Piotr Konopka

Skiing and mountains have accompanied me since my early years, which led to my interest in climbing. I have climbed several hundred routes in the mountains and crags of Europe, Asia, North America, and South America.

In the Alps, I have climbed, among others: the east face of Watzmann, the northwest face of Aig Verte (in winter), the east face of Mont Blanc du Tacul (in winter), the north face of Aig du Midi (in winter), the northwest face of Aig du Chardonnet (in winter), and the Great Corner Pillar of Mont Blanc – also in winter.

In the Caucasus, I have climbed, among others: the north face of Szczurovsky Peak, the east face of Free Spain Peak, the northeast face of Nakra-Tau, the east face of I also climbed the Donguz-Oruna East Mountains. I also climbed the Northern Ushba, and in the Bezengi region on Ukju, Panorama Peak and Skalny Peak. I climbed Eastern Elbrus twice and Western Elbrus once. I skied down from Eastern Elbrus (to a pass between the peaks).

I participated in five Himalayan expeditions. I partially climbed Cho-Oyu (8201 m) via a new route. I reached the summit solo. On my first attempt at the South Face of Lhotse, I reached an altitude of 8000 m. I participated in two winter expeditions to Nanga Parbat (8125 m).

In the Andes, I ascended and descended in 13 hours and 12 minutes. I reached the summit of Aconcagua and, in two days (23.5 hours of climbing), climbed the nearly 2,800-meter-high South Face of Aconcagua, the so-called "French Pillar."

I have also climbed in the Rocky Mountains (including "The Diamond" face on Longs Peak), in Yosemite (including El Capitan), and in winter in the Scottish Highlands.

I am a continuator of the tradition of extreme skiing in Poland. I was the first to complete the following ski descents:

* from Hińczowa Przełęcz "straight" to Morskie Oko (with Wojciech Brach, Magda Czanerle, Roman Dawidek, and Krzysztof Malzacher);

* from Długi Giewont via the northwestern face to the Strążyska Valley;

* from Mięguszowiecki Peak of Czarny along the eastern face to Czarny Staw;

* from Wołowy Grzbiet to Czarny Staw along the western Grońskiego Road;

* along the Stanisławski Route from the northwestern face of Świnica.

I have participated in the PIERRA MENTA competition four times, recognized in 1995 as the European Ski Mountaineering Championships. I have won, among others, the Piotr Malinowski Memorial and the Vlad Tatarka Memorial.

My passions have become my profession. I graduated from the Academy of Physical Education in Kraków. In 1980, I became an instructor with the Polish Ski Association. I have been a Tatra Mountain guide since 1982 and a Tatra Mountain rescuer since 1983. I have been an instructor with the Polish Mountaineering Association since 1985.

At the invitation of the Colorado Outward Bound School in Denver, I worked twice in the Rocky Mountains as a COBS instructor.

I initiated and implemented the accession of Polish high-altitude guides to the elite, global International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IVBV / UIAGM / IFMGA).

I am the founder of the Polish High-Altitude Guide Association and served as its president for 10 years (1996-2006).

I currently work as a TOPR rescuer, an IVBV high-altitude and ski guide, as well as a ski instructor, a Tatra guide, and a mountaineering instructor.

I speak two foreign languages fluently (German and English), and Russian to a lesser extent.

As a guide, I have led clients to most of the Tatra peaks. Some, such as Gerlach, have climbed even hundreds of times. I have climbed serious climbing routes with clients and students. Outside the Tatras, I have worked as a guide and instructor in the Rocky Mountains, the Caucasus, and numerous times in the Alps.

I invite everyone interested in joining me on another mountain adventure – both beginners and more advanced ones.