Annapurna 2004 Piotr Pustelnik Dispatches

Day 57 (25th of May): Members of the mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition are approaching Kathmandu. In previous plans they wanted to reach this city the next day, but the political opposition in Nepal announced that they would block the capital city during next two days. If the expedition doesn’t reach the city before midnight, they will spend next two days on the outskirts.

Day 53 (21st of May): Good morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. The expedition is almost over. Our decision to finish the expedition turned out to be right, as the weather is completely spoilt. There is a heavy rain in the BC, and heavy snowfall in the upper parts of the face. This is a good time to sum up the expedition. Since the settlement of the BC we’ve attached about 3500 m of the fix ropes, generally we’ve had fix ropes up to the altitude of 7300m. From here where we are now it can be seen that it was about 300 m of difficulties and we could have reached the easier part under the peak. Anyway, it wasn’t the difficulties that we couldn’t overcome, but the weather. The team had done all it could in these conditions. We all went down to the base successfully, it wasn’t easy to cross this melting glacier. I just want to say that it was a great experience. Thank you all. Piotr Pustelnik

Day 52 (20th of May): Good Morning this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. The expedition is over. According to what I’ve said earlier, today at Midnight we started preparing for the final attack... Unfortunately the predictions of the last weather forecast turned out to be unsuccessful. Instead of a pretty good weather there was a terrible storm with heavy snowfalls. The Camp II was ruined within 2 hours and in the morning we were forced to go down to Camp I, as there was no chance to go upwards in such terrible weather conditions. Anyway, not always you can win...We still have the great satisfaction because we reached the parts of the face that we could easily cross, if only the weather let us. The group of great people did a really good job here. Thank you all very much and...see you! Piotr Pustelnik

Day 51 (19th of May): Good morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition, welcome from Camp II. We’ve had a hard day yesterday, with a strong wind that covered our tents with snow. But we managed to put the fix ropes up to the altitude 7200-7300m, where we left all equipment and about 400-500m of ropes. We are discussing the options of the final attack now. The prevailing option is to start today night, putting the fix ropes on the way. It is risky, because it takes about 1200-1300m of climbing plus putting fix ropes, but the second option would be to settle another camp and I don’t think we have time for it. We will try to start the final attack from this low camp, keep your fingers crossed for us, for the weather...wish us luck. Piotr Pustelnik

Day 49 (17th of May): Good Morning this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. Welcome heartily from the highest point which our expedition has reached so far- from the Camp II. Today the four person team: Dariusz Zaluski, Peter Hamor, Sergey Bogomolov and me reached this camp. After the last weather breakdown, one from two tents was a little damaged, but we have repaired it. The second one is OK. Tomorrow my team will be putting the fix ropes on the way to the Camp III, and I hope that the same day we will reach the altitude, and we will find a place where we will settle the camp. The second two person team reached the Camp I today. I hope that everything will be OK, we have quite much equipment and if the weather is good we should do it. The weather conditions on this altitude were quite good today. Piotr Pustelnik

Day 47 (15th of May): Hi, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition, welcome from the BC. In a few minutes we will leave this place. The weather forecasts are neither good nor bad, but we have a strong motivation to end successfully our adventure with Annapurna. Hold the thumbs for us, as I said in earlier relation this is our last attempt… Piotr Pustelnik

Day 45 (13th of May): Hi, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. Welcome from the Base Camp. We have made plans for the next days. Tomorrow two sherpas will go upwards, they will take food, gas and some equipment with them to supply the Camps. On Saturday four-person team: Me, Dariusz Zaluski, Sergey Bogomolov and Peter Hamor, and on Sunday two-person team: Martin Gablik and Aljosa Markac will go upwards. Because of his health problems, Vlado Strba has to stay in BC.  This is our last attempt, if it is possible we will settle the Camp III, and from there we will try to reach summit. Otherwise we will surrender. There is no third option. Today we had a good weather with a good visibility, so we could look at the face. This observation has given us the general knowledge of where we should go, we decided for the optimal way for us.  Thanks to everyone who heartens us, hold the thumbs for us.

Day 44 (12th of May): Good Morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna Expedition, welcome heartily from the Base Camp. Yesterday we went down for a short rest. In two days we will go upwards and I hope we will manage to settle the Camp III. On the altitude where we settled the Camp II there is a strong wind today. After three days in the Camp II, me and Darek felt a little tired, our stock of food and gas went out, so we decided to go down to the Base Camp. The rest of members, who were waiting in the Camp I, made the same decision. From the pictures which we have made, we generally know where we should go, where we should put the fix ropes, so I’m still full of optimism and I believe that we will make it, that we will reach the summit. Piotr Pustelnik

Day 42 (10th of May): Hi, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. Today we went upwards to put fix ropes on the way to the Camp III, but the weather deteriorated. The little avalanches which fell on us made us decide to return to the Camp II. We decided that tomorrow we will go down to the Base Camp where we will take some rest and prepare some equipment. After that we will probably go upwards in one team, in order to settle the Camp III. Piotr Pustelnik

Day 41 (9th of May): This is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. Welcome from the Camp II. Today my three-person team brought all deposits to the Camp II. Moreover, me and Darek Zaluski put some fix ropes on the way to Camp III. The second team will spend today’s night in Camp I. The weather is still changeable, but it hasn’t hindered us in our work. Because our Camp II is located in crevasse, the powder avalanches fall down on it from time to time. Tomorrow we will decide about our next steps, if the weather is the same or better we will go upwards to put some fix ropes on the way to Camp III. We feel good, only Vlado Strba has some troubles with gizzard, and he had to return to the BC. Piotr Pustelnik

Day 38 (6th of May): Good Morning this is mBank Era Annapurna South Expedition. I have some good news! Today three-person team: Sergey Bogomolov, Peter Hamor and Martin Gablik reach the first flat place on the serac where they have settled the Camp II. It is situated on the altitude 6800-6900 m. Tomorrow, if they feel good, they will go upwards to put the fix ropes on the way to Camp III. The rest of us will prepare some stuff, and probably on Saturday we will go upwards to supply the Camp II. If the weather remains good, I hope that we will settle the Camp III quickly. These are our plans for the nearest days. Piotr Pustelnik

Day 37 ( 5th of May): Hi, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition, welcome warmly. There is three-person team in the Camp I, tomorrow they will try to finish putting the fix ropes on the way to Camp II. If it is possible, they will spend the night there. My four-person team is in the ABC today, and tomorrow we will go upward to the Camp I. Everything is all right, the Camp I has not been destroyed too much during the last weather breakdown. I hope that everything will be OK, and day by day we will be closer to our aim.

Day 35 (3rd of May): Hi, this mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. The sun visited our Base Camp today morning. Today two Sherpas went upwards with some equipment. We are finishing our rest time too, tomorrow we will go upwards with the strong decision that we will settle the Camp II. If the weather conditions are good, I hope they are, we will do it. Today Pawel Jozefowicz, left our expedition, as it had already been planned before. I want to thank everyone who heartens us, hold the thumbs for us... Piotr Pustelnik

Day 33 (1st of May): Good Morning this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. I am sending greetings from the Base Camp. Yesterday we went down from the Camp I and now we are all in the Base Camp, where we are going to take two days rest. The weather conditions are pretty bad. We have big snowfall in the Base Camp and on higher parts of mountains there are very strong winds. By now we have put the fix ropes quite high, as well as the big deposit. I think that one day with good weather, 200-300 meters of fix ropes and we will reach the first flat place on the altitude of about 7000 m. All members of the expedition feel very good.  This is an incredible mountain, as I said earlier, very bold and climbing gives us a lot of pleasure. Piotr Pustelnik

Day 30 (28th of April): Good morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. All members of our expedition are in Camp I today. We have put 500 m of fix ropes on the way to the Camp II. We tried to put another 200 m, but we had to return to the Camp I, because of a little weather breakdown. The weather forecasts for the next three days are quite good, so we will go upwards tomorrow and we will try to put the fix ropes to the place of our planned Camp II. I don’t know  yet where exactly and on which altitude it will be. The visibility was very bad today, and I couldn’t anticipate where we will settle the Camp II. This is a really magnificent mountain… I hope that oncoming days will get us closer to our aim. Piotr Pustelnik

Update Day 27 (25th of April): Good Morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna Expedition. For the time being the weather is good. Today six-person team: Sergey Bogomolov, Aljosa Markac, Martin Gablik and Peter Hamor and two Sherpas went upwards. They reached the ABC, and checked how the situation looks like, after last weather breakdown, . They checked two out of three tents, it looks very good, and all our equipment is just how we had left it.  Tomorrow they will try to reach the Camp I, during climbing they will check  fix ropes , and on Tuesday they will start putting fix ropes on the way to Camp II. In about three days my four-person team is going to change them. Mean time we will trim the fix ropes where it will be necessary, during our tomorrow’s climbing to ABC, and on Tuesday we should to reach the Camp I. I hope that, if the weather condition are good,  in three, four days we will settle at least the temporary the Camp II on the altitude about 6900 m. Piotr Pustelnik

Update Day 26 (24th of April) Hi, This is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. The sun is shining above our heads today, so our humors are much better then yesterday. The snow is slowly melting away, and little avalanches are falling down from higher parts. If these conditions don’t change, one team will go upwards tomorrow to check how the tents and ropes look after the last weather breakdown. If it’s possible they will start putting the fix ropes on the way to Camp II. On Monday, if the weather is still good, next team will go upwards and we will work together. Everything is getting back to normality, we are enjoying the shining sun. We know that this situation won’t last very long, but it’s enough to increase the group’s morale. We hope that everything will be OK, and we will call you tomorrow or on Monday. Best greetings, Piotr Pustelnik 

Update Day 25 (23rd of April): Good morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna Expedition. Today I don’t have good news for you. This night about 30-40 cm of snow fell on our tents in the Base Camp, so from three a.m. we’ve been fighting with it. Martin’s tent is a little damaged, and we will have to repair it. These conditions made us stop all activities above Base Camp for at least two days. Today we will think over what our further activities will be. I’m a little nervous, because yesterday evening we’ve joked that on Manaslu it started with the same scenario, but it is Annapurna and this situation will not repeat…we were wrong, as I said earlier for most of the night we had to work to make everything more or less ok. Piotr Pustelnik

Update Day 24 (22nd of April): Good Morning this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. I am sending greetings for everyone from the Base Camp. Today all members of the expedition went down. The Sherpas brought the equipment to the altitude about 5800 m, but quite strong thunderstorm turned them back to the Base Camp. Tomorrow, probably, the three-person team will go upwards: Sergey Bogomolov, Peter Hamor and Aljosa Markac. If it is possible, they will try to reach the Camp I with some equipment. Yesterday we made a little reconnaissance, and we think that we’ve found the passage way to Camp II. We still need to check it. We will have to put some fix ropes on this way because it is bold, not dangerous but bold. The weather is still not good, and we still have a little weather breakdown with snowfalls and fog. Piotr Pustelnik

Update Day 23 (21st of April): Hi, This is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition, welcome from the Camp I. I’m here with Dariusz Zaluski, Pawel Józefowicz and Martin Gablik , the team which settled the Camp I went down yesterday. Today we went upwards to make a reconnaissance, and to see how the further way up looks like. We put 200 m of fix ropes. Tomorrow or on Friday the four-person team will go upwards, and my team will go down. In the meantime the Sherpas will go up with some fix ropes and other equipment. For the time being we feel good, only Vlado Strba has got a little fever and a cough. In fact I have just got rid of my cold. People say that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. So it seems I am stronger now. Greeting for everyone, Piotr Pustelnik

Update Day 21 (19th of April) Hi, This is mBank Era Annapurna Expedition. Today the four-person team went upwards: Peter Hamor, Vlado Strba, Aljosza Markac i Sergey Bogomolov.  In the afternoon they reached the pass where they settled the Camp I. It is located on altitude 6100 m. Tomorrow the rest of us will go up, we will take some equipment to supply our new Camp I. I’m very glad, that we’ve done it. The weather is quite good. I am a little sick, but I hope that it will get well very fast. Tomorrow we will see what kind of conditions we will find further on the face… Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/17/2004: Day 19 (17th of April): Good morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. Today the five: Sergey Bogomolov, Peter Hamor, Martin Gablik and two Sherpas went upwards. They took some staff with them. Tomorrow early morning they will take more equipment from the deposits, and will try to put fix ropes on the way to Camp I. I think that they won’t be able to stay there overnight, so they will come back to the ABC.  On Monday the rest of the members, I suppose, will move to the Camp I. The weather conditions are generally the same. Till about 13 pm it is quite nice, sometimes even sunny, but the rest of the day is worse, because heavy clouds and fog appear. The conditions on the face haven’t worsened significantly, so I think that everything will be OK. We have some troubles with our generator, and with computer, but it’s the secondary thing. The first thing is to make progress in our work. Greetings for everyone, Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/16/2004: Day 17 (15th of April) Hi,This is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. We have just come back to the Base Camp. The weather is still bad. Today five-people team went upwards, but they had to return, because of very bad weather conditions. We only reached the altitude, where we had placed our deposit earlier. The visibility was so bad, that we decided to come back to ABC and further to the Base Camp. The way from ABC to the Base Camp wasn’t easy too. Snow with rain falling on bold lawny made this surface is very slippy, so we decided to put two ropes on the lawn for our safety. I know it’s strange and maybe funny, but as I said it’s for our safety. The weather forecast for today gave hope that the morning would be better. It wasn’t better, we had a rain in the morning, and rain with snow in the afternoon. But I have to say that our situation is not that bad, because we have much equipment deposited near the face, and we need two days of good weather to settle the Camp I. Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/15/2004: Day 16 (14th of April): Good morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. The weather is still not good. Yesterday, we reached the altitude, which is about in half a distance to Camp I, but the weather was so bad that we came back to ABC. It was snowing from 3 pm to 3 am, but the snow melt away quite quickly. Today morning the four: Vlado Strba, Peter Hamor, Martin Gablik, I, Sergey Bogomolov have gone upwards. They want to finish the way we have started, find a way across the glacier, and maybe they will put the fix ropes up to the pass. If this plan, at least partly works, then tomorrow morning the next four: Piotr Pustelnik, Dariusz Załuski, Paweł Józefowicz and Aljosa Markac will go upwards with purpose to finish this work, and to settle the Camp I. The way across the glacier isn’t as easy as we expected. This glacier is not so safe, maybe it isn’t technically difficult, but there are plenty of crevasses. Vlado Strba fell into one crevasse with his legs yesterday, so we decided to put the fix ropes on the whole way across the glacier. I’m waiting for the Sherpas, who will bring us some more equipment. As I said earlier the weather isn’t good, but I hope it gets better. If the weather improves, and we settle the Camp I, we will come back to the Base Camp. We could than send the Sherpas upwards to supply the Camp I…It all depends on how it goes today and tomorrow. Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/13/2004: Day 14 (12th of April): Good evening, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. I’m greeting everyone from the altitude 4900 m, from ABC. Six members of the expedition are here. The weather is not very kind, but it could be worse. We managed to cross the glacier and we have two, maybe three hours left to the place where we will start attaching the fix ropes. Tomorrow all six is going upwards with the equipment, and we will work there to put the ropes, of course if there are no old ropes, but if there are we  will put the new ones anyway. If the weather is good tomorrow, maybe we will settle the Camp I, but I have some doubts. If it doesn’t work out tomorrow, maybe we will finish the next day. Tomorrow Martin Gablik and Paweł Józefowicz, and on Wednesday two sherpas will reach the ABC. Tuesday is the Nepal New Years Day, and our sherpas will celebrate a little. I wonder how they will look after that. We all feel very well. I’m sending a big hug for everyone. Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/11/2004: Day 13 (11th of April): Hi, This is mBank Era Annapurna Expedition, we welcome everyone from the Base Camp. It’s Easter today, so I would like to wish you all the best and happy Easter. Today Paweł Józefowicz and Martin Gablik reached the Base Camp, so it was pretty busy. Peter Hamor, Sergey Bogomolov and two sherpas, went upwards today. Their task is to check up the way to the ABC. About 12.00 (local time) they informed us that the way was quite easy, but we will see what will be higher. They took the tents, ropes and some other equipment. If it is possible they will reach the ABC or put the stuff a little lower. Tomorrow most of the members will go upwards with the plan to settle the ABC, and put some fix ropes on the face on the way to Camp I. I think rope fixing should take about one day, because it’s only 400-500 meters of fix ropes. We hope that in two, three days we will settle the Camp I, and we will see what kinds of conditions on the face are. The weather, as I said earlier, is changeable. Till about 2.00 pm it is sunny and very warm, and later it gets cloudy. Yesterday we had a very small rain, and we heard the storm from the distance, but in fact it wasn’t so fearful, only clouds covered up the face. We have checked our walkie-talkies, it works OK. I’m feeling a little tired, but I’m also very excited with what is going to happen. I’m sending a big hug for everyone. Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/10/2004: Day 12 (10th of April): Good morning this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition, we are greeting everyone from our base which we have settled today. The weather is changeable, till 12-1 pm it is sunny and very warm, and later it gets cloudy. It rains a little on our altitude, but it seems that higher there are no snowfalls. Tomorrow we will have puja and the first reconnaissance to look where ABC will be situated. We will take some stuff, but we will come back to our Base Camp to spend the night, and only on Monday all team will go to the ABC, and after that maybe we will start fixing ropes on face. We are in fighting trim. We are feeling a little tired because the march to the our Base Camp took a little longer than we expected. We had an unpleasant adventure, because among one hundred porters, we had 20 Maoists, who stirred up the rest. Eventually all porters left the expedition. Our cook Kalu solved the problem, and with several new porters he carried all equipment. Our Base Camp is located in the same place where in 1992 Krzysztof Wielicki’s expedition settled their base. It is situated on the lawn, and it trims our humors even more! Besides, our friend Alosha got information, that he would become father, so we have more reasons to joy. Anyway, tomorrow we have to start a normal expedition’s work… Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/10/2004: Good Morning, this is mBank Era Annapurna South Face Expedition. We have just reached our Base Camp. We have some troubles, because all of our porters refused to co-operate and went down. Therefore, every one of us is carrying the equipment on the trot, to the place where we would like to settle our Base Camp. This place is about two hours from Annapurna Base Camp, which is a set of loggias, situated on the altitude 4100 m. Our Base Camp is located on the altitude 4200 m, and we have an excellent  view on Annapurna from here. We feel great. Today the weather was good, yesterday about twenty centimeters of snow fell, but it melt away. Reaching our base is quite easy, so if we wanted we could go for a beer to the loggias in about one hour, but now we have some more important things to do. Probably on Sunday we will move on with small reconnaissance to ABC. There is some snow on the face, but I would be surprised if there was no snow at all. After the latest winter, there is rather little snow left.

Greetings for everyone, who hearten us. Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/9/2004: Day 10: Today (8th of April) the members of the mBank Era Annapurna Expedition have reached the altitude     4100 m, and are approaching the place where they will settle the Base Camp. Unfortunately at the moment the expedition has an obligatory stand, caused by porters’ refuge. The cook and his helper have settled to look for new porters. Two Sherpas are presently blazing a trail through the glacier, to the place where the expedition will settle the Base Camp, so that it was possibly closest to the wall.

Update 4/7/2004: Day 9 (7th of April): Today members of the mBank Era Annapurna Expedition reached the Machhapuchre Base Camp (3700 m). The weather is changeable, with prevailing rain and snow, but temporally  there are moments of good visibility. The scenery is changing too, forests are gradually turning to scree areas on glacier’s moraine. Probably tomorrow afternoon, the expedition will reach the Annapurna Base Camp (4200 m). The spirit of the team is very good.

Update 4/4/2004: Hello, This is Piotr Pustelnik reporting from Kathmandu. Luckily we’re done with all the preparations and today in the afternoon, after we received our permit. People say, there is still a lot of snow in the mountains, but maybe there will be less of it when we get there. I believe we’ve done our best to avoid any surprises that may occur in the mountains. Tomorrow (03.04) we’ll leave to Pokhara and from there to the place where the trek to Annapurna Sanctuary begins. Today e had a thunderstorm and some protests (I don’t know against what) in Kathmandu. Now we’re packing all our equipment and this may keep us occupied until early morning. Greetings to everyone. Piotr Pustelnik

Update 4/3/2004: From the short relation which Piotr Pustelnik sent us yesterday (2nd of April), it appeared that today early morning (local time) members of the expedition were going to reach Naya Pul. From there they were supposed to walk to Birethanti.

However, today in the afternoon we have received the following message from Piotr: “Hi, Our plan didn’t come out. Today we reach only the outskirts, because of road blockades. After yesterday’s demonstration the opposition went out on strike and blocked the streets of Kathmandu. We lost one day, but tomorrow we are going to settle off at 4 am, so I hope we can make up for today’s delay…

Best greetings for everyone, Piotr”

Update 3/31/2004: mBank Era Annapurna Expedition – Report 1: Expedition leader Piotr Pustelnik reports from Kathmandu. Six team members are already in Kathmandu: Piotr Pustelnik, Dariusz Zaluski, Vlado Strba, Peter Hamor, Siergiej Bogomolow and Aljosa Markac. On Saturday morning they will leave for Pokhara, and from there on foot to Dhampus. They will spend the night in Dhampus. Remaining team members Pawel Jozefowicz and Martin Gabloik will join in the Base Camp.

Piotr Pustelnik will lead a group of veteran climbers to attempt to summit Annapurna in Spring 2004. They plan to meet on April, 1 in Kathmandu. Then they go to Pokhara and 6 days trek to Annapurna Sanctuary. They choose the Bonnington classic route on the South Face. Piotr believes, we "probably we can establish ABC near the wall and three camps in the wall. Fixing, of course, necessary. Keep fingers crossed." Best wishes. Piotr

Piotr Pustelnik - leader - Poland

Dariusz Załuski - Poland

Paweł Józefowicz - Poland

Vlado Strba - Slovakia

Peter Hamor - Slovakia

Martin Gablik - Slovakia

Peter Frankovic - Slovakia

Sergey Bogomolov - Russia

Aljosa Markac - Slovenia

 

Piotr Pustelnik, with his Summit of Kangchenjunga has joined an elite group in the goal to reach the True Summits of the 14 8000 meter peaks.  Below is a short biography of Piotr Pustelnik.

Piotr Pustelnik was born on July 12, 1951 in Lodz (Poland). Nothing had prefigured his great climbing career until he turned 18 in 1969. Then he went of his first mountain hike and soon understood mountains were the best kind of landscape for him. Later, during one of his stays in the Tatras, he saw some climbers descending a mountain, accompanied by the clanging of their gear. He immediately felt a desire to be like them.

The beginnings were not easy, although the first steps were taken almost at once. Together with his cousin, he decided to enroll in a climbing course with the Mountaineering Club in Lodz. After numerous theoretical classes, practical assessment followed in the rocks of Podlesice. He failed and was kicked out of the course. He was only 22 then. It did not impair his determination though and he started to practice on his own with a couple of friends. He had done quite a lot of climbing in the Tatras before he finally decided to "legalize" his activity, and passed the climbing exam (on the second attempt). Several months later he became an instructor of alpinism.

In 1980 he first went abroad, to the Alps. The trip organized by the Academic Mountain Club in Lodz turned out successful, enabling Piotr to do a few major routes, including the eastern face of Mt Blanc. 

After that, a period of family life and writing a doctoral thesis followed, marking a break in his active climbing until 1985. Then he went to Cashmere, and a year later he attempted to climb Pinnacle (6950 m), which he did not summit due to altitude problems. In 1989 he climbed Korzhenevskoy Peak in the Pamir. Then he could go only higher.

His debut in the Karakoram came in 1990, on an expedition with Wanda Rutkiewicz, and brought immediate success - he summited Gasherbrum II (8035 m) in a solo climb. The next 8000-ers followed smoothly in the next decade: 

Gasherbrum II (8035 m)	19 July 1990
Nanga Parbat (8125 m)	12 July 1992
Cho Oyu (8201 m)	24 September 1993
Shishapangma (8027 m)	6 October 1993
Dhaulagiri (8167 m)	26 September 1994
Mount Everest (8848 m)	12 May 1995
K2 (8611 m)	14 July 1996
Gasherbrum I (8068 m)	15 July 1997
Gasherbrum II (8035 m)	21 July 1997
Lhotse (8501 m)	15 May 2000
Kangchenjunga	15 May 2001
Makalu	May 2002
Manaslu	17th of May 2003

Piotr Pustelnik is a researcher at the Faculty of Processing Engineering and Environment Protection, Technical University of Lodz.  He does a lot of climbing in the mountains all over the world. Currently, he is involved in a project of 'Three Crowns", aiming to reach the 14 highest peaks of the Himalayas, next to the highest and the second highest peaks of all the Continents. Written by Waldek Brygier

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