Adam Bielecki Explained

Adam Bielecki
Birth Date:12 May 1983
Birth Place:Tychy, Poland
Nationality:Polish
Occupation:Mountaineer
Known For:First winter ascents of Gasherbrum I and Broad Peak
Alma Mater:Jagiellonian University

Adam Radosław Bielecki (born 12 May 1983) is a Polish alpine and high-altitude climber, known for the first winter ascents of the eight-thousanders: Gasherbrum I and Broad Peak. In his book Spod zamarzniętych powiek, written with co-author Dominik Szczepański, Bielecki tells the story of his climbings, memories from Himalayan expeditions, and the effort the highest mountains demand.[1]

Early life and education

Adam Bielecki was born in 1983 in Tychy, Poland. He graduated from the Leon Kruczkowski High School No. 1 in Tychy. He studied psychology at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.[2] At the age of 17, he was the youngest person to climb Khan Tengri in alpine-style.

Career

Bielecki climbs in the sport style, without oxygen support from the bottle.

Eight-thousanders

On September 30, 2011, together with Artur Hajzer and Tomasz Wolfart, Bielecki summited Makalu (8463m), They climbed the mountain without supplemental oxygen.[3]

On March 9, 2012, Bielecki and made the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum I (8080m), thereby also achieving the highest elevation reached by man in winter in the Karakorum.[4] They climbed the mountain without supplemental oxygen.[5]

On July 31, 2012, Bielecki summited K2 (8611m) without use of supplemental oxygen.[6]

On March 5, 2013, Bielecki climbed Broad Peak (8051m) together with Maciej Berbeka, Artur Małek, and Tomasz Kowalski. They climbed the mountain without supplementary oxygen. The climbers separated before the summit, and while Bielecki and Małek reached the camp on descent, Berbeka and Kowalski went missing and were pronounced dead three days later.[7] [8]

On January 27, 2018, Bielecki, along with Denis Urubko, Jarosław Botor, and Piotr Tomala, led a rescue operation on Nanga Parbat to save climbers Élisabeth Revol and Tomasz Mackiewicz, who were stuck on the mountain.[9] [10] All four of them had been attempting a winter summit of K2, were brought to the mountain by helicopter. Bielecki and Urubko climbed over 1000m through the night to reach Revol. They succeeded in bringing Revol to safety, but, due to the severe weather conditions, were unable to save Mackiewicz.[11] The K2 expedition ended with no success.[12] Bielecki and his colleagues were awarded Legion of Honour, France's highest distinction for military and civil merits, for this rescue mission.[13]

On July 16 2018, Adam Bielecki with Felix Berg, climbed Gasherbrum II by the west face (likely the second ascent of this face) without supplementary oxygen.[14] [15]

Other Mountains

Bielecki was a leader of multiple expeditions on five continents. Among other peaks, he also climbed: Tilicho Peak, Pik Lenin, Jengish Chokusu (western summit), Damavand, Ararat, Kilimanjaro, Ruwenzori, Mount Kenya, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Aconcagua, Denali, Dhampus Peak, El Cuerno, Artesonraju, and Churup. In the Alps, he climbed a total of 17 four-thousanders, including Mont Blanc, Dufourspitze, and Matterhorn.[16]

On August 20, 2017, Bielecki, together with Paweł Migas and Jacek Czech, climbed in the Cajon del Mapo region of the Andes, opening 3 new routes: "Ruta Polaca", "Diedro Polaco" and "La Perdida".[17] [18]

Selected ascents

Ascents on eight-thousanders

Ascents on other mountains

Selected awards

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Spod zamarznietych powiek. 2019-05-06. .
  2. Web site: Marzenie każdego wspinacza . pl . 25 December 2012 . 3 September 2022.
  3. News: A memorandum of Artur Hajzer . 2011-11-16 . 2014-05-15 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140517145419/http://polishwinterhimalaism.pl/pages/posts/a-memorandum-of-artur-hajzer-362.php . 2014-05-17 .
  4. The Polish Gasherbrum I Winter Expedition . Alpine Journal. 2013. Agnieszka . Bielecka . Artur . Hajzer. 0065-6569 .
    1. 117
    . 361 . 15-20 . 25 May 2024 .
  5. News: Poles summit Gasherbrum I in winter. 2012-03-20. 2013-06-12.
  6. News: Adam Bielecki zdobył K2! . 2012-07-31. 2017-08-18 .
  7. News: FIRST WINTER ASCENT OF BROAD PEAK. 2013-03-12. 2013-06-12.
  8. News: Winter expedition of Polish Mountaineering Association to Broad Peak (8,047 m) 2012/2013 . 2013-03-19 . 2013-06-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131018012305/http://polishwinterhimalaism.pl/pages/posts/winter-expedition-of-polish-mountaineering-association-to-broad-peak-8047-m-20122013-644.php . 2013-10-18 .
  9. Web site: THE KILLER MOUNTAIN MAY KILL AGAIN. 31 January 2018. dreamwanderlust.com.
  10. Web site: Meet the super climbers who came to the rescue on the 'Killer Mountain' . https://web.archive.org/web/20210509111035/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/adam-bielecki-denis-urubko-mountaineers . dead . May 9, 2021 . . 3 September 2022 .
  11. News: Polish rescue team finds French climber on Pakistan's 'Killer Mountain. 2018-01-28. Reuters. 2018-01-28.
  12. News: Avalanche Danger Ends Polish K2 Expedition. https://web.archive.org/web/20190506105030/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/features/athletes/avalanche-danger-ends-polish-k2-expedition/. dead. May 6, 2019. 2018-03-13.
  13. News: Polish high-altitude climbers awarded French Legion of Honour . 2019-07-14 . 2019-07-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190714140406/https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/polish-high-altitude-climbers-awarded-french-legion-of-honour-6759 . dead .
  14. News: Adam Bielecki conquers Gasherbrum II. 2018-07-16.
  15. News: New Route Up Big Face on Gasherbrum II. 2018-07-25.
  16. Web site: Drytooling.com.pl baza ludzie. 2012-01-25.
  17. Web site: Zimowa wyprawa w Andy, A. Bielecki, J. P. Czech, P. Migas. 2017-10-11.
  18. News: La Nueva Ola Polaca. 2017.
  19. Gasherbrum I (8,086m), First Winter Ascent . American Alpine Journal. 2012. 0065-6925 . Artur . Hajzer . 978-1933056753 .
    1. 54
    . 86 . 25 May 2024 .
  20. Broad Peak (8,047m), first winter ascent and tragedy . American Alpine Journal. 2013. 0065-6925 . Lindsay . Griffin . 978-1933056791 .
    1. 55
    . 87 . 297-299 . 25 May 2024 .
  21. Web site: Jacek Czech i Adam Bielecki północną ścianą Grandes Jorasses. 2019-02-26.
  22. Web site: Bielecki, Czech i Tekieli drogą Schmidów na Matterhorn. 2015-02-15.
  23. Web site: Transylvania OS (VII, 1100 m) w czasie 6,5 godz – Jacek Czech o wspinaniu w Dol. Sarca. 2016-07-28.
  24. Web site: Sprawozdanie. 2017-02-08.
  25. Web site: PERU – Andy – Cordyliera Blanca. 2015.
  26. Web site: Best of ExplorersWeb 2012 Awards Winner: Gasherbrum I First Winter Ascent. 2012-12-31. 2019-05-06. 2021-07-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20210728125220/https://explorersweb.com/polar/news.php?id=21185. dead.
  27. Web site: TRAVELERY 2012 wręczone!. 2013-05-20.
  28. Web site: Alpine Club recognise Nanga Parbat rescuers with Spirit of Mountaineering commendation. 8 October 2018 .
  29. News: Polish alpinists recognised for Nanga Parbat rescue action. 2018-12-27.
  30. News: Adam Bielecki Calls Daring Rescue on Nanga Parbat "The Only Right Thing To Do". 2019-03-13.
  31. News: Meet the super climbers who came to the rescue on the 'Killer Mountain'. https://web.archive.org/web/20190228061903/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/2019/02/national-geographic-2019-adventurers-of-the-year/adam-bielecki-denis-urubko-mountaineers/. dead. February 28, 2019. 2019-02-27.
  32. News: Polish mountaineer awarded French Legion of Honour . 2019-07-14.