Czapkins

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   Tomek hopes to finally complete his winter ascent of 8,126m (Nanga Parbat). With each passing year the scale of the project has increased, becoming a major project and healthy obsession, stoked by Tomek's stubbornness. During the 2012/2013 expedition Tomek reached 7,400m, the highest that anyone has reached in 16 years (in 1997 Zbigniew Trzmiel / Krzysztof Pankiewicz team, Trzmiel reached a height of 7,800m. This expedition was led by Andrzej Zawada going from the Diamir valley, through the Kinshofer pass). The few nights spent alone at an altitude of over 7,000m, in a hole in the snow, attracted interest, attention and appreciation from the Polish and global climbing community. Tomek has shown that he and the mountains go together. They understand and respect each other and Tomek's presence on Nanga Parbat is no accident. For him and some of the supporters of the expedition, it makes perfect sense. This project shouts for completion. Tomek wants to successfully end several years of trying to achieve his goal and to free his mind from the vision of the summit of Nanga Parbat and prove, both to himself and the world, that it is worth persevering in the pursuit of a goal. This goal is real and imminent. Wanda Rutkiewicz said "the value of the climb is determined not only by whether your reach the top, but how you climbed", and Tomek wants to achieve his goal with these words in mind. Climbing to the top of Nanga is not about conquering or taming the mountain. It is about being face to face with a perfect beauty and becoming a force 1,000 times more powerful than yourself. Above all it is about overcoming your own weaknesses. Last year's collection on (Polish crowdfunding service) received a very enthusiastic response. The team collaborated with Simone Moro's Italian expedition taking the Shell route. Tomek and David Goettler reached an altitude of 7,200m.  

By supporting us financially, donators have also shown that they too believe in the idea that a person, not a system, nor various official bodies and organisations, has the right to realise their own goals and self assess their potential and overcome their own weaknesses. In the words of Marek Klonowski "the collections showed that people yearn for freedom”; freedom, understood as the right to choose their own path, which does not require a permit or acceptance from any system. There have been many attempts to try and ascend Nanga Parbat in winter.

1) 2010/2011 expedition from the Diamir face. Tomek and Marek Reached an altitude of 5500..

2) 2011/2012 expedition from the Diamir face. Attempt of the classic Kinshofer route (collaboration with Simone Moro and Denis Urubko, using a different Diamir route). Reached an altitude of 5500 

3) 2012/2013 expedition from the Rupal Face by the Shell route - Tomek reached a solo altitude of 7,400m

4) 2013/2014 Shell route, team composed of Tomek Mackiewicz, Marek Klonowski, Jacek Teler, Paweł Dunaj, Michał Dzikowski and Michał Obrycki. Cooperation with the expeditions of Simone Moro and David Goettler, reached an altitude of 7,200 m). Marek Klonowski and Michał Dzikowski left the expedition after a fiev weeks. Paweł Dunaj and Michał Obrycki were caught in an avalanche at the end of the expedition. They were seriously injured, but thankfully both of them survived the accident. Simone Moro he returned to BC

after reaching the second camp at 6100m.

5) 2014/15 Tomek & Elisabeth Revol 7800m Diamir

6)2015/16 Tomek & Elisabeth Revol 7600m Diamir

Tomek will undertake the 7th expedition with and is planning to take the Messner route from the Diamir face. He & his partner will make an ascent, possibly by the Messner route as well. After many struggles and several years of joint and team expeditions, Tomek decided to go to Nanga with Eli. Tomek: "I am most effective climbing on my own, taking my own route and going at my own rhythm in small team alpine style. My attention isn't distracted, I'm focused on specific actions and following my plan. I don't think that this is selfishness, but something that allows a deeper responsibility and belief that controlling my own mind and intuition, undistracted by other human energy, and charged by nature and from the rock itself, I can be closer to reaching my goal. I also know myself well enough to know that I am most effective acting autonomously. This is how I am. I know what my motivation and own way is. I believe that the summit of Nanga can be reached in winter." As Wanda Rutkiewicz said again, "I got used to it, to be alone in difficult situations." Paradoxically, when man is capable of superhuman deeds, when responsibility is not dispersed, you can decide on your own about your next steps. "Then I know that everything depends only on me, on my mental state, my stamina and concentration. Facing your weaknesses, when you are part of nature surrounding you, is fascinating and very different to when you are part of a group." Be part of Tomek's expedition and support his successful ascent Tomek Mackiewicz is a Polish climber, specializing in climbs that test his skills and endurance by pushing the boundaries of possibility. To date, he has the most winter experience on Nanga Parbat of any mountaineer, having made five previous attempts, beginning in 2010-2011. Tomek is the only human who has surpassed 7,000 meters on Nanga Parbat three consecutive times. On the Schell Route in 2012-2013, he made 7,400 meters before being forced by the jet stream to retreat and bivouac. His bivouac was the highest ever made in winter on Nanga Parbat. In 2013-2014, with German climber David Gottler, again on the Schell route, he topped out at 7,200 meters, descending due to bad weather. In 2014-2015, Tomek teamed up with Elisabeth Revol and they reached 7,800 meters on the Messner 2000 route. This is the highest achievement to date on this route; it has never been climbed beyond 7,500 meters by anyone in any season. Tomek and Elisabeth were only 300 meters from the summit when weather conditions deteriorated and they were forced to retreat. Tomek looks forward to bringing renewed energy and commitment to this formidable task. New Route Elisabeth and Tomek climbed Messner 2000 route up to 7800 meters, route is long way to summit above 7500 meters. This year we will try a new variant, we will try to connect Messner 2000 route with Kinshofer route via Austro-Canadian route. Messner 2000 route is the only possible alpine style route in winter due to dry slopes and blue ice on all other route. We will make decision after looking at conditions, if conditions are dry and not possible to connect with Kinshofer route, we will set high camp on Messner 2000 route at 7500 meters and from that point we will start summit push.

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