Showing posts with label Death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Death. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

in memoriam of Artur Hajzer


First winter ascent with Jerzy Kukuczka




Polish Gasherbrum Winter Expedition 2011/12 english subtitles



Artur Hajzer came back on Gasherbrum forever...

Artur Hajzer is dead. Another sad news from Himalayas.

On July 10th we received the confirmation about the death of one of the leading Polish climber Artur Hajzer in Karakorum during descent from Gasherbrum I.
Artur Hajzer was born in 1962. He started the mountain exploration  in 1976, climbing in Tatra Mountains and in the Alps. He is best known for the first winter ascent of Annapurna with Jerzy Kukuczka in 1987. He was climbing with Jerzy Kukuczka, Krzysztof Wielicki, Wanda Rutkiewicz, Jerzy Szymczak. He had seven main 8000er summits to his name, some via new routes.
He was founder of Polish Winter Himalaism program (2010 - 2015). Within the program, he was a leader of the expedition on Gasherbrum I in 2012, when Adam Bielecki and Janusz Gołąb made the first winter ascent on this mountain.
Artur Hajzer died on Sunday after fatal fall in Japanese Couluoir while climbing with his partner Marcin Kaczkan. They planned to make the travers between two Gasherbrums I and II.
It's the hard time for Polish himalaism. After the death of Maciej Berbeka and Tomasz Kowalski on the Broad Peak in March, we lost another talented climber and good friend.

I had opportunity, pleasure and honor to know Artur personally. After an accident of broking ankle on Broad Peak in 2005, he came for physiotherapy treatment to me. 
I had many occasions to take part in his presentations. We used to meet sometimes in indoor climbing gym in Katowice, where he taught climbing his younger son. 

Climb In Peace Artur. We will miss you! 

In memoriam

  


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Goodbye Tito Traversa

Tito Traversa - 12 years old Italian climber died 3 days ago as a result of a terrible accident at Orpierre in France. He was one of climbing's youngest prodigies.
He climbed his first 5.14 at the age of 10 and his fourth 5.14a just 2 days before fatal fall.
In the day of the accident he was climbing with the local climbing team with 10 other kids and three adults. 
The quickdraws used to equip the route were slung incorrectly, which resulted in total failure and a groundfall. Despite the fact the four correctly strung quickdraws were on the route, these quickdraws were unfortunately placed too low to save Traversa. Traversa was airlifted to Grenoble, after the accident where he was hospitalized. He died after fighting for his life for three days. 

Take care when you use quickdraws and check them twice before climbing.
See the instruction film below. Streaky  Desroy shows us how a rubber band on an open sling can be dangerous:

http://vimeo.com/4138205