KRS 0000084062

Chorten commemorating Polish Himalayan mountaineers, who died on the south face of Lhotse was unveiled.

30.03.2008

Thanks to the courtesy of A.Hajzer we received a photoreport from the ceremony of unveiling the chorten founded by us to commemorate three Polish Himalayan Mountaineers, including the Patron of the Foundation, Jerzy Kukuczka – under the south face of Lhotse. The investment was realized entirely thanks to the funds obtained within the framework of annual campaign of donating 1% of tax to Public Benefit Institutions.

On the already existing and now moved and renovated plaque there are names of three Poles, who died while struggling with this extraordinary challenge, which is conquering the face of the fourth summit of the world. They were:

Rafał Cholda – in the autumn 1985 during the retreat from unsuccessful summit attempt in the team with J.Kukuczka and R.Pawłowski he fell off in the unrigged snow-rock terrain at the altitide of 8,000m, he fell into the abyss of several kilometers and died on the spot.

Czesław Jakiel – expedition’s doctor from the autumn 1987, who died injured by the shock wave gust of serac avalanche on the glacier at the altitude of 5,300 m while approaching camp I.

Jerzy Kukuczka – described by mountaineers from all over the world and the expert media as “the best Himalayan mountaineer ever,” who in autumn 1989 fell off the face at the altitude of 8,200, and fell to its bottom dying on the spot. R.Pawłowski was his partner and the rope joining them failed to withstand the impetus and broke.

 


The south face of Lhotse

The south face of Lhotse (8,511m) was conquered as far once – in 1991 by the Russian expedition (information about the successful lone attempt of Tomo Česen is widely recognized as mystification). It was attacked by several expeditions including 4 Polish teams. The best Himalayan mountaineers tried to conquer it, including the expedition led by Reinhold Messner with the participation of the famous alpine climber Christoph Profit. The highest point was reached by a Polish team: A.Hajzer and K.Wielicki in 1987 reached the altitude of 8,300 m – this fragment of the face constitutes the most considerable technical diffilucties, which were overcome by a man at such altitude. Difficult, unplanned bivouac in an ice hollow during the snow storm exhausted the climbers and forced them to retreat.


Chorten at the foot of the south face of Lhotse

Chorten commemorating the Himalayan mountaineers, called the Kukuczka Chorten, was build at the request of Jerzy Kukuczka Polish Mountaineering Support Foundation by Mountain Tribes Babu Sherpy agency for ca. 5,000 PLN at the turn of February and March this year, in the place indicated in January by K. Wielicki at the entrance to Chuckung village at the foot of the sounth face of Lhotse, where 3 accidents occured.


Ceremony of unveiling the chorten

The chorten was unveiled on March 22 by Artur Hajzer and Robert Szymczak, who were in that area while preparing for the HiMalayan Expedition – Dhaulagiri 2008.


Ceremony of unveiling the chorten

Almost 2 hour prayers were said in the Buddhist rite by a lama from the temple in Pangboche, the sacrifice was made, prayer flags were hung, and then Christians read a fregament from the Bible and prayed in silence. A group of tourists from Poland took part in the ceremony.


Artur Hajzer

After the ceremony Artur Hajzer said: Rafał Chołda was my only real friend and rope partner, with whom I made initial steps in the mountains; I also had the honour of ascending four eight-thousanders with Jurek Kukuczka; I sacrificed 3 seasons (actually my “career”) to the south face of Lhotse, I spent there several dozens of days – the moments at the Chorten moved me deeply – when I recall those times and those great people, I feel grief and anger.

All succeeding tourist groups from Poland asked to hang new prayer flags and remove the old, faded ones.

A short film from the ceremony may be watched below or downloaded from:
http://www.himountain.pl/movies/czorten.wmv

Zobacz więcej zdjęć z archiwum Wojciecha Kukuczki

Kukuczka Foundation
HiMalayan Expedition – Dhaulagiri 2008
Ryszard Pawłowski
Artur Hajzer
Robert Szymczak

(ed. Jacek Rządkowski)

Bezpieczny Kazbek Fundacja Himalaizmu Polskiego im. Andrzeja Zawady
Polski Związek Alpinizmu Klub Wysokogórki Warszawa
wspinanie.pl brytan