascent on Nanga. Winter and 8000m climbing is a big thing right now - there is still adventure for those who dare and can keep out the cold..

Image by Daniele Nardi/Elisabeth Revol - on Nanga

Check out the pics and debrief on the climber's blog. The two would try a direct push for summit from camp 2 but the extreme cold (-48 ° C plus windchill) proved too much
http://www.danielenardi.org/?lang=en

Winter in Pakistan

Right now the game is on for winter climbs in Pakistan. It looks like a summit attempt is ready on both Nanga Parbat and Broad Peak.

Image by Daniele Nardi

check out info about the Italian here : http://www.danielenardi.org/?lang=en
and the everlasting Polish team here: http://polishwinterhimalaism.pl/

Here are a few cool photos from the cold and steep Nanga Parbat

Image by Daniele Nardi