Stanislaw Jaworski

30 years ago zakopanians made the first winter ascent of Manaslu. The expediton set several records including the first winter ascent on an eight-thousander without supplemental oxygen. Maciej Berbeka and Ryszard Gajewski were the two on the top. It was the second eight-thousander conquered in winter; in this case, with modest forces, without meteo forecasts, virtually with no comunication between the camps, and without fanfare. An authentical and exceptional great achievement.

Record of the Polish winter expedition to Mount Everest in 1980, led by Andrzej Zawada. Until then, winter high altitude climbing was thought impossible. That myth was expunged when Leszek Cichy and Krzysztof Wielicki stood at the top of Everest on February 17, 1980. After spending a night at -42 ° C with strong winds, the two left at 6:50 in the morning towards the summit, carrying a small backpack with a bottle of oxygen they barely knew how to use. Two years prior, Messner had shown that high altitude climbing was possible without oxygen, and now the Polish had proven that the mountains could be climbed in winter.