Mountains aren't stadiums for me, it's theatre: Dariusz Zaluski
Polish climber Dariusz Zaluski (60) has been embracing the alpine-style mountaineering for more than 20 years now. A journey that he started around the mountain ranges of Tatra in Poland, went on to achieve new feat once he started climbing the higher mountains.
In a recent conversation with Indian adventurer Anindya Mukherjee while on the ‘80th Anniversary Expedition’ to Nanda Devi East (7434m), Dariusz opens up about the inducement that led him to various mountain ranges across the world. His humble revelation on the recent drift towards the new-fangled athletic mountaineering, needles a fresh new argument on how the truest form of mountaineering is being altered. “For me, mountains are not the stadiums,” says Dariusz.
So far, his climbing career includes a lot of significant summits as follows:
- Aconcagua (6962m),
- Hagshu (6515m, in Zanskar),
- McKinley (6190m),
- Kilimanjaro (5895m),
- Gasherbrum II (8035m) - Summit (1997),
- Cho Oyu (8201m) - Summit (2000),
- Lhotse (8,516 m) - Summit (2001)
- Shishapangma (8013m)
- Makalu (8481m)
Furthermore, he also happens to be one of the ‘Polish Winter Expedition Team’ to Nanga Parbat (8126m, 1997/1998), Makalu (8481m, 2000/2001), and K2 (8611m). Dariusz was also part of the ‘Winter Makalu Expedition’ in 2002, besides, summiting K2 from the North Side in 2011.
Having been a hobbyist filmmaker for over 10 years now, his documentary films have been selected at various mountain film festivals across the globe.
He apprised his take on the current trends of mountaineering in this discussion. The excerpts from the conversation is shared below:
Q: Good morning, Dariusz. We are now at Martoli village. You are part of the "80th Polish Anniversary Expedition Team." It is such a great pleasure to have you here and to be able to talk to you. Dariusz, would you like to tell us when was the first time you went to the mountains?
A: I started with small hills. When I was born in Poland, we were not a free country. So, somehow the mountains became the place where I could feel free. Mountaineering was all about lighting up the fire and living in the forest. Then I discovered rocks. That was my background.
Q: After you started going to the forest, camping, surviving, and then slowly rock climbing, when did you climb the first big mountain, and which one would that be?
A: We have Tatra mountain range in Poland; not very high but very beautiful. I started to climb there. The most important thing for me was to discover new places. I didn't like to choose very difficult routes, but for me, it was important to get to the summit.
I don't think that I am a good technical climber, but more of a traveler. For me, being in the mountains is not just about climbing. Being in the places I love, feels different. I discover myself to be a bit different.
My first major climb was on Hagshu in India around 1990. We didn't succeed in our first attempt, but it was a very difficult year. There were four meters of thick snow due to continuous snowfall. It was a disaster in the whole area. We survived at our Base Camp, but it was impossible to climb the mountain. Next year, we decided to go again from the other side. It was wonderful. That was my first ascent.
I grew up reading books about the great Himalayas and so many big achievements here. So, it was like reading a book about somebody else, but it was actually about me. It was a great adventure. One of my friends almost died. I somehow just managed to hold on to something while I, too, was falling down, but I was hanging for a while. All the ices were falling over me. I was completely alone. Everyone went back. I had to go back as well to take all our stuff. It was another adventure altogether.
Q: What major mountains did you climb after this?
A: Slowly after that, I started climbing 8000ers, also in winter expeditions.
Q: Can you talk about one particular winter expedition that you remember very well?
A: I very much liked our Shishapangma (8,013 m) Winter Expedition. We were only 5 members who reached the summit without any Sherpa. In the winter, you can't count for rescue. It was the pure form of adventure for us.
Q: We understand. Do you want to talk about your experience on Everest?
A: My Everest Expedition was nice. I understand why people want to climb Everest.
Q: What is your opinion on the current trends on Everest? So many people die every year. A many have died this year as well. There are crowd and traffic jam on South Summit. What do you think of that?
A: I even met people who sold their house just to reach the summit of Mount Everest. I wouldn't like to say that you can't go there. I wouldn't say you wouldn't die either. It can also be possible that you aren't strong enough. But if somebody wants to climb Everest, then what do we do? We have only one Everest. This is the problem.
Q: That's very well said. Please tell us something about your K2 climb.
A: I've been on 5-6 expeditions to K2. I was there in 2000. I think I was the first person from the North Side at K2 during the winter. We were only two guys. It was very beautiful. My biggest adventure would be K2 from North Side in 2011. We were a great team. We all reached the summit. It was like a dream-come-true moment for me.
Q: After so many high-altitude expeditions, what is next in store for you in 10 years?
A: Until now, climbing K2 in the winter was the main goal for us - the Poles, at least nationally. I would also like to be a guide in the mountains.
Q: Are you planning to make more films and documentaries?
A: Yeah, we are trying to collect some good materials for documentaries on Nanda Devi East, but I have other ideas as well.
Q: What do you think of the current trends of Athletic Mountaineering? Especially on the bigger mountains, not the Alps. We see that a lot of these things are happening. What's your personal view on that?
A: As per the speed records, running, and other forms of mountaineering is concerned in the big mountains, I don't think these are bad. People have to be in limits to do something more difficult and faster.
For me, the mountains are not stadiums. But I can understand why people do this.
Q: So, what do the mountains stand for you?
A: For me, it's more like a theatre.
Q: That is very well said, Dariusz. Thank you so much. I wish you all the very best for your Nanda Devi East expedition.
