High price
In her new book, French mountaineer Élisabeth Revol recalls the horror of leaving her climbing partner on the treacherous mountain in winter
A mountaineer’s tragic expedition
When French mountaineer Élisabeth Revol became the first woman to summit Nanga Parbat ( 8,126m) in winter on 25 January 2018, the euphoria was short- lived.
Tomasz “Tomek” Mackiewicz, her Polish climbing partner, reached the summit and shouted: “Éli, what’s happening with my eyes? I can’t see your head torch any more; you’re a blur!’ He was snowblind, suffering from frostbite and displaying symptoms of high altitude oedema. It’s a moment that ‘ lasts an eternity’, Élisabeth recalls, marking the start of a harrowing three- night ordeal in sub- zero temperatures at altitude. The summit was only the halfway point, and the pair had to descend quickly to an appropriate altitude for possible helicopter rescue. An SOS was sent; logistics and poor weather would determine their fate.
Unable to walk and bleeding, Tomasz relies on Élisabeth to guide him down the mountain. She shelters him from the bitter wind overnight in a crevasse while she attempts to retrieve emergency supplies, but Tomasz’s condition worsens as they await rescue. Élisabeth is forced to leave him and descend, all the while holding on to the false hope of helicopter rescue. She is met by two climbers who guide her down. Tomasz – who had finally succeeded on his seventh attempt at the peak in winter – cannot be reached by helicopter and becomes another victim of the “Killer Mountain”.
“Today, what hurts the most is that Tomek wasn’t able to see this summit that he wanted so much,” Élisabeth writes in To Live, a translation of her book Vivre. To add insult to injury, Élisabeth was subsequently thrust into a media frenzy as reporters stormed her French hospital ward, pointing cameras and microphones at her bandaged hands and weathered face; sensationalist headlines spoke of her “abandonment” of Tomasz, of selfishness, while criticism spread online. The interest was a doubleedged sword: donations raised 157,000 euros to fund the rescue and support Tomasz’s children.
In To Live, Élisabeth sets the record straight and shares her philosophy on climbing, life and loss. She has “closed the loop” on her mountaineering addiction and the trauma that she lived through.
You had a poster of Everest in your childhood bedroom. What attracted you to mountains?
I don't think there is a single answer. It's an alchemy between a certain unknown – perhaps "forbidden” – element which intrigues me, and fantasies that emerged from childhood dreams.
Family walks in the Écrins gave me the desire to always see what was behind, above, on the other side. As a student, I discovered the mythical Alps. I caught the bug. The mixture of effort, excitement, stress, challenge and fulfilment enthralled me.
This was Tomasz's seventh trip to Nanga Parbat in winter, and your fourth. You said it had lost its appeal, while Tomasz had become embittered following a confrontation with the first successful team and remained ‘ obsessed’. What drew you back?
Yes, Nanga had lost its appeal and curiosity. I had less motivation. Too
The mixture of effort, excitement, stress, challenge and fulfilment enthralled me
many famous climbers, too much routine and fewer questions. Tomasz also had his doubts, but he sought revenge for the hurtful confrontation in 2016.
I was not looking for the first winter ascent. It had been done and I felt better for it. I could return in peace, without pressure. Part of me was afraid to regret not finishing this project. When I closed my eyes I escaped up there and felt joy when I relived those tough but magical moments, far from everything. In January 2018, there was nowhere else I wanted to be.
You were instructed by the rescuers to leave Tomasz, but you were reluctant. Where did your resolve come from?
The faith I have always had in life and in both Tomasz and myself. I would descend to look for help, lighten the helicopter load or reascend with a ground team. It was the only connection that kept me moving. I always thought that Tomasz would be saved; it was this deep feeling of belief in him that carried me on this mountain.
When the rescue team ( Adam Bielecki and Denis Urubko) appeared, what were your emotions? How did you feel about the Crowdfunding campaign?
I wrote: ‘ Suddenly a beam of light from the slope below pierces the darkness. A second follows 20 metres behind. Two beams that illuminate a long way, moving quickly like agitated puppet heads. A mist blurs the radiant yellow head torch. They climbed up? I can't believe it. My God, they've climbed up, they've climbed up! A veil of comfort slides over me. Sitting on the rock, I watch the ballet of light beams ascending towards me. The most fabulous spectacle of my life. I remain petrified, perched on my rock 100 metres above them. Unable to move, to comprehend what is happening.’
I had an immense feeling of gratitude for the donations and realised how generous people can be. The human heart, when it is compelled into action, is a beautiful thing.
Upon your return, you were mobbed by press and criticised.
In hospital, I was faced with a new 8000 metre peak; one you would never want to climb alone and my toughest mountain yet. A mutual incomprehension of two worlds. I had to re- acclimatise to life, despite the abyss opened by Tomasz's death. The shock of my life up there, then another one waiting for me in hospital.
This book allowed me to put things straight and tell our story. I owed it to Tomasz because we discussed writing about Nanga and – above all – it was our last conversation before I left him. My thoughts have calmed about the horror and the suffering, but there will never be celebration.
The title Vivre/ To Live has multiple meanings in the context of your story. What does it mean to you?
It echoes the hope of life that I possessed during those three days. Had I thought about death, I might not be here today. As Victor Hugo said: "You are no longer where you were, but you are everywhere where I am," and Tomasz continues to live alongside me.
To Live, Fighting for life on the killer mountain by Élisabeth Revol is out now ( Vertebrate Publishing) priced £ 24