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Week 12 (18.01-24.01.2016) Nanga Parbat 2015/2016

Nanga Parbat next to K2 is one of two eight-thousanders with no first winter ascend. In the upcoming season 2015/16 there are 4 of 5 different Polish expeditions or expeditions with the participation of Poles - to give it a try.


 https://www.thebmc.co.uk/taliban-claim-responsibility-for-nanga-parbat-massacre.

  Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest mountain at 8,126m above the sea level, is popular with trekkers and mountaineers, especially during June and July. Due to hard and cold times of socializm in Poland, the country was excluded from international climbing competitions! Making travelling abroad harder had a huge influence on the Polish Himalayan climbing. There are many stories behind almost every expedition of a famous Polish climber Jerzy Kukuczka; how he collected money and food from his friends and family for almost a year to go for a climb. This separation from the Himalayas made Polish climbers ‘fussy’. Almost every year there were made several summer attempts to climb the eight-thousanders. And this is how a winter climbing became a Polish thing :) To understand how big progress was made by the Poles look at

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lista_pierwszych_zimowych_wej%C5%9B%C4%87_na_o%C5%9Bmiotysi%C4%99czniki

This huge success brings the next generation. This year on Nanga parbat will be 5 different expeditions with. These are :

1.Polish-Pakistani expedition „Justice for all” will try to make it taking the Schellas way, starting from the Rupal side of the mountain. (Marek Klonowski, Karim Hayat, Paweł Dunaj, Paweł Witkowski, Michał Dzikowski, Safdar Karim, Tomasz Dziobkowski, Piotr Tomza, Paweł Kudła). 2. International expedition under the leadership of Alexa Txikona will try their best on the classic way Kinschofers line from the Diamir’s side. This one has a huge potential with equal skills: Alex Txikon, Daniele Nardi, Ali Sadpara, Ferran Latorre, Janusz Gołąb 3. Nanga Light Expedition, from unofficial sources will try to take the Kinshofers way with Elisabeth Revol, Tomek Mackiewicz, Arsalan Ahmed. Tomasz “Czapa ”Mackiewicz who is crowdfounding all his expeditions is a veteran of winter climbing on Nanga Parbat. He has an interesting past, he fully recovered after being a heroin addict. This will be his 4th time in a row of trying to climb it during the winter time. For everyone interested in his great and funny stories watch at least one of his videos!

Eli & Tomeck Nanga Parbat Winter 2015 from tomasz mackiewicz on Vimeo.


4. Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger as a team of super experienced two guys will try to make it fast as Elisabeth and Tomasz Mackiewicz in the “alpine style”.
5. Adam Bielecki and Jacek Czech.


Because the mountain is in Pakistan there is still a risk of terrorist attacks. In 2013 a group of unnamed attackers made a massacre killing an international group of climbers and natives who were helping them.
More here: https://www.thebmc.co.uk/taliban-claim-responsibility-for-nanga-parbat-massacre

Despite all the dangers, the mountain will be crowded as never before.
What do you think about mountaineering and climbing? What’s your opinion on such a way of risk taking? Are you a risk takers?

Comments

I'm not sure I understand the phrase "no first winter ascend"?

Answering your questions, I'm totally not fit for mountain climbing, but if someone wants to do it, then why not :) Everyone has their hobby, and the risk is theirs. I'm not in the position of judging them.

The only kind of "climbers" that I would call irresponsible are the tourists that you hear about every year, climbing Tatry (or other mountains) without proper equipment or clothing, and either dying or getting injured high up in the mountains. If a professional mountaineer gets injured, that can be called an accident; but if a tourist goes to the dangerous area unequipped, that's stupidity.
To be honest I am not a big fan of mountains and climbing. I understand that for some people it is great hobby and way of life, but for me it is too dangerous. Every year we hear about tragedies that people died after falling in the abyss. Even few my friends died in such accident. I like adrenaline but I prefer safer ways of adventures like amusement park, where nothing wrong can happen to me. People without special training and experience should not take such a risk. Climbing requires a lot of physical effort and special equipment, but people without any preparation put their lives in danger.
Tomasz Wojda said…
first winter ascend - means first ascend during winter time. When moutain is 8k meters high it really does matter :)
Julia Osiak said…
Mountain climbing never was my cup of tea. During summer I always preferred to go to the seaside and in winter I go to the mountains to ski. Extreme mountain climbing that you are describing is simultaneously impressive and scary. I know that people do it for the adrenaline rush and to achieve 'what seems impossible', but the possible consequences for me are just too high. I would never risk my life to do something like this. It actually seems quite selfish to me, leaving everything behind not know if you'd ever come back to your loved ones.
Tomasz Wojda said…
To be more specific climbing and sport climbing in my opinion is much safer then mounteneenering. In mounteneenering if something will go wrong, you will slipp etc. and you are not attached to rope or any king of asecuration (via ferrata) you can end really bad! In climbing you are always attached to rope with your partner on the other end. The idea of climbing is also never to fall but in case of this happening, there will be rope that will saves you. So as climbing is thought as more dengerous is totally oppsite. If there is an accident in Tatra moutains is happening to peaple who are walking up on top(i'am not evaluating their inventory and preparation), not climbing.
Tomasz Wojda said…
Whats i find great at climbing and mountaineering is pointing your goal, its very clear and easy to masure. Achiving your goal is always Yes/No with clear conclusions if you didnt manage to acomplish it. This gives instant feedback what you have to improve to pass a hard climbing route or walk on the top. And even if you had climbed a mountain or finish hard climbing route you can always try doing that faster or in a diferent viariations. As every human activity there is a huge tension for people to go beyond the line, and there will be always who would like to give it a try. I think about it as a part of our nature :)
Unknown said…
I like spending time in the mountains - maybe not climbing but spending time for sure :D I wouldn't want to climb an eight-thousander, way too cold for me and I think I wouldn't take the height well.
To answer your question - I think that the expedition is pretty risky but it's not a crazy risk. These people seem passionate about it so I wish them all the best. I'm not sure why the terrorist attack such places but I just hope they don't.
Woah! I would love to get to the top of that mountain. It's so extremely exciting that I need to realize this dream one day as well as reaching the top of K2. Standing at the top of the world must be a seriously good feeling. I would have to overcome many, many obstacles outside myself as well as break those barriers inside what makes it a really good mental and psychological training. Thank you for your presentation that reminded me about this dream!
Unknown said…
I think that alpinism is very risky but also fascinating. On the mountain peak must be very beautiful. Alpinists have always wonderful landscape. They must love adrenalin. I would like to climb somewhere in the future, but of course it won’t be ninth highest mountain. When I was watching video I feel like I were with them. It must be really good feeling. Mountains are such beautiful. I’m loving it.
Unknown said…
Yeah I agree, I just don't feel it. But I kinda understand why people love to do it – it is an extreme duff up. Not only in a physical but also in psychical way. I have seen some hmm "travel stories" where people were reporting what is going on during their trip. And I have seen people who were trying to beat themselves in a good way, to overcome their boundaries, comfort zones. But there were also weaker people - for whom this adventure was too much. You have to be damn strong to handle it... And this can be a way to prove yourself that you can do whatever you want, and that there are almost no limits.
Unknown said…
Now it's like -10 outside and there is no force in the universe, that will pull me out from my warm sweet home. So climbing yes but when it's warm outside. And what's main problem is? There is always cold in high parts of mountains. That's why a wan to assure you that's there is no chance for me to climb this mountain. One less person on the top. I wish every one who wants to see our earth from a bit higher to go there. I will wait for my space craft to do so.
Unknown said…
I'm full of admiration for initiatives like this. Devoting your whole life to cross limits of human capabilities deserves respect, let alone the risk factors like terrorist attack in this case. I'm proud of each and every Poles who takes part in this kind
of expeditions and hope we as a nation are going to keep it up : )
Unknown said…
So many people die in such extreme mountain climbs. It's not without a reason that nobody before achieved Nanga Parbat peek during winter time before. It's one of the last frontiers. Humanity has this coded in it's DNA. Breaking barriers, going beyond any known frontiers I mean. Any and all of them. But c'mon what will breaking this barrier give back to the humankind? What will be the cost?
Unknown said…
I have never understood and did not understand grown man who leaves his wife and children and going on a mega-dangerous trek to the mountains for his own ego, no accountability and imagination.
In this case, you should not start a family. If someone decides to start a family decides to also change the priorities in your life. No longer lives only for himself, but it is necessary and responsible for coming up and it's not even then only his business or die or not die.
Anyway, I recommend the book, which forms the basis, inter alia, was filmed the movie "Everest. On certain death". One of the participants of the expedition after years of climbing in the end he noticed that it was on his part a total selfishness and escape.
I admire people who are climbers like Polish hero Kukuczka. They have world class reputation and talent and determination. Many people also lose the lives every years trying to reach a top. Carefully planning and professionalism in extreme conditions are essential.
Unknown said…
In some way I am risk taker and I would like to experience mountain climbing activity, however, I also understand how dangerous it is and what risks could be engaged in this activity (still I would like to do it, but probably on the less dangerous mountains). Probably one day I will make something like that just to have an experience in extreme activity, but definitely not in the nearest future as I would like at least to reach the result in other activities.
At the same time I agree with people's opinion above, as mountain climbing is dangerously useless in contemporary world. I mean we have all those technological supremacy that will allow us to reach the top of the mountain with minimum risk. Sometimes all those sacrifices are seem as a perfect cases for Darwin Nomination.
Aleksander M said…
That's really impressive. I always had a thing for extreme sports of all kinds and somebody could probably call me a thrill-seeker, and while I'm personally not interested in mountain climbing I do admire people who choose to do so. Amazing stuff and a really nice video!
Unknown said…
It's obvious to me that climbing is dangerous (just as many other activities), but people like to pass their own limits and take risks, in order to prove themselves. Mountaineering is an interesting hobby, not only requiring physical fitness and endurance but one that teaches humility, patience and respect for nature.
Unknown said…
Oh i would love to climb those Mountins one time - however i believe i'm to lazy :) Climbers have to be well training and they are preparing them self's for such a trips for a very long time before they start climbing. It has to be a great adventure, and the view from the top o k2 must be simply majestic.
Unknown said…
I love mountains, admiring the views and trekking, but climbing something this size is a completely different story and an impossible feat for me. I am amazed by people who wish to risk their lives taking such a challenge because I can't imagine doing something like that. I also have mixed feelings when I learn that some of these people leave whole families and friends behind.

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