Wojciech „Voytek” Kurtyka, b. 1947, Poland
1980
Dhaulagiri 8167m, east face, attempt in alpine style (highest point 7500m on the southeast ridge, sometime considered as a new route without reaching the summit), with Rene Ghilini (French), Alex MacIntyre (British), Ludwik Wilczyński (Polish) [article: Alex MacIntyre: Dhaulagiri’s East Face, AAJ 1981; Broken English, Mountain 1981, Nauary/February, No 77]
Kant Filara VII+, The Kazalnica Mieguszowiecka Wall, the Polish Tatra Mouintains, first free ascent, with Władysław Janowski, important ascent in the history of free climbing in the Tatras
1979
Dhaulagiri 8167m, east face, attempt, with Walenty Fiut
1978
Changabang, Nanda Devi Group, Garhwal Himalaya, India, South Buttress, new route alpine style, with Alex MacIntyre (British), John Porter (American) [article: John Porter, Bandaka and Changabang, AAJ 1979; Changabang South Buttress, Climbing No 55; South Side Story, Mountain 1979, January/February, No 65]
1977
Kohe Bandaka 6868m, Central Hindu Kush, Afganistan, northeast face, new route alpine style, with Alex MacIntyre, John Porter [article: John Porter, Bandaka and Changabang, AAJ 1979]
We were very worried by the rockfall. When we got to the point where it would be very difficult to go down, we had discussion and decided to continue. As soon as we crossed that point we had no more fears, we felt very calm.
Kurtyka-Marcisz, IV A2 ice 80-90o, The Kazalnica Mieguszowiecka Wall, the Polish Tatra Mountains, new route in winter, 26 hours
1976
K2 8611m, member of a Polish K2 east ridge expedition, leader: Janusz Kurczab, the highest point reached by Kurtyka: 7900m, the highest point reaches by other members of the team: 8400m (Eugeniusz Chrobak, Wojciech Wróż)
Filar Abazego VI.3+ (French 7a+) TR (top rope), Dolina Bolechowicka, first free ascent, at the moment the hardest rock free climb in Poland
1975
Lhotse 8511m, Nepal Himalaya, member of the first ever winter expedition to 8000-er led by Andrzej Zawada, Zawada and Andrzej Heinrich reached point of 8250m
Polish Route TD, V+ 60o, 800m, Pointe Helene, Grandes Jorasses, first ascent, with Jerzy Kukuczka, Marek Łukaszewski
1974
French Direct, Trollrygen, Romsdal Valley, Norway, north face, first winter ascent, with Marek Kęsicki, Ryszard Kowalewski, Tadeusz Piotrowski (articles: Marek Brniak, Troll Wall in Winter, Summit 1976, October; Climber&Rambler 1976, March)
1973
Polish Route TD VI A1, Petit Dru, Chamonix, north face, first ascent, with Jerzy Kukuczka, Marek Łukaszewski
Super¶ciek (The Super Sewer) V A2 ice 90o, The Kazalnica Mieguszowiecka Wall, the Polish Tatra Mountains, new route in winter, with Piotr Jasiński, Krzysztof Pankiewicz, Zbigniew Wach
1972
Paj±ki (Spiders) VI A3, The Kazalnica Mieguszowiecka Wall, the Polish Tatra Mountains, first winter ascent, with Kazimierz Głazek, Marek Kęsicki, Andrzej Wilusz
Acher Chioch 7025m, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan, northwest face, new route, with Jacek Rusiecki, Marek Kowalczyk, Piotr Jasiński (Polish)
Koh-e-Tez 7015m, Hindu Kush, Afganistan , north face, with Ryszard Kozioł, Alicja Bednarz (Polish)
Acher Chioch 7025m, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan, north face and west ridge, first ascent alpine style, with Jacek Rusiecki, Adam Lewandowski (Polish)
1971
¦ciek (The Sewer) VI A3, The Kazalnica Mieguszowiecka Wall, the Polish Tatra Mountains, first winter ascent, with Michał Gabryel, Marek Kęsicki, Janusz Kurczab, Andrzej Mierzejewski, Janusz Skorek
Direttissima VI A2-A3, The Kazalnica Mieguszowiecka Wall, The Polish Tatra Mountains, first winter ascent, with Tadeusz Gibiński, Michał Gabryel, Andrzej Wilusz
1970
Kutykówka VI+, Maly Mlynar, the Slovakian Tatra Mountains, east face, first ascent, considered the first route harder than grade VI made by Polish climbers in the Tatras
FURTHER READING
Writings of Kurtyka (in English):
The Gasherbrums Are Lonely, Mountain 1984, No. 97, May/June
The Abseil and the Ascent, The Art of Abseiling into the Hell, The Himalayan Journal, Vol. 42, 1985-1985
The Shining Wall od Gasherbrum IV, American Alpine Journal (AAJ) 1986, Vol. 28
The Path of the Mountain, Alpinism 1986, Vol. 1
Broad Peak North Ridge, Climbing 1986, February, No 94
The Art of Suffering, Mountain 1988, May/June,No 121
The East Face of Trango’s Nameless Tower, AAJ 1989
Trango Extremes, Mountain 1989. May/June, No 127
New Routes, Cho Oyu and Shisha Pangma, AAJ 1991
The Polish Syndrome, Mountain Review 1993, November/December
The Shining Wall, Alpinist, Spring 2004, No 2
Losar, Alpinist, Autumn 2003, No 4
Interviews:
O’Connel Nicholas, Beyond Risk, Conversations with climbers, The Moutaineers 1993
Articles on Voytek:
Greg Child, Between the Hammer and the Anvil. The Art of Suffering, Climbing 1989, No115
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