Jerzy Kukuczka – the ultimate legend part 2. /Version english/

Jerzy”Jurek” Kukuczka has entered mountaineering history as ‘the second manto conquer all 14, 8000ers” after Reinhold Messner.
The description hints sort of a ‘second best’ rating – but nothingcould be more off. The best are not always the first. In fact, manyconsider Kukuczka the greatest mountaineer of all. In this series, we examine why.
In part 1, we wrote that Jurek summited all 8000ers in only eightyears, compared to Messner’s 16, most through new routes and/or inwinter. He opened nine new routes, five climbs in alpine style and fourin winter. That style is the reason why Jerzy is considered a referenceon elegant climbing, pure spirits and deep respect for the rules of thegame.

Today, part 2: The money, the visas and the suffering

A miner sees the light

Kukuczka’s expeditions had yet another difficulty: Thefinancial/political one. Born in Katowice (Poland) in 1948, his lifewas meant to be nothing related to great heights and brilliantmountains: Jurek was a miner.

His initial adventure could be considered sort of job-related: Hisfirst contact with ropes and karabiners was not for climbing, but for -caving. Thus Jerzy’s dream of the top of the world literally startedunderground!

Getting out

Obviously, in a Socialist Poland, spending huge amounts of money onsomething as unproductive as mountain climbing was simply absurd. Tofind sponsors proved very difficult. To that came the challenge ofbeing able to leave at all. Obtaining visas was not easy for thoseliving behind the iron curtain, especially not for a simple miner – thetask perhaps as difficult as the planned routes themselves.

Dig where you stand

Jurek went with what he had. During all his life, he would climbusing ragged, old, inadequate gear. He climbed where he stood; hisclimbs started in the Tatra mountains. In these circumstances, Jurekreally needed a strong motivation to go on with the dream to climb inthe Himalayas.

Ability to suffer and lack of response to danger

But motivation was the one thing that never lacked Jerzy. His badluck also traded for great strength; in body and mind. Messner wouldremark that Kukuczka, once in the Himalayas, “was the strong man.”

His climbing partner Voytek Kurtyka said about him: -“Jurek was thegreatest psychological rhinoceros I’ve ever met among alpinists,unequalled in his ability to suffer and in his lack of responsivenessto danger.”

Slow to acclimatize

He was slow to acclimatize, but that didn’t stop him. Hecompensated with an incredible endurance and a remarkable capacity towithstand suffering. There was no obstacle big enough for thisunderdog. The greater the difficulties, the more appealing thechallenge to Jurek.

The sheer force of will would ‘lift’ him up on the mountains. Inthe seventies he accomplished some superb climbs in the Tatras,Dolomites (winter climb on Marmolada South Face), and Mont Blanc Massif (from openings on the Dru North Face to winter climbs on the GrandesJorasses).

He would get as far as Denali (South face) and Hindu Kush (Kohe Tezand the first climb of the North ridge of Tirich Mir East). That was aremarkable climbing career in itself. But the real deal was just aboutto start.

Image of the Tatras by Markiusz Markiewicz, courtesy of http://www.cs.put.poznan.pl/holidays/tatry/

* Previous story :

– Jerzy Kukuczka – the ultimate legend part 1. /Version english/

** zapraszam na relacje z wypraw polskich himalaistów.

zapraszam do subskrypcji mego bloga

Jerzy Kukuczka – the ultimate legend part 1. /Version english/

Jerzy “Jurek” Kukuczka has entered mountaineering history as ‘thesecond man to conquer all 14, 8000ers” after Reinhold Messner.

The description hints sort of a ‘second best’ rating – but nothingcould be more off. The best are not always the first. In fact, manyconsider Kukuczka the greatest mountaineer of all. In this series, we examine why.
Today, part 1: Elegant style, pure spirit and deep respect for the rules of the game

14, 8000ers in 8 years

Jurek didn’t only climb all the 14, 8000ers; he summited them allin just eight years! It took Messner 16 years to complete the list. Infact, only Korean Young-Seok Park has climbed all 8000ers faster than Kukuczka. The Korean ace broke that particular speed record by somemonths, although we must keep in mind that he used O2 for some of hisclimbs.

New routes, winter, alpine style

Another remarkable fact is that Kukuczka climbed most of his ‘Great14’ through new routes or/and in winter season. To be accurate, at theend of his 8000ers quest he had opened nine new routes – one of themsolo – accomplished five climbs in alpine style and four in the winter.

At each and every new climb, he sought for a twist – a newchallenge to add. He wanted them all, but he also wanted a bigger questwith each. He wanted to test their boundaries rather than to provehimself – could it be done this way, or that way, faster – or inwinter, perhaps. Jerzy’s example is all the more important today, assome proclaim the 8000ers “done”.

Cho Oyu, Shisha, Everest – they all offer plenty of seriouschallenges for the truly courageous, as long as they are approached”Kukuczka-style”.

That style is the reason why Jerzy is considered a reference onelegant climbing, pure spirits and deep respect for the rules of thegame.

** zapraszam na relacje z wypraw polskich himalaistów.

zapraszam do subskrypcji mego bloga

For eagle only …- Tatry – Orla Perć.

Most hard and dangerous route in polish mountains – Tatra Mountains
I invite on show of photo …

The Tatra Mountains, Tatras or Tatra (Tatry in both Slovak and Polish), constitute a mountain range which forms a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. They occupy an area of 750km², the major part (600km²) of which lies in Slovakia. The highest Tatra peak, at 2655m, is Gerlachovský štít, located in Slovakia. Rysy, at 2499m, is the highest Polish peak.
Tylko dla orłów – Tatry – Orla Perć.– tak można by nazwać najbardziej znany i najniebezpieczniejszy szlak wspinaczkowy w polskich Tatrach , szlak znany już od niemal 100 lat.
Na pewno nie jest to szlak dla nowicjuszy , wystarczy zobaczyć statystyki w tym i te śmiertelne , ale jednocześnie to szlak gdzie można stawiać pierwsze kroki przed wyprawa w Góry Wysokie.
Można powiedzieć , że kto przeszedł w zimie Orlą Perć ten ma “certyfikat” na wyjazd w Wysokie Góry np. w Himalaje , Karakorum, Pamir.
Zapraszam na pokaz zdjęć z przejścia tego szlaku..

Zapraszam na post : Orla Perć – wypadki i akcje ratownicze.

** zapraszam na relacje z wypraw polskich himalaistów.

zapraszam do subskrypcji mego bloga

Great tops for everyone! / Version english /

Expeditions & treks to Andes, Caucasus, Himalaya, Karakorum, Pamir.

Ryszard Pawlowski http://www.patagonia.com.pl/
Dear Climber,

I welcome You with all my heart to the world of mountains. I started the Patagonia Mountain Agency with a deep fascination with mountains, climbing, and adventure; but also with the concern of meeting the safety and organizational requirements of a mountaineering expedition. After years of experience, this concern is still with me. This is why the safety of our climbers is so important to me. I want good memories of your adventure with us to last a long time. The people that work with me are experienced, responsible and competent. With a great sense of humor. I trust them. You can also trust them. Years of experience in the mountains, sometimes bitter and painful, have not made me a pessimist. Quite the opposite, I am a life-long optimist. This may be part of the reason for our great success in the mountains. I would love for you to join us and become infected with this optimism.

To the mountains with us, safely.

See you on one of our expeditions,

Ryszard Pawlowski

Our philosophy is based on a lively, enthusiastic outlook of the mountains and the alpine wilderness. Some cannot live without the sound of the sea, of sails flapping in the wind, others without music. To us, the thin, clear air, the grandeur of mountain giants and the blinding whiteness of snow is the food without which existence seems impossible. The PMA mission is simple: give those who have fallen in love with the mountains the opportunity to experience an incredible and fulfilling adventure. To make this a reality you need great organization, professional care and commitment. Safety and success are the pillars of the PMA philosophy. The mountains are difficult, full of surprises. The foresight, intuition and safety measures taken by PMA help ensure a safe and successful expedition.

Everest fot. by Ryszard Pawłowski.
more … Ryszard Pawłowski : Ryszard Pawłowski the famous Polish climber. /Version english and polish/