Obrycki (l.) and Dunaj in the hospital of Skardu

“Time to go home!” Jacek Teler gets to the point. The Polish winter expedition to Nanga Parbat has been unsuccessful too. After the avalanche accident a week ago the last chance for another summit attempt was gone. Spring will start next Thursday. In Skardu the cherry trees are already blooming, Jacek writes in his blog. He has accompanied his team mates Pavel Dunaj and Michal Obrycki to the military hospital in the town where the injuries of the two climbers were treated. Both are doing well, under the circumstances. Pavel has suffered the more serious injuries by the avalanche: four broken ribs, his lung collapsed. However, all in all it could have been worse. Dunaj and Obrycki are still alive.

Will Tomek return? Almost sure!

Tomasz Mackiewicz

Tomek Mackiewicz stayed at the bottom of Nanga Parbat to break down the basecamp. Thus also the last of the four winter expeditions is ending. In December the Polish climbers were the first on the mountain, now they are the last to leave. Their endurance is really admirable. Like last winter, Tomek again reached the highest point of all aspirants. Together with David Goettler he climbed up to the Mazeno ridge on 7200 meters. In 2013 Mackiewicz had reached 7400 meters during his last solo attempt. Tomek has tried to climb Nanga Parbat for the last four winters – even though he has no financially strong sponsors. And I would bet that he will travel to Pakistan again in nine months.

Nanga Parbat is still unclimbed in winter, even after 21 attempts in 25 years. As K 2, the other remaining eight-thousander without winter ascent. But one day …