“Hello, Andrew, do you know where we are?” 45 years since the historical success of Poles

On February 17, 1980, Poles were the first to make the winter entrance to Mount Everest. The highest mountain in the planet gained after fighting the hurricane wind, which greatly weakened the team's morale.

This historical feat was performed by Leszek Cichy and Krzysztof Wielicki, but the full 20-member squad under the leadership of the forerunner of winter Himalaism Andrzej Zawada earned the success of the mountainists.

“My first words were, ‘Hello, Andrew, do you know where we are?’” said Leszek Silenty, “Then together we shouted to the headphones: ‘At the top of Everest!’.” Poles spent about 40 minutes on “the roof of the world” and left a rosary on the top.

The winter entrance to Mount Everest began the era of Polish dominance in the highest mountains of the world.