New unification expedition of Polish Mountaineering Association within Polish Winter Himalayan Mountaineering 2010-2015 is about to begin

05.04.2012

Aim: Manaslu (8,156 m) – the eighth mountain of the world

Already on Monday a unification expedition of Polish Mountaineering Association to Manaslu is going to set off. The expedition is a part of “Polish Winter Himalayan Mountaineering 2010-2015” program, whose honorary patron is Bronisław Komorowski, the President of Poland. The Ministry of Sport and Tourism and Jerzy Kukuczka Polish Mountaineering Support Foundation finance the expedition. Equipment is provided by HiMountain.

Composition of the expedition: Jerzy Natkański – the leader, Rafał Fronia, Andrzej Bargiel, Grzegorz Borkowski, Jarosław Gawrysiak, Kamil Grudzień, Wojciech Sarna and Piotr Snopczyński.

Manaslu is the eighth highest eight-thousander and according to measurements it rises at 8,156 m above sea level, although some sources state that is has 8,163 m. Mt. Everest has always been considered a British mountain, whereas Manaslu has always been called a Japanese mountain thanks to climbers who conquered it on 9th May 1956 after two unsuccessful attempts (1953 and 1954) and a reconnaissance in 1952.

Polish Himalayan mountaineers are going to climb via classic route, i.e. north-east face. The base camp is going to be situated on a glacier at approximately 4,800 m above sea level. The climbers plan to establish three intermediate camps above the base camp: C1 – 5,600 m, C2 – 6,800 m and C3 – 7,200 m (7,400 m).

“Climbers are going to be divided into 3-person or, as a last resort, 2-person teams. In order to secure both the climbing route and the return we plan to rig the ropes in the most difficult sections with 6 and 7 mm ropes measuring in total 600 m and moreover, we are prepared to secure the summit ridge (5 mm rope).” – says Jerzy Natkański, leader of the expedition. “As considerable snowfall is expected (even up to 2 meters) we are prepared to re-rig the ropes and deal with covered with snow or destroyed camps.” – adds Natkański.

Every team operating above the base camp is going to be equipped with a radio and a GPS positioner (the entire route is going to be registered in a form of a trace, whereas camps and trouble spots in a form of waypoints). A team at the highest altitude is going to have a satellite phone (in case radio connection is lost); the base camp is going to be in constant radio contact with Poland (satellite telephones and e-mails).

Climbers are going to use snowshoes and ski touring skis in lower parts of the mountain. Program of the expedition does not include skiing downhill from the Manaslu summit by any of the participants.

The entire route is going to be marked with reflective tracers in case of climbing at night and camp sites (tent positions) are going to be marked with high tracers. All operations are going to be coordinated from the base camp and in order to do so correctly, the climbers are going to be provided with daily weather forecasts that will allow for planning the activities 3-4 days ahead.

Participants of the expedition are not going to use oxygen tanks. The expedition is going to be equipped with a Gamow bag in case of rescue operations and rescue oxygen carried to the highest camp.

Maciej Berbeka and Ryszard Gajewski ascended Manaslu for the first time in winter on 12 th January 1984.

Other Polish ascents:

• October 20, 1984 – Aleksander Lwow and Krzysztof Wielicki ascended the mountain via a new south route (from Pungen Glacier); expedition from Wrocław led by Janusz Kuliś;
• November 10, 1986 – Artur Hajzer and Jerzy Kukuczka reached the summit via a new route in alpine style and without additional oxygen;
• 1992 – Krzysztof Wielicki ascended the mountain for the second time;
• May 17, 2003 – Piotr Pustelnik and Krzysztof Tarasewicz; for Pustelnik it was the twelfth summit of the Crown of the Himalayas and Karakoram;
• October 5, 2008 – Kinga Baranowska – first Polish woman who summited Manaslu.

Uczestnicy wyprawy

	Jerzy Natkański – leader of the expedition, Mountaineering Club in Warsaw. He participated in numerous expeditions including winter expeditions to Nanga Parbat (in 1997/1998 led by A. Zawada), Makalu in 2000/2001 and Netia-K2 in 2002/2003. He summited Gasherbrum II in 1997 and Broad Peak in 2007. He lives in the vicinity of Warsaw and is an entrepreneur. He is the President of the Board of Jerzy Kukuczka Polish Mountaineering Support Foundation. He is 58 years old. Entre.Team.PL, STORAT.PL, Spartaniedzieciom.pl
	Rafał Fronia – deputy organizational leader, Sudetic Mountaineering Club. He participated in numerous expeditions into the highest mountains, including winter expedition of Polish Mountaineering Association and Polish Winter Himalayan Mountaineering Program to Broad Peak in 2010/2011 and others to Nanga Parbat, Dhaulagiri, Lenin Peak and Baruntse. He summited Gasherbrum II. He is a cartographer – PLAN Tourist Publishing House. He lives in Jelenia Góra. He is 41 years old.
	Andrzej Bargiel – He climbed in the Tatra Mountains and the Alps (Cassin Route and Piz Badile among others). Repeated Polish champion in ski alpinism: 2nd place in Youth World Championship in 2008, 29th place in Pierra Menta in 2009 – the most difficult ski alpinism competition in the world, 6th and 7th place in vertical and sprint races during World Championship in 2010. He is the winner of Elbrus Race in 2010. He comes from Zakopane. He is 24 years old.
	Grzegorz Borkowski – Mountaineering Club in Warsaw. He climbed in the Alps, Tien Shan and the Himalayas. He participated in “Szerpanki” project and expeditions to Lenin Peak as well as Nanga Parbat. He summited Chan Tengri. He comes from Stary Sącz and is a paramedic. He is 33 years old.
	Jarosław Gawrysiak – University Mountaineering Club of Warsaw. He participated in unification expedition of Polish Mountaineering Association and Polish Winter Himalayan Mountaineering Program to Nanga Parbat (he retreated 200 m before the peak) and winter expedition of Polish Mountaineering Association and Polish Winter Himalayan Mountaineering Program to Broad Peak in 2010/2011. He summited Ama Dablam. He is 38 years old. He is an IT specialist, comes from Masuria and currently lives in Warsaw.
	Kamil Grudzień – Mountaineering Club in Sudety. He is a physiotherapist and a personal coach. He professionally trained for sprints and summited Cho Oyu in 2011. He lives in Lublin and is 33 years old.
	Piotr Snopczyński – Mountaineering Club in Wrocław, senior rescue instructor in Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue (Polish: GOPR); he participated in numerous expeditions to eight-thousanders, including winter expeditions to Nanga Parbat, Makalu and an expedition of Polish Mountaineering Association and Polish Winter Himalayan Mountaineering Program to Broad Peak in 2010/2011. He summited Gasherbrum II and reached the north summit of Shishapangma. During the expedition he is going to be the leader of the base camp. He is 61 years old and lives in the vicinity of Świdnica.

Supporting team in Poland

1. Dr Paweł Podsiadło, Kielce – pawel.podsiadlo@pza.org.pl, 600 60 75 97 – medical coordination in Poland, rescue logistics
2. Patrycja Konopka, Warszawa – fundacjakukuczki@gmail.com; 603 501 724;
   Magda Pachulska Warszawa – welna77@gmail.com; 504 753 102;
   PR, media, Facebook profile management, Jerzy Kukuczka Polish Mountaineering Support Foundation, Polish Winter Himalayan Mountaineering, Polish Winter Himalayan Mountaineering website
3. Piotr Pietrzak, Jelenia Góra – piotrp5@vp.pl; 48 601 594 116 – weather forecasts, miscellanea
4. Marek Karnecki – marek.karnecki@pza.org.pl – administrator www.phz.pl;fundacjakukuczki.pl;pza.org.pl