Polish Team Awaits Stable Weather on Nanda Devi East
The ‘80th Anniversary Nanda Devi East Expedition 2019’ is all set for their first summit push.
On 2nd July 1939, 80 years ago, Jakub Bujak and Janusz Klarner made the first ascent of this extremely difficult peak - Nanda Devi East (7434m), also known as Sunanda Devi, in the Kumaun Himalayas.
Not only was it the first-ever ascent, it was also the first Polish ascent of a Himalayan Peak, a landmark event in Polish climbing history. 1939 team consisted of alpinists Janusz Klarner, Jakub Bujak, Adam Karpinski, Sherpa Dawa Tsering, Dr. JR Foy (British), liaison officer Major S.Blake and Stefan Bernadzikiewicz.
Nanda Devi East Base Camp (Photo Courtesy: Anindya Mukherjee)
The present team members are Rafał Fronia, Dariusz Załuski, Wojtek Flaczyński, Bartłomiej Szeliga, Jan Lenczowski, Marcin Gałus, Stanisław Pisarek, Filip Babicz, Oswald Rodrigo Pereira under the Leadership of Jarosław "Jarek" Gawrysiak. Rivu Das has been appointed as Liaison officer of the team.
“It is a very special expedition for us because, 80 years ago in 1939, another Polish team made the very first ascent to Nanda Devi East. That was also the first Himalayan expedition by any Polish team ever. So, that is very important for us and we will try to do the same this time.", said JarosÅ‚aw Gawrysiak, the leader of the expedition.
Renowned climber and adventurer Anindya Mukherjee, who summitted this peak in 2014, and is the official organizer of the expedition, in an exclusive update to Dream Wanderlust said, "We reached the road head Munsiyari on 28th May and the entire team reached Base Camp (4250m) on 4th June. On 17th June, they safely descended back to the Base Camp, after having completed acclimatization rotations up to 6300m. The route is open, fixed and stocked up to Camp-2."
Unfavourable weather forecasts have forced the team to retreat to the Base Camp. Heavy snowfall, starting from 17th June and lasting for 2 days, is the worrisome forecast, following which better weather with more favourable wind conditions are predicted.
The unfortunate news of the Moran Expedition accident reached the polish team, on their walk in from the road head, at Rilkot on 1st June. The Poles immediately offered to help, and four climbers rushed up to the Base Camp in a day, a trek that usually takes three days. But, they were asked to terminate the recovery operation.
The first rescue helicopter lands in Base Camp on 5th June morning (Photo Courtesy: Anindya Mukherjee)
Nevertheless, the personnel of Indo-Tibetan Border Police, State Disaster Response Force, and the Indian Army were extended all help by the Polish team with logistics and GPS coordinates.
Team offering prayers at the Nanda Devi temple in Martoli Village (Photo Courtesy: Anindya Mukherjee)
Camp at Rilkot (Photo Courtesy: Anindya Mukherjee)
Base Camp (Photo Courtesy: Anindya Mukherjee)
Team Members (Photo Courtesy: Anindya Mukherjee)
*This article was last updated on 19, June 2019
