Krzysztof Wielicki FI’97
He is one of the most distinguished names in international mountaineering and the fifth man to wear “Himalayan Crown”.
Born on 5 January 1950, Wielicki is engineer of electronic and a producer of alpine sporting goods and distributor in Poland. He is married and has three children.
Wielicki began climbing when he was 20 years old. His first encounter with climbing was on the small Rockies in central Poland. After climbing all of the Tatra Mountains, he continued to gain international experience climbing in the Alps, Dolomites, the Caucasus, the Pamirs, the Hindu Kush, and the Himalayas.
Wielicki together with Andrzej Zawada originated the idea of climbing Mount Everest in the winter.
On 17th of February 1980, Wielicki together with Leszek Cichy, made history by reaching the world’s highest mountain.
During the next twenty years Wielicki, participated in 27 climbing expeditions of which he led ten. He continues climbing in winter by himself, reaching the summits of Kangchenjunga and Lhotse. Wielicki has also climbed Makalu, Broad Peak, Dhaulagiri, Shisha Pangma, Gasherbrum I & Gasherbrum II in alpine- style. He has reached these summits in one day climb. Wielicki has the enviable record of this major achievement.
In addition to his climbing record, he is also an author of well-known book Crown of Himalaya – 14 x8000 which includes dozens of exquisite color pictures, maps and diagrams. Numerous articles about his climbing experiences are also included. Wielicki is a member of several alpine clubs and Fellow of The EXPLORERS CLUB.
Here is a Krzysztof Wielicki chronology of 14 eight thousand Himalayas peaks ascent;
No | Mountain Name | Height | Ascent | Date | Route |
1 | Everest | 8,848.m | 1st winter ascent | 2/17/80 | South-East Ridge |
2 | Broad Peak | 8,048.m | 1st one-day ascent & descent | 7/14/84 | Original route /Solo |
3 | Manaslu | 8,156.m | 1st ascent | 10/20/84 | South- East Face |
4 | Kangchenjunga | 8,586.m | 1st winter ascent | 1/11/86 | Original route |
5 | Makalu | 8,483.m | Solo | 9/24/86 | Original route |
6 | Lhotse | 8,511.m | 1st winter ascent / solo | 12/31/88 | Original route |
7 | Dhaulagiri | 8,165.m | 1st ascent in 17hrs / solo | 4/24/90 | East Face |
8 | Annapurna | 8,091.m | 3rd ascent | 10/21/91 | South Face British |
9 | Cho Oyu | 8,153.m | 9/18/93 | South-West Pillar | |
10 | Shisha Pangma | 8,036.m | 1st ascent in 20hrs / solo | 10/07/93 | South Face |
11 | Gasherbrum II | 8,035.m | Solo | 7/09/95 | Original route |
12 | Gasherbrum I. | 8,068.m | 7/15/95 | Japanese couloir | |
13 | K2 | 8,611.m | 8/10/96 | North Ridge | |
14 | Nanga Parbat | 8,125.m | Solo | 9/01/96 | Kinshoffer route |