An interview with Artur Hajzer at wspinanie.pl

On 9th March 2012 Adam Bielecki and Janusz Gołąb made the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum I (8,068 m above sea level) in Karakoram, Pakistan. Janusz Kurczab conducted a short interview with Artur Hajzer, the leader of the expedition.

Janusz Kurczab: First of all, congratulations on your REMARKABLE SUCCESS. I hope it will start another Golden Age of Polish Himalayan mountaineering! My first question concerns health: what is the condition of your frostbitten faces and, more importantly, Adam’s fingers?

Artur Hajzer: We are OK. Adam’s fingers – first degree – i.e. OK. Frostbitten noses; especially Janusz is going to need greater medical care.

Could you comment on the overnight summit attempt: your mood and condition, possible technical difficulties, wind speed and visibility, etc.

We have commented on the overnight summit attempt in today’s report. It was against the rules, but the night was relatively warm, -35°C, a full moon and the only chance – a weather window that had lasted for several hours was going to close in the afternoon.

We were informed that telephone and e-mail contact was difficult due to a solar storm. According to a representative of the tourist agency taking care of the international expedition, the entire telephone network and the Internet collapsed as a consequence. However, news concerning your expedition has reached Poland. What could be the reason of the lack of any news concerning Goeschl and his companions? And what do you know about this expedition?

As you know – Goeschl’s team is missing. We help in organizing the search, but we fear the worst. The team was on the summit cone on 9th March at midday, when the weather hell broke loose.

When and how are you going to come back – are you going to book a helicopter or descent via the glacier (it may be difficult considering Adam’s condition)?

We are going to descent via the glacier, because we do not have money for a helicopter. Adam (finger) and Janusz (nose) could use their insurance and fly, but I do not think that the weather will allow for it – however, there is such a chance. We will see.

Thank you for the interview!

Janusz Kurczab

Source: wspinanie.pl