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ExWeb Series: Jerzy Kukuczka - the ultimate legend, part 4, final
Nov 29, 2004 00: 22 EST
Jerzy "Jurek" Kukuczka has entered mountaineering history as ‘the second man to conquer all 14, 8000ers” after Reinhold Messner. The description hints sort of a ‘second best’ rating - but nothing could be more off. In fact, many consider Kukuczka the greatest mountaineer of all. In this ExWeb series, we examine why.
Poor miner sets Alpine excellence
In the previous parts of the series, we wrote that Jurek summited all 8000ers in only eight years, compared to Messner's 16, most through new routes and/or in winter. He opened nine new routes, five climbs in alpine style and four in winter. But Jerzy had more than the challenge of the climb on his plate: He was a poor miner, living behind the iron curtain of communist Poland.
An underdog's bite
Through all his life, he would climb using ragged, old, inadequate gear. Just to get out of Poland was a fight. And he was slow to acclimatize. But he overcame all this with an incredible endurance and an extraordinary capacity to withstand suffering. The sheer force of will would ‘lift’ Jerzy up on the mountains in a remarkable climbing career.
Outstanding performance by sheer power of will
Lhotse in the late seventies would be the first 8000er for Jerzy Kukuczka, and the start of a lightning career. At the moment he reached the summit and saw the void down its unclimbed south face, Lhotse became a special mountain to Jurek - a place to return. But the next 8 years he spent climbing the 14, 8000ers in the most impossible styles and conditions, crowning the period in 1986 with Kanchenjunga winter, a new route on K2 and a first ascent of the Manaslu NE face November 10.
Today: The end.
With that, 1986 saw another remarkable triple header: A winter climb and two impressive new routes – one in winter conditions. In less than eight years, Kukuczka was simply running out of 8000ers to climb. But two remained:
Lucky enough, deep winter arrived at last – and a perfect time for Annapurna! After his early November climb on Manaslu, Jurek and old friend Hajzer summited Annapurna North Face on February 3, 1987.
Hajzer returned to the mountains with Kukuczka already in September that same year. That’s when they made a first ascent of the East Ridge on Shisha Pangma (Summit on September 18, 1987).
Olympic Gold - now what?
Jerzy had made it. With this summit he had completed the most famous ‘list’ of all in high altitude mountaineering. So, now what?
Jurek was free to return home, give up climbing, make money at last - and bask in fame, glory, and tributes. A few months later he and Messner would receive the Olympic Gold Medal (Note: Not the silver!).
South Face of Lhotse
But Jurek had stuff to do on the 8000ers. Already the next year, in 1988, he climbed Annapurna East. But he never stopped thinking of Lhotse. And that unclimbed South Face.
Kukuczka got his wish. He completed the route and summited Lhotse – once again. But, in a bitter twist of fate, the same mountain where he had started - would cost him his life... Or was it not fate at all perhaps? Maybe it was the 7mm rope he was tied in to. From 8350 meters, Jurek fell into the void.
Jerzy Kukuczka left behind a widow and two children. And one of the most amazing careers in mountaineering story. His memories and feelings remain still though, in two books: “My vertical World” and “Jerzy Kukuczca, de la mine aux sommets” (J.K: from the mine to the summits), the last one with a prologue by Walter Bonatti.
Image of Jerzy Kukuczka and the Lhotse South Face compiled by ExplorersWeb, courtesy of Bergdias and Bergfieber.
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