1975 Polish Gasherbrum III First Ascent Expedition

Poland🏔️ 2 Peaks

Krzysztof Żurek

Krzysztof Żurek was born in 1944 in Poland. An engineer by trade and an exceptionally gifted technical rock and ice climber, Żurek came of age during the post-war golden era of Polish alpinism centered around the fiercely demanding north faces of the High Tatras. Known for his flawless crampon footwork, stamina, and understated resolve, Żurek quickly established himself as one of Poland's most dependable lead climbers for expeditions to the world's highest mountain ranges. Żurek's career reached international historical significance in the summer of 1975 as a lead member of the combined Polish Women's and Men's Gasherbrum Expedition organized by Wanda Rutkiewicz. At the time, Gasherbrum III (7,952m)—the towering sentinel situated between Gasherbrum II and Gasherbrum IV in Pakistan's Karakoram—was officially recognized as the highest unclimbed mountain on the planet. Operating on complex glaciated terrain and fighting high-altitude storms, Żurek partnered with Rutkiewicz, Janusz Onyszkiewicz, and British-Polish climber Alison Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz. On August 11, 1975, the four climbers successfully reached the 7,952-metre summit via the East Ridge, marking one of the greatest triumphs in Polish mountaineering history and one of the highest first ascents ever led by women. In addition to his Himalayan feats, Żurek played a foundational role in the development of Polish winter climbing. He completed severe first winter ascents on the imposing walls of Kazalnica Menguszowiecka and Kocioł Kazalnicy in the Tatras, and established new direct lines in the Western Alps and the Hindu Kush. His calm leadership, dedication to team camaraderie, and technical mastery paved the way for the later legendary achievements of Poland's Ice Warriors across the world's 8,000-metre giants.

Poland🏔️ 10 Peaks

Wanda Rutkiewicz

Wanda Rutkiewicz was born on February 4, 1943, in Plungė, Lithuania (then under German occupation), to Polish parents. After World War II, her family was repatriated to Wrocław, Poland. A gifted athlete and competitive volleyball player in Poland's national first division, Rutkiewicz earned a degree in electrical engineering from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology. In 1961, an engine breakdown on her motorcycle near the Falcon Mountains (Góry Sokole) introduced her to a group of local rock climbers. She took up climbing instantly, quickly displaying exceptional technical grace, balance, and an iron will. Rutkiewicz rapidly shattered gender barriers across European mountaineering. In 1968, she completed the iconic East Face of the Aiguille du Grépon in the Mont Blanc massif. In August 1973, she led an all-female team in making the first female ascent of the fearsome North Face of the Eiger (Heckmair Route) under harsh icy conditions. Moving to the Karakoram in 1975, Rutkiewicz organized and led the historic Polish Women's Expedition to Gasherbrum III (7,952m)—at the time the highest unclimbed peak in the world—successfully making its first ascent alongside Alison Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz, Janusz Onyszkiewicz, and Krzysztof Zdzitowiecki. On October 16, 1978, Rutkiewicz achieved global fame by reaching the summit of Mount Everest (8,848m) via the South Col as part of a German-Austrian expedition led by Karl Herrligkoffer. She became the first Polish citizen, the first European woman, and only the third woman in world history to stand on top of Everest. By an extraordinary historical coincidence, on the very day she reached the summit, fellow Pole Karol Wojtyła was elected Pope John Paul II in Rome. When they met the following year, the Pope famously told her: 'Good Lord willed that we both went so high on the same day.' Rutkiewicz's most celebrated achievement occurred on June 23, 1986, on K2 (8,611m), the 'Savage Mountain'. Climbing without supplemental oxygen as part of a small team with French alpinists Liliane and Maurice Barrard, Rutkiewicz endured grueling physical suffering to become the first woman in history to stand on the summit of K2. Her triumph, however, was quickly overshadowed by tragedy when both Barrards perished during the descent in worsening weather, leaving Rutkiewicz to fight her way down the Abruzzi Spur alone to safety. Determined to climb all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, Rutkiewicz launched her ambitious 'Caravan of Dreams' project in the late 1980s. Despite severe financial constraints, lack of sponsorship, and severe injuries from an accident in the Caucasus, she summited eight 8,000-meter giants, including Nanga Parbat (1985, first all-female ascent), Gasherbrum II, Gasherbrum I, Cho Oyu, and Annapurna (1991, solo via the South Face). In May 1992, at age 49, Rutkiewicz attempted Kangchenjunga (8,586m) alongside Mexican climber Carlos Carsolio. Suffering from extreme exhaustion, she bivouacked at 8,300 meters on the northwest face. Carsolio, descending from the summit on May 12, encountered her huddled in a snow cave and urged her to turn back with him. Rutkiewicz refused, stating she would rest and make her summit bid the next morning. She was never seen again. Her body was never recovered. Wanda Rutkiewicz remains a towering global symbol of female independence, uncompromising courage, and high-altitude mastery.