Polish alpinist Piotr Jerzy Krzyżowski has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records after completing one of the Himalaya’s most demanding back-to-back ascents without supplementary oxygen.
Lhotse – This peak is connected to Mount Everest via the South Col/Uwe Gille/Wikimedia Commons
In May 2024, Krzyżowski became the fastest person to summit Lhotse and then Mount Everest consecutively without bottled oxygen, completing the double climb in just 1 day, 23 hours and 22 minutes.
The record has now been formally certified, placing Krzyżowski among a small group of elite high-altitude climbers operating at the outer limits of human endurance.
He reached the 8,516-metre summit of Lhotse on 21 May 2024 at 14:38, before traversing the South Col route toward Everest. Less than two days later, at 14:00 on 23 May, he stood on the summit of Everest, the world’s highest peak at 8,849 metres. The elapsed time between summits marked a new benchmark in oxygen-free Himalayan climbing.
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What sets the ascent apart is not only its speed, but its uncompromising style. Krzyżowski climbed solo, without Sherpa support, without supplemental oxygen, and without descending back to Camp 2 or Base Camp between peaks — a level of self-reliance rarely attempted on these heavily guided routes.
Chhang Dawa Sherpa, expedition director at Seven Summit Treks, described the achievement as a standout moment in modern alpinism, calling it “a new pinnacle of minimalist, self-reliant climbing.”
In an era when Everest ascents are increasingly commercialised, Krzyżowski’s record serves as a reminder that the world’s highest mountains still demand — and reward — exceptional skill, restraint and respect for altitude.
Source: Gripped Climbing Magazine
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