Api Main | 1983 NW Ridge

A Poland expedition to Api Main in 1983 via NW Ridge, led by Tadeusz Piotrowski. Summit reached on 24th December 1983. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field	Value
ID	155
Imported	2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
Host Country	1
Route 1	NW Ridge
Route 2	-
Route 3	-
Route 4	-
Nationality	Poland
Leaders	Tadeusz Piotrowski
Sponsor	Polish Himalaya Winter Expedition to Api
Success 1	True
Success 2	False
Success 3	False
Success 4	False
Ascent 1	4th
Ascent 2	-
Ascent 3	-
Ascent 4	-
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Countries	-
Approach	-
Basecamp Date	1983-12-10
Summit Date	1983-12-24
Summit Time	1800
Summit Days	14
Total Days	19
Termination Date	1983-12-29
Termination Reason	1
Termination Notes	-
High Point (m)	7132
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Camps	2
Fixed Rope (m)	0
Total Members	8
Summit Members	2
Member Deaths	1
Total Hired	0
Summit Hired	0
Hired Deaths	0
No Hired	True
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Taken	False
O2 Unknown	False
Other Summits	-
Campsites	BC(10/12,3200m),ABC(12/12,4200m),C1(14/12,5100m),C2(20/12,5900m),Biv1(22/12,6300m),Biv2(23/12,6500m),Smt(24/12)
Route Notes	22 Dec Bielun, Piotrowski and Terlikowski left C2 on summit push. Biv at 6300m, next day biv at 6500m (very long distance from 1st biv and very strong wind). 24 Dec left biv at 10:00 am in strong wind but not roped together since no route. Terlikowski at 5:00 pm decided return to biv tent and did so alone. Bielun was seen to reach top 1-1/2 hours before Piotrowski. Very strong wind and darkness: when Piotrowski reached top about 7:30 pm on hands and knees did not meet Bielun and did not know what happened to him. Piotrowski fell 2m in descent and stopped descent, prepared snow for biv at 6:00 am. Only Terlikowski in tent and they waited 2-1/2 days. 27th in snowstorm Piotrowski and Terlikowski went down. Route was ridge to last biv which was at start of snow done. Not so very difficult: 300m fixed rope from C1 to little above C2 on ice. Bielun blown away, maybe in dark lost his way, maybe fell - do not know. 25 Dec fog and snowfall in which could see only 20m and impossible to look for him. [On Dec 28 Gocyka, Jedlinski and Kowalewski climbed a nearby subpeak of 6070m above C2 to look for Bielun.] Banskota, Tourism - 8 Jan 84 2 members of 1st summit team: Tadeusz Piotrowski, 1940, economist, Szczecin Andrzej Bielun, 1946, Gdynia, tester of food articles Summit 24 Dec; Bielun at 6:00 pm on top and Piotrowski at 7:30 pm via NW Face. The 2 started from C3 (altitude?). While descending from Bielun blown away by strong wind. With help of Zbigniew Terlikowski, the leader searched for Bielun for 2-1/2 days but not found. 3rd man Terlikowski tried for top but strong winds stopped him 2 hours short of top. 1st group started from BC 13 Dec and 2nd group on 14 Dec to top C1 5200m C2 5800m reached by others No mention of expedition finished BC 3300m
Accidents	Bielun disappeared
Achievement	-
Agency	Asian Trekking
Commercial Route	-
Standard Route	-
Primary Route	False
Primary Member	False
Primary Reference	-
Primary ID	-
Checksum	2450781
Year	1983
Summit Success	True
O2 Summary	None
Route (lowercase)	nw ridge

Members

Field	Value
ID	3363
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Member ID	02
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
First Name	Andrzej
Last Name	Bielun
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1946
Calculated Age	37
Citizenship	Poland
Status	Climber
Residence	Gdynia, Poland
Occupation	Food tester
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	7132
Summit Date 1	1983-12-24
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1800
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	4
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	True
Death Date	1983-12-25
Death Time	-
Death Type	4
Death Height (m)	7000
Death Class	4
AMS	False
Weather	True
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	Disappeared (probable fall in high wind) near summit
Member Notes	-
Necrology	(1946-1983) Died 25 Dec 1983 on Api Main from fall
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2429905
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	1
Name (lowercase)	andrzej bielun
Year of Birth	1946
Year	1983
Age at Expedition	37
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	3364
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Member ID	03
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
First Name	Jacek
Last Name	Gocyka
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1954
Calculated Age	29
Citizenship	Poland
Status	Climber
Residence	Dabrowa Gornicza, Katowice, Poland
Occupation	Mechanical engineer
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	6070
Summit Date 1	1983-12-28
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	18
HCN	0
Checksum	2433077
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	jacek gocyka
Year of Birth	1954
Year	1983
Age at Expedition	29
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	3365
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Member ID	04
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
First Name	Wojciech
Last Name	Jedlinski
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1946
Calculated Age	37
Citizenship	Poland
Status	Climber
Residence	Lodz, Poland
Occupation	Alpine instructor
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	6070
Summit Date 1	1983-12-28
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	18
HCN	0
Checksum	2430143
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	wojciech jedlinski
Year of Birth	1946
Year	1983
Age at Expedition	37
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	3366
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Member ID	01
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
First Name	Tadeusz
Last Name	Piotrowski
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1940
Calculated Age	43
Citizenship	Poland
Status	Leader
Residence	Szczecin, Poland
Occupation	Writer
Leader	True
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	True
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	True
Personal High Point (m)	7132
Summit Date 1	1983-12-24
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	1930
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	4
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	(1940-1986) Died 10 July 1986 on K2 from falling
Summit Bid	5
Summit Term	1
HCN	0
Checksum	2427622
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	tadeusz piotrowski
Year of Birth	1940
Year	1983
Age at Expedition	43
Role	Leader

Field	Value
ID	3367
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Member ID	06
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
First Name	Marek
Last Name	Rudnicki
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1948
Calculated Age	35
Citizenship	Poland
Status	Exp Doctor
Residence	Katowice, Poland
Occupation	Writer
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	True
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	17
HCN	0
Checksum	2430579
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	marek rudnicki
Year of Birth	1948
Year	1983
Age at Expedition	35
Role	BC Only

Field	Value
ID	3368
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Member ID	07
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
First Name	Eugeniusz
Last Name	Skurowski
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1948
Calculated Age	35
Citizenship	Poland
Status	Climber
Residence	Chorzow, Poland
Occupation	Mechanical engineer
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	0
Summit Date 1	-
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	0
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	9
HCN	0
Checksum	2430758
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	eugeniusz skurowski
Year of Birth	1948
Year	1983
Age at Expedition	35
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	3369
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Member ID	08
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
First Name	Zbigniew
Last Name	Terlikowski
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1951
Calculated Age	32
Citizenship	Poland
Status	Climber
Residence	Dabrowa Gornicza, Katowice, Poland
Occupation	Mining engineer
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	-
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	6800
Summit Date 1	1983-12-24
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	4
Summit Term	3
HCN	0
Checksum	2431737
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	zbigniew terlikowski
Year of Birth	1951
Year	1983
Age at Expedition	32
Role	Member

Field	Value
ID	49182
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:05.675609
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Member ID	05
Peak ID	APIM
Year	1983
Season	4
First Name	Ryszard
Last Name	Kowalewski
Sex	M
Age	0
Birth Date	-
Year of Birth	1942
Calculated Age	41
Citizenship	Poland
Status	Climber
Residence	Gdansk, Poland
Occupation	Artist (painter)
Leader	False
Deputy	False
Basecamp Only	False
Not to BC	False
Support	False
Disabled	False
Hired	False
Sherpa	False
Tibetan	False
Summit Success	False
Claimed	False
Disputed	False
Solo	False
Traverse	False
Ski	False
Paraglide	False
Speed	False
High Point (m)	False
Personal High Point (m)	6070
Summit Date 1	1983-12-28
Summit Date 2	-
Summit Date 3	-
Summit Time 1	-
Summit Time 2	-
Summit Time 3	-
Route 1	1
Route 2	0
Route 3	0
Ascent 1	0
Ascent 2	0
Ascent 3	0
O2 Used	False
O2 None	True
O2 Climb	False
O2 Descent	False
O2 Sleep	False
O2 Medical	False
O2 Notes	-
Death	False
Death Date	-
Death Time	-
Death Type	0
Death Height (m)	0
Death Class	0
AMS	False
Weather	False
Injury	False
Injury Date	-
Injury Time	-
Injury Type	0
Injury Height (m)	0
Death Notes	-
Member Notes	-
Necrology	-
Summit Bid	1
Summit Term	18
HCN	0
Checksum	2428536
Summit Note 1	-
Summit Note 2	-
Summit Note 3	-
Death Route	-
Name (lowercase)	ryszard kowalewski
Year of Birth	1942
Year	1983
Age at Expedition	41
Role	Member

8 recorded members.

Name	Sex	Year of Birth	Citizenship	Status	Residence	Occupation
Andrzej Bielun	M	1946	Poland	Climber	Gdynia, Poland	Food tester	Details Other expeditions
Jacek Gocyka	M	1954	Poland	Climber	Dabrowa Gornicza, Katowice, Poland	Mechanical engineer	Details Other expeditions
Wojciech Jedlinski	M	1946	Poland	Climber	Lodz, Poland	Alpine instructor	Details Other expeditions
Tadeusz Piotrowski	M	1940	Poland	Leader	Szczecin, Poland	Writer	Details Other expeditions
Marek Rudnicki	M	1948	Poland	Exp Doctor	Katowice, Poland	Writer	Details Other expeditions
Eugeniusz Skurowski	M	1948	Poland	Climber	Chorzow, Poland	Mechanical engineer	Details Other expeditions
Zbigniew Terlikowski	M	1951	Poland	Climber	Dabrowa Gornicza, Katowice, Poland	Mining engineer	Details Other expeditions
Ryszard Kowalewski	M	1942	Poland	Climber	Gdansk, Poland	Artist (painter)	Details Other expeditions

References

Field	Value
ID	2110
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Reference ID	01
Year	1983
Type	2
Journal	AAJ
Author	Nyka, Jozef
Title	-
Publisher	-
Publication Date	1984
Language	-
Citation	58:262-263 (1984)
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

Field	Value
ID	2229
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Reference ID	02
Year	1983
Type	2
Journal	HJ
Author	Piotrowski, Tadeusz
Title	The Winter Expedition to Api
Publisher	-
Publication Date	1984
Language	-
Citation	41:55-60 (1983-1984)
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

Field	Value
ID	4114
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Reference ID	03
Year	1983
Type	3
Journal	MM
Author	-
Title	-
Publisher	-
Publication Date	1984
Language	-
Citation	96:12 (Mar 1984)
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

Field	Value
ID	12670
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Reference ID	04
Year	1983
Type	5
Journal	-
Author	-
Title	http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198426204/Asia-Nepal-Api-Winter-Ascent-and-Tragedy
Publisher	-
Publication Date	-
Language	-
Citation	-
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

Field	Value
ID	13555
Imported	2026-03-06 18:06:36.307770
Expedition ID	APIM83401
Reference ID	05
Year	1983
Type	5
Journal	-
Author	-
Title	https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/41/9/the-winter-expendition-to-api/
Publisher	-
Publication Date	-
Language	-
Citation	-
Yak 94	-
Notes	-

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID	Journal	Author	Title	Publisher	Citation	Yak 94
APIM83401	AAJ	Nyka, Jozef	-	-	58:262-263 (1984)	-
APIM83401	HJ	Piotrowski, Tadeusz	The Winter Expedition to Api	-	41:55-60 (1983-1984)	-
APIM83401	MM	-	-	-	96:12 (Mar 1984)	-
APIM83401	-	-	http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198426204/Asia-Nepal-Api-Winter-Ascent-and-Tragedy	-	-	-
APIM83401	-	-	https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/41/9/the-winter-expendition-to-api/	-	-	-