Olga Dobranowski Climbs Ama Dablam, Her First in Nepal
The Himalayan season has started with a number of teams heading to basecamps, fixing ropes and watching conditions to make a plan. Like many Himalayan seasons, this year has started with a number of tragic deaths, but that hasn’t slowed upward progression on the world’s biggest mountains.
Polish climber Olga Dobranowski has become the first climber of the year to reach the summit of the 6,812-metres Ama Dablam during her first trip to Nepal. She reported that she reached the summit up the popular Southwest Ridge route after only seven days of climbing unsupported. She faced strong winds from Cyclone Fani as she pushed to the summit on May 4. She reached camp two as the weather worsened.
Dobranowski is climbing to raise money to build a hospital in the Solukhumbu Valley, which you can learn more about here. In 2018, she soloed Denali and Aconcagua.
In 2018, Dobranowski wrote for Uphill Athlete after her big solo ascents. “Immediately after returning home I began dreaming of my next big mountain. I wonder whether it would even be possible to safely climb a 7,000- or 8,000-meter peak in less than two weeks.
“Also, will I have enough discipline, strength, and passion to continue balancing work, family, teaching, and training for my next big climbing objective? The answer to that lives somewhere on a distant summit. The answer to that lives in me.” Read the full story here.
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