The current spell of bad weather is halting everyone on the Karakorum 8,000’ers. The helicopter meant to airlift Polish climber Waldemar Kowalewski, injured in an avalanche last Friday, is also grounded.
“The weather forecast is not clear for the next two to three days; it is suggested the injured climber should start going down from Base Camp on a horse or mule,” air charter company Askari Aviation told Kowalewski’s outfitter, Lela Peak Expedition.
A tough decision
Kowalewski has a broken leg, which requires urgent treatment. Waiting for an airlift is bad, but a trip on the back of a mule down the very rough Baltoro, over glacial and rocky terrain, could be even worse.
A regular on 8,000’ers, Kowalewski was injured when he broke a slab of unstable snow as he descended to Base Camp after enduring two days in a snowstorm at Camp 3. Climbing partner Jarek Lukaszewski and Pakistani climber Hassan helped him to a tent pitched at 6,500m.
An aerial pick-up was never an option, so outfitter Lela Peak Expedition hired a Sherpa team for a ground rescue mission. They climbed to the injured climber on Sunday and brought him down to Base Camp on a stretcher. Since then, he has waited for aerial evacuation, but bad weather has grounded the helicopters.
