Lhotse | 1979 W Face
A Poland expedition to Lhotse in 1979 via W Face, led by Adam Bilczewski. Summit reached on 4th October 1979. 23 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 515 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | LHOT79301 |
| Peak ID | LHOT |
| Year | 1979 |
| Season | 3 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | W Face |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | Poland |
| Leaders | Adam Bilczewski |
| Sponsor | Silesian Himalaya Expedition Lhotse 1979 |
| Success 1 | True |
| Success 2 | False |
| Success 3 | False |
| Success 4 | False |
| Ascent 1 | 7th,8th |
| Ascent 2 | - |
| Ascent 3 | - |
| Ascent 4 | - |
| Claimed | False |
| Disputed | False |
| Countries | Norway, W Germany |
| Approach | Khumbu Valley |
| Basecamp Date | 1979-09-03 |
| Summit Date | 1979-10-04 |
| Summit Time | 1250 |
| Summit Days | 31 |
| Total Days | 39 |
| Termination Date | 1979-10-12 |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 8516 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 4 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 22 |
| Summit Members | 8 |
| Member Deaths | 0 |
| Total Hired | 0 |
| Summit Hired | 0 |
| Hired Deaths | 0 |
| No Hired | True |
| O2 Used | True |
| O2 None | False |
| O2 Climb | True |
| O2 Descent | False |
| O2 Sleep | True |
| O2 Medical | False |
| O2 Taken | False |
| O2 Unknown | False |
| Other Summits | - |
| Campsites | BC(03/09,5400m),C1(06/09,6050m),C2(10/09,6500m),C3(17/09,7200m),C4(24/09,7850m),Smt(04,09/10) |
| Route Notes | Koisar & Bilczewski - 20 Oct 79 When we see other side of Lhotse, this route not logical and there was great risk. Heinrich, Szulc and Chalecki in late Sept from C3. 3 reached South Col and saw this. Most go around rocks and unlogical; much more logical from C4 direct to summit but strong winds drove them into normal route via colouir for protection. Weather very clear and sunny but wind very strong. 3 gendarmes on Chinese side. 3 members to summit without oxygen: Kukuczka, Czok and Niklas. 1st planned 5 and 5 in each of 2 summit parties but late reduced to 4 and 4 members of 2 summit teams. No 3rd team planned, but had support teams. Very good co-operation with Germans in Icefall in making route. No Sherpas, so all members worked very hood. All reached C2 twice or more; 11 to C4. Hans Van Kaenel - 19 Oct 79 (Everest expedition) Poles tried to cross Col and climb from north but found north side too dangerous and difficult; cornices, rock gendarmes, avalanche danger. So actually used same route as Van Kaenel's German expedition in spring 1977. Shailendra Raj Sharma, Ministry of Tourism - 9 Oct 79 (From LO on 7 Oct) Summit 4 Oct: 1) Zygmunt Heinrich, with oxygen 2) Janusz Skorek, with oxygen 3) Jerzy Kukuczka, no oxygen 4) Andrzej Czok, no oxygen At 12:50 hours on top; Nepal and Poland flags, photos; stayed 30 minutes. All well. Other 2 summits teams to attack. Kosiar - 9 Aug 79 Most members with baggage leave KTM 10 Aug, Koisar and Bilczewski leave 11 Aug - meet at Lamosangu and all leave Lamusangu 12 Aug on march-in. Tourism Ministry has specifically stated expedition is permitted to cross South Col and climb to Lhotse's summit from east - may divide summit assault into 3 teams: 1) from Col towards top on East Face make route part way and return to Col camp 2) go to summit from Col and descend via Lhotse West Face 3) go to summit via Lhotse West Face East Face summiters will be out of radio contact with BC while they're on East Face. 2nd team at Col to keep contact with them. Whether to divide into 3 parties as above depends on weather and speed of progress: if it takes 6-7 weeks to get very high, this can work, but if takes 8 weeks, will go to top the easiest way possible. Border must be at Col and over ridge to Lhotse, Lhotse "Intermediate" and Lhotse Shar summits, but Ministry did not raise the subject and neither did Poles. Ministry denied permit to climb all the way to Lhotse Intermediate because it's a summit, but not on list. Koisar & Bilczewski - 1 Aug 79 Route = South Col and East with C5 on face about 8250m, descent perhaps by West Face. Leave KTM soon as possible after other members arrive by truck from Bombay. 6 to 8 weeks for climb. No Sherpas above BC. Have 20 climbers. Popowicz and Szulc not counted. Popowicz not above BC and maybe not there; Szulc not above BC. [Note: Popowicz went to C3]. Use oxygen, above 7800m for sleeping and above 8000m for climbing. Letter from Heinrich - 24 Sept 79 Sept 17th we established camp 3 on the altitude 7200m. It was established by the team Adam Bilczewski, Janusz Skorek, Andrzej Czok, Andrzej Heinrich, Jerzy Kukuczka, Janusz Baranek. It is located to the right of the Geneva Ridge on the face of Lhotse. During the tow next days the camp was arrived through 4 members teams who carried endorsement. On Sept 24th the same team headed by Bilczewski established camp 4 on the altitude 7850m in around 2 pm. Last week the weather was not very good. Strong wind in the Western Cwm, snowfall and fog make the climbing difficult. But last two days (23 and 24 Sept) was very nice weather, sun no clouds. Letter from Heinrich - 23 Sept 79 Our expedition has established the camp 2 on Sept 10th, 9 o'clock am on the altitude 6500m. It is located under the face of Mt Everest in the upper part of Western Cwm. The camp 2 was established by A. Czok, J. Skorek, A. Heinrich, J. Kukuczka, J. Baranek and Howard Nesheim. In the camp 2 there are 3 tents. Now all members transport the equipment to endorsement camp 2. Weather it still good. Letter - 16 Aug 79 After 22 days caravan the expedition arrived the Sept 3rd, the Base Camp. The first part of the caravan from Lamosangu to Namche Bazar was very bad. Porters still ran away. The naike has stolen some goods and equipment and also ran away. At last in Junbesi the very young sirdar Nima Sherpa leaved from the caravan. He has no experience and was not able to control the porters. We must every day arrange new porters. At last the caravans was divided in 4 parts arrived Namche Bazar. The new sirdar Anu carried on without trouble, very correctly the caravan in 5 days from Namche to BC camp. We arrived BC the Sept 3rd. The September 6th was established camp 1 above the Icefall, on the altitude about 6050m. The weather is good all members are by good health and condition. During the caravan very helpful was our liaison officer, Mr Gurung. He is our real friend and do all for success our expedition. |
| Accidents | - |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | - |
| Commercial Route | - |
| Standard Route | True |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | - |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2446940 |
| Year | 1979 |
| Summit Success | True |
| O2 Summary | Used |
| Route (lowercase) | w face |
Members
23 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ignacy Nendza | M | 1944 | Poland | Climber | Katowice, Poland | Electrician | Details Other expeditions |
| Janusz Baranek | M | 1937 | Poland | Climber | Gliwice, Poland | Electrical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Adam Bilczewski | M | 1934 | Poland | Leader | Gliwice, Poland | Ceramic engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Janusz Chalecki | M | 1933 | Poland | Climber | Gliwice, Poland | Electrical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Stanislaw Cholewa | M | 1940 | Poland | Climber | Gliwice, Poland | Electrical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Leszek Czarnecki | M | 1939 | Poland | Climber | Gliwice, Poland | Electrical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Andrzej (Leszek) Czok | M | 1948 | Poland | Climber | Gliwice, Poland | Electrician | Details Other expeditions |
| Zygmunt Andrzej (Zyga) Heinrich | M | 1937 | Poland | Climber | Krakow, Poland | Civil engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Jan Kielkowski | M | 1943 | Poland | Climber | Gliwice, Poland | Geological engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Maria Kielkowska | F | 1942 | Poland | Climber | Gliwice, Poland | Chemist (technical university) | Details Other expeditions |
| Jan Koisar | M | 1937 | Poland | Exp Doctor | Katowice, Poland | Physician | Details Other expeditions |
| Tadeusz Kozubek | M | 1929 | Poland | Deputy Leader | Gliwice, Poland | Metallurgist | Details Other expeditions |
| Miroslaw Krawczyk | M | 1948 | Poland | Climber | Kalisz, Poland | Technician, wood | Details Other expeditions |
| Jerzy Kukuczka | M | 1948 | Poland | Climber | Katowice, Poland | Electrician | Details Other expeditions |
| Maciej Kurek | M | 1940 | Poland | Climber | Opole, Poland | Government official | Details Other expeditions |
| Wieslaw Lipinski | M | 1946 | Poland | Climber | Katowice, Poland | Truck driver | Details Other expeditions |
| Havard Nesheim | M | 1956 | Norway | Climber | Tromso, Norway | Student, medical | Details Other expeditions |
| Robert Niklas | M | 1931 | W Germany | Climber | Seelze, Lower Saxony, W Germany | Electrical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Andrzej Popowicz | M | 1937 | Poland | Climber | Katowice, Poland | Mechanical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Janusz Skorek | M | 1950 | Poland | Climber | Opole, Poland | Teacher, engineering | Details Other expeditions |
| Anna Swiezynska | F | 1932 | Poland | Climber | Warsaw, Poland | Photographer | Details Other expeditions |
| Tadeusz Szulc | M | 1932 | Poland | Climber | Gliwice, Poland | Mechanical engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Anu Sherpa | M | - | Nepal | Sirdar | Namche Bazar, Khumbu | - | Details Other expeditions |
References
9 recorded references.
| Expedition ID | Journal | Author | Title | Publisher | Citation | Yak 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHOT79301 | AAJ | Brniak, Marek | - | - | 53:609 (1980) | - |
| LHOT79301 | HJ | Bilczewski, Adam | Polish Lhotse Expedition 1979 | - | 37:7-14 (1979-80) | - |
| LHOT79301 | - | Bilczewski, Adam | Lhotse, Czwarta Gora Ziemi | Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, Katowice, Poland | - | B368 |
| LHOT79301 | - | Kukuczka, Jerzy | My Vertical World | Mountaineers, Seattle | - | K354 |
| LHOT79301 | - | Kukuczka, Jerzy | Na Szczytach Swiata | Krajowa Agencia Wydawnicza, Katowice, Poland | - | K354 |
| LHOT79301 | - | Kukuczka, Jerzy | Kukuczka, Moj Pionowy Swiat | Wydawnictwo 'Sport i Turystyka', Warsaw | - | - |
| LHOT79301 | MM | - | - | - | 70:14 (Nov 1979) | - |
| LHOT79301 | - | - | http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198060901/Asia-Nepal-Lhotse-Polish-Ascent | - | - | - |
| LHOT79301 | - | - | https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/37/4/polish-lhotse-expedition-1979/ | - | - | - |