Climbers Tomasz Mackiewicz and Elisabeth Revol. Photo / gofundme.com
Climbers Tomasz Mackiewicz and Elisabeth Revol. Photo / gofundme.com
With her frostbitten and snow-blind climbing partner safe in their only tent, Elisabeth Revol proceeded farther down the mountain to call for help on her satellite phone.
But even if the Frenchwoman could make contact with someone, who would be able to help before the climbers succumbed to the harsh conditions in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth?
Revol and Tomasz "Tomek" Mackiewicz, a Polish climber, were more than 7315m up Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth-highest mountain, on Friday. Mackiewizcz had made the attempt six times in the past six years, falling short every time. Revol joined him starting in 2014.
Nanga Parbat has been killing European climbers since the West discovered it in the late 19th century. The mountaineering community call it Killer Mountain.
Mackiewizcz and Revol were seeking to become just the second team to reach its summit in winter time. They started in mid-December.
"Tomek hopes to finally complete his winter ascent of 8126m (Nanga Parbat)," organisers said on a crowdfunding campaign in support of the latest expedition. "With each passing year the scale of the project has increased, becoming a major project and healthy obsession, stoked by Tomek's stubbornness."
Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest mountain in the world, is seen in Pakistan's northern area. Photo / AP
But his seventh attempt would fail, too. Mackiewicz and his partner realised that he was suffering from frostbite and snow blindness. The ailments hindered his ability to move and made him more susceptible to potentially fatal altitude sickness. Revol secured him and descended alone, trying to reach by phone anyone who could help. With her battery dwindling, she finally made contact.
Shortly afterwards, her friend Masha Gordon started a GoFundMe to raise money for a rescue effort. The New York Times reported that it was briefly delayed because the Pakistani military refused to scramble a helicopter until the money for its operation was guaranteed, a common practice for such missions.
Gordon, a former banker, described Revol as "the strongest female alpinist alive" despite her small, 42kg frame and being "a PE teacher from the middle of nowhere in France".
The GoFundMe page became a news ticker of sorts. "Eli managed to bring Tomek down to 7280m ... and set him up in a tent ... Though she has no tent, she is clearly lucid." A day later, Revol had frostbites on her toes. "I am okay," she texted from the satellite phone. "Very thirsty and hungry." But Revol's satellite phone and homing beacon died.
Hope came in the form of an "elite climbing team" from Poland. The group of four was attempting to make the first winter ascent of the nearby peak K2. Pakistani military helicopters ferried the four men to about a kilometre below the last location sent out by Revol's beacon. . Two stayed behind to establish a base camp. The other pair - Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki - made a dangerous overnight ascent.
On Sunday, the team announced success: "Elisabeth Revol found! Adam and Denis just got to her". Their elation was tempered by the sobering decision that followed. The weather had taken a turn for the worse, with a wind chill -60C and 80 km/h winds. It would be impossible to go up for Mackiewicz.
The rescuers descended with Revol and they were helicoptered to safety. A doctor in Islamabad said her injuries were not life-threatening.
The Polish Foreign Ministry said it would fund the rescue effort. Revol's friends had raised nearly US$125,000. Organisers said they were trying to make sure as much of that as possible goes to Mackiewicz's wife, Anna, and three children.
