Mt. Everest 2005: Marcin Miotk Summit Everest without oxygen: The last to summit Everest in 2005?

Marcin Miotk - last summit spring 2005

Polish climber Marcin Miotk (32), who finished the Annapurna South Face Expedition on May 18 moved to Everest North ABC at 6400 m on May 22 waiting together with the other climbers for good weather.  

Marcin Miotk is reporting from Kathmandu: "I summited Everest on June 5th at 14.30 Nepal time - NO OXYGEN (First Polish), SOLO, NO SHERPA, WITH LIMITED GEAR

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: I summited probably the last this Spring Season just after some clients and Sherpas of Himex. This was reward for patience attitude in the base camp. Wait and relax was my mantra. Your day will come."

1. NO OXYGEN (First Polish) - From my early planning Everest attempt only this option was under consideration. Why? Although Polish climbers have done great things on Everest (1st winter ascent, new route, 3rd woman ascent) - all have been with oxygen. Can not polish climb Everest w/o O2?? Yes - they can - they just have to try. They tried in the past and some tries finished drama - Krzysztof Liszewski died in 2003 on the North Side.

Waiting for the weather window in the base camp I've had many times the temptation to buy oxygen. But it would be a trap - when you buy you would use it. This was mental war in my brain. I won. Now was the stage of moving from planning to execute with excellence.

2. SOLO - I would not to create my own solo term - I just want to describe what I did. I started totally alone from ABC, went all distances between camps alone, slept alone in the tents - sum up doing all work ABC-Summit-ABC by myself. On my way I've met limited number of climbers as my ascent was in the last days of season (for example on my way down I did not met anybody going up, I did not met anybody on Second Step) Was it solo or not? This was my solo as much as I can and as much environment affords me.

Editorial Note: He went up the Normal route, with fixed line put in by Sherpas... Therefore, not a TRUE SOLO credit by EverestNews.com. However, many define SOLO deferent ways.

3. NO SHERPA - Many times people are climbing w/o O2, but army of friends accompanies them. Good, but is not pure ascent in my eyes. W/o O2 is great, but this is still kind of guided ascent.

Editorial Note: He went up the Normal route, with fixed line put in by Sherpas...

4. WITH LIMITED GEAR – Now let’s move to a short description of my ascent and the subtitle will become clearer. I started originally my summit push on May 29 aiming to summit on June1. But on May 31 me and my friends from Austria were stopped at 7900 for a night due to extremely strong wind. It was sure that the next day we will not summit. I had to decide: go up or….. give up. But for me there was third option: I decided to went down to ABC, rest 2 days and make second summit push. 2 summit pushes in one week?? People said that I’m crazy, this is so energy-burning task, that my body cannot afford etc.. So on June 3, afternoon I went up totally alone directly from ABC to Camp 2, where I discovered that my tent is robbed. Windstopper trousers, windstopper blouse, sleeping bag, gloves, socks and very important: good head-lamp.

I was shocked. Before this accident I lost in Camp I a new Gore-Tex, what was painful, but not tragedy. This robbery makes me angry, but not make me thinking about giving up. I just took sleeping bag from neighboring tent, which of course I give back in the morning. The most painful was lack of head-lamp. Lack of windstopper wearing was important, but I felt it is warm enough to be able to make summit push in what I currently have. Next day I moved up to Camp 3 in windy, but reasonable weather. There I located in famous Indian Army tent in which my Austrian friend left me before the sleeping bag. Lucky me. I decided to start summit push in the morning – lack of head-lamp and good wearing prevails. I left the tent at 5.30 I went up. All the way I was solo, no people on second step. Above second steps I’ve met many people going down and advising me turn down as wind is to high, but I head up even faster. I looks fanny : me, alone with no rucksack, very thin wearing and many 3-people groups. Each group was in the mask, big rucksacks with bottles of oxygen. Goliat and David. The closer summit I was, the less windy was. I reached the summit on 14.30, I’ve made some photos, but to make some reasonable alone was difficult to me. I started going down ,

5. SHERPA – WHERE IS YOUR HONOR??

I was tired, but not existed. Exactly when getting dark reached Camp 3 and was happy about warm sleeping bag. I opened my tent and could not sat anything – my tent was almost empty inside – somebody during the day have stolen sleeping bag, stove, all medicines!!, and all what seems any value. At 8300!, during summit push!!. Fortunately I was strong mind at this moment, so I organized a new sleeping bag, stove from Sherpas who were at hat time in Camp3 (probably the same Sherpas who have stolen this during the day). Would you guess; only 6-8 tent were in Camp3, nobody was moving up the mountain as season finished! There was no anonymous stealing; anonymous would be if 50-60 tents were located in Camp3. Who could steal this? Some tourists from Vegas? Clients, who have limited power? Or maybe some Sherpas –nice guys from Nepal, always smiling, very helpful,. Who? Ok, finish with jokes. The Sherpas lost his honor last years. They are so dare that you cannot imagine. Who will steal more, who will steal more precious thing – this is what Sherpas are talking about playing card in the base camp. No shame, no ethics – only money counts. Robbery I was experienced at Camp 3 was simply robbery on my life. If I would be a little more tired I would probably enter the tent and next season my body would be found there. Serious. The same with the frostbites: fortunately I did not take any medicine from summit push till today, but what if I would have a little frostbite, which could be touched by some pills. Pills were stolen, sorry, your finger would be save, but you had no pills – we had to cut you toe, man. Sorry. Etc. Sherpas are very good in 98% of population. But remaining 2% makes me thinking about them in very dark colors without any respect. Why? Because they tolerate these bad 2%. They are not aware what behavior they represent.

I would like to know how many other climber experience similar story? What we can do together. Most of the Sherpas are hired big agencies. They did not stolen things each other. They hunt on small independent climbers. Big agencies did not see the problem, as the problem does not touch them. But they employs Sherpas for whom they should be responsible for.

Sum up, I would like to to lave the topic dying. I summated and I will probably not visit Everest North Side, but I’m interest in life of other climbers. What we can do together to change this behavior, to ensure tents will not become from steal or will be not necessary to keep them under 220 volt,

Marcin Miotk (32) has climbed Shisha Pangma Middle (1999), Cho Oyu (2003) and Tien-Shan range giants: Chan Tengri - (2002), Pobeda Peak Main Summit (2004).

Millet One Sport Everest Boot  has made some minor changes by adding more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to -75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads. Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated collar. Expedition footwear for mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold.  NOTE US SIZES LISTED. See more here.

A cold weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura® upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand See more here.

   Ascenders

   Atlas snowshoes

   Atomic

   Big Agnes

   Black Diamond

   Brunton

   Carabiners

   Chaco

   Cloudveil

   Columbia
   CMI

   Crampons

   Edelweiss ropes
   Eureka Tents

   Exofficio

   FiveTen

   Featured

   FoxRiver

   Gregory

   Granite Gear

   Harnesses
   Headlamps

   Hestra
   Helmets

   Helly Hansen

   HighGear

   HornyToad
   Ice Axes

   Julbo

   Kavu Eyewear

   Katadyn

   Kelty

   Kong

   Lekisport

   Life is Good

   Lowa

   Lowe Alpine

   Lowepro

   Millet

   Motorola

   Mountain Hardwear

   Mountainsmith

   MSR

   Nalgene

   New England Ropes

   Nikwax

   Omega

   Osprey

   Outdoor Research
   Patagonia

   Pelican

   Petzl

   Prana

   Princeton Tec

   Primus

   Rope Bags

   Royal Robbins

   Salomon

   Scarpa

   Scott

   Seattle Sports

   Serius
   Sleeping Bags

   Sterling Rope

   Stubai

   Suunto

   Tents

   Teva

   Thermarest

   Trango

   Tool Logic

   Trekking Poles
   Yaktrax
   and more here