K2 WINTER POLISH EXPEDITION

NEWS

 

17 December, 2002

 

On their way

On Monday, the Netia K2 Polish Winter Expedition 2002/2003 took off from Warsaw. The group of mountaineers headed by Krzysztof Wielicki is to reach that summit for the first time in winter.

This is the most difficult task imaginable. Krzysztof Wielicki said at the Okecie Airport: "The trip will be successful if we reach the summit. It will be lucky if we all return". The team, consisting of over twenty people (seventeen mountaineers, "Rz" correspondent Monika Rogozinska, six people from the TV crew), flew to Asia through London. On Tuesday, four mountaineers from Georgia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will join them in the capital of Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek (formerly Frunze).

The expedition should reach the K2 glacier in Karakorum in about two weeks. Before that, the participants will have to get ready for a long truck journey; they will also travel with a camel caravan and on foot with loads on their backs, until they arrive at the base at 5100 m. The summit is expected to be attacked in the second half of February. "Rzeczpospolita" is the press sponsor of the expedition.

Krzysztof Rawa

(Polish - English translation: "Scrivanek")