Mount Everest first winter ascent - Andrzej Zawada

With Tadeusz Piotrowski he made the first winter ascent of Noshaq (7492 m) in the Hindu Kush (1973). It was the world's first winter climb above 7000 m. He was the first climber to step above 8000 meters in winter. The Polish climbing legend reached 8000 meters plus on Lhotse in 1974 during the winter. On 17 February 1980 Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy made the first winter ascent of Mount Everest. Andrzej Zawada led the expedition. He was the expedition leader for the first winter ascents of Mount Everest (1980), Cho Oyu (1985) and Lhotse (1988). He was a driving force behind the idea of winter 8000-meter climbing. Photo by Bogdan Jankowski