News

The famous Polish alpinists and travellers, Eliza Kubarska and David Kaszlikowski, during their extreme expedition to hardly accessible cliffs of South Greenland marked out a new, highly difficult climbing route. Their target - 1560m high Maujit Qaqarssuasia - springs up from water with its vertical wall being the world's greatest sea cliff. We are proud to be counted among the sponsors of this unique expedition.

The expedition was unique as the wall of Maujit Qaqarssuasia can be ascended only from water. Working alone without support from the mainland the little Polish team ventured into the fjords in top-heavy sea kayaks. This allowed the two to explore the cliffs yet did not save them the dramatic experience of fighting the waves (to fall into water in this region can mean hypothermia and death within minutes).

The team spent a month on the wild Pamialluk island where the two set up their base camp in the distance of exactly 2km from their target. The alpinists had to paddle to the base of the cliff wall, which was only possible when the sea was calm. Once they transported the equipment and food to the wall, they started their three-day climb with bivouacs on narrow rock ledges.

Because of torrential rain they discontinued their climb up the vertical wall after 1 km and retreated back to the base camp. During the dramatic evacuation the team had to slide down dangerous waterfalls being occasionally lashed with water.

After many days of bad weather, including a hurricane that swept away their single base tent, they made another attempt at climbing.

August 14 – having traversed the new route the team reaches the top.

The new ascent that the adventurers called “Golden Lunacy” is 2km long, with approx. 1500m of vertical climb (UIAA VIII +).

David:
“What we found deep in the fjords is undoubtedly one of the best granite areas in the world. Unfortunately at the end of our route we had no more good weather for climbing, but our kayak reconnaissance revealed some unexplored areas with 700-900m high walls. It was one of my most beautiful expeditions. Each day we would pass icebergs, meet contemporary Inuit people, admire aurora borealis, pick handfuls of berries, and Eliza even learned how to paddle :-). We definitely have to return to those walls.”

David Kaszlikowski and Eliza Kubarska are one of the Polish most effective alpinist teams. Each year they explore new mountain areas, mostly during extreme and tremendously difficult climbs.

David Kaszlikowski, also known as the “Polish Spiderman”, has not only climbed virgin summits in the Himalayas, Alaska or in Africa, but he is also one of the 2 people in the world who free solo climb up skyscrapers (e.g. the 140m Hotel Marriott in Warsaw). Kaszlikowski, a professional photographer, works for the Polish edition of National Geographic. Eliza Kubarska, an artist and a camera operator, makes documentaries and artistic films, and is a former Polish vice-champion in sport climbing.

Hannah Greenland Expedition is Eliza and David’s another significant expedition this year. In March they marked out difficult climbing routes in the Mexico mountains.

At the moment the two are working on a new project for an extreme expedition around the world. Hannah was their nominal sponsor.

David Kaszlikowski is a member of the international explorer team sponsored by Hannah and Tendon.

Main sponsors: Hannah, Polish Alpinist Association (PZA), Tendon
Equipment sponsors: Yeti, Lhotse, TS2, ClimbOn, Fatra Wholesaler, Se-Mar
Patrons of the expedition: the Embassy of Denmark, National Geographic Traveller, Góry, Extremium, Onet.pl, Wspinanie.pl, VerticalVision.pl

For more specialist news and photographs see:
http://www.wspinanie.pl/serwis/200709/06golden_lunacy.php

the expedition’s websites:
www.VerticalVision.pl (Polish version)
Wyprawy Onet

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