As young boys we lived and breathed the stories of Andrzej Zawada, the Polish promoter of Himalayan winter climbing. As far as we could learn, no climbers had undertaken the challenge of big-wall climbing in winter conditions in the Karakoram, and therefore we had no information to help us prepare for our expedition to the Trango Glacier. We equipped ourselves with gear and clothing appropriate for the lowest temperatures at 8,000m. We asked ourselves, “Will we be able to climb technically difficult sections of the face dressed like this?” It was a huge challenge.

Our original plan included climbing on Shipton Spire in a three-person team with Paweł Hałdaś. Unfortunately, he was unable to come. Due to time limitations, we chose a smaller wall, Uli Biaho Gallery, almost opposite Trango Base Camp. [The altitude of the top of this wall is uncertain, but is thought to be below 5,000m.] 

We made our first bivouac beneath the face and the following day started our 11-day climb, reaching the top on December 16. Temperatures down to around -30°C and spindrift made the climb very slow; each day we were able to aid only one or two pitches. The route was 16 pitches, and only four of these were free (up to M7). The remaining terrain was too chal- lenging to be free climbed due to sand- filled cracks or offwidths. We placed nine 10mm bolts for rappelling and hauling.

We climbed capsule-style, with our second bivouac at the top of pitch six. We fixed 400m of rope above this and then set off for a summit push. We had estimated the top to be 70m above the end of the ropes, but fore-
shortening misled us, and we had to climb three long pitches, almost 150m. In the upper chimney we found bolts from the Ecuadorian route Freetanga Ecuatoriana (2014), which we joined for 1.5 pitches before climbing direct where the Ecuadorian route moves left.

We named our route Frozen Fight Club (700m of climbing, M7 A3). The climb has no extreme difficulties and offers beautiful, solid, and exposed terrain; it has potential to be free climbed in summer. However, one needs lots of determination to reach the top in winter conditions.

We made our first bivouac beneath the face and the following day started our 11-day climb, reaching the top on December 16. Temperatures down to around -30°C and spindrift made the climb very slow; each day we were able to aid only one or two pitches. The route was 16 pitches, and only four of these were free (up to M7). The remaining terrain was too challenging to be free climbed due to sand-filled cracks or offwidths. We placed nine 10mm bolts for rappelling and hauling.

We climbed capsule-style, with our second bivouac at the top of pitch six. We fixed 400m of rope above this and then set off for a summit push. We had estimated the top to be 70m above the end of the ropes, but fore-shortening misled us, and we had to climb three long pitches, almost 150m. In the upper chimney we found bolts from the Ecuadorian route Freetanga Ecuatoriana (AAJ 2015), which we joined for 1.5 pitches before climbing direct where the Ecuadorian route moves left.

We named our route Frozen Fight Club (700m of climbing, M7 A3). The climb has no extreme difficulties and offers beautiful, solid, and exposed terrain; it has potential to be free climbed in summer. However, one needs lots of determination to reach the top in winter conditions.

— Damian "Dany" Bielecki and Marcin "Yeti" Tomaszewski, Poland