Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 18, 2013 - 11:52am PT
|
Send.
Thanks for posting excellent photos of Polish cliff climbing.
Knowing a bit of Polish history it can be hard to imagine the beauty of the country.
|
|
philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2013 - 12:00pm PT
|
I LOVE this thread! If it had a few more boobs it would be my favorite.
I want to go back to Poland.
|
|
Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
There's a good graphic short story in either Alpinist 38 or 39 that tells of the Lho La tragedy. Short, but well worth checking out.
|
|
steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
|
|
Marlow,
I had the honor of climbing with Voytek Kurtyka, when we were all about the same age of 29.
My partner John Bouchard and I met up with Voytek and his Polish partner, on the last few pitches of the Walker Spur, in a raging thunderstorm.
Voytek and Bouchard both were hit by lightning. I'm sure they won't forget it, nor I.
|
|
Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 6, 2013 - 03:41pm PT
|
steveA
Are you willing to tell the story? Or have you or someone else written about the incident?
Edited: Thanks for telling the story!
|
|
Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
|
|
Is it the horse meat that makes the Poles tough as nails?
|
|
steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
|
|
I remember years back, there was an article in Rock and Ice, I believe on climbing epics or something like that, and Bouchard contributed a story about getting hit by lightning on the Walker Spur.
I think we both consider it one of our closest calls. I only had him in a body belay with NO tie-in. We were in one hell of a hurry, since it was like a blizzard, and as I remember it, there weren't any obvious spots to put in protection for an anchor.
Voytek took off leading the last pitch, and Bouchard followed up right behind him. Just after Voytek reached the top, there was one horrendous lightning strike, and Bouchard was hit pretty bad; falling off.
Somehow, Bouchard grabbed Voytek's rope, with his good arm, saving himself.
When I arrived on the summit, a few minutes later, Voytek said, "I'm O.K.
only hit in the head, but your friend is hurt real bad"
Bouchard thought his arm was broken, but within 10 minutes, the shock started to wear off. When we all got back to Chamonix, John found that he had burn holes in his mittens and his socks!
In hindsight, if Voytek hadn't led off, ahead of Bouchard, I wouldn't be here to write this, since Bouchard would of pulled me off with him.
|
|
Regan
Big Wall climber
|
|
SteveA, Thanks for sharing the story. You are truly hardcore guys. Very inspirational...
|
|
Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 6, 2013 - 04:57pm PT
|
About the Polish climbers of Freedom Climbers: Three questions with Bernadette McDonald.
[Click to View YouTube Video]
|
|
AP
Trad climber
Calgary
|
|
Voytek once commented on the success of Polish climbers in the Himalayas.
He said something like "Himalayan climbing is the art of suffering and Poles know how to suffer because we have always been between the hammer and the anvil" He was referring of course to Germany and Russia
I had the pleasure of directing him and Fred Beckey to the party location at the end of a Calgary climbing Festival back in 88(?). Fred was saying things like "Well Voytek do you want to grab a beer?"
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
Voytek said, "I'm O.K.
only hit in the head
I remember taking this for outstanding deadpan humor in the article. Perhaps the reality was different.
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Feb 26, 2013 - 09:21pm PT
|
I heard that Wielicki is/was just on Nanga Parbat.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!