Marcin (Yeti) Tomaszewski (Poland) – Big Wall climber
Stars of Banskofilmfest 2023
Marcin (Yeti) Tomaszewski (Poland) – one of the best polish alpinists and Big-Wall climbers – Presentation day 25th of November, 19:15h, Big Hall, Culture Center “Nikola Vapcarov”, Bansko city.
He will present also the film INUSSUK Droga do domu/INUSSUK The Way Home
Country: Poland Year: 2023 Director: Marcin Tomaszewski, Małgorzata Ochnicka, Wojciech Wysocki Duration: 15 mins
Description: The film is set on the west coast of Greenland during calendar winter. Two big-wall climbers Marcin Yeti Tomaszewski and Paweł Hałdaś plan to establish the first ever climbing route at this time of year. It is narrated by independent voices – an Inuit woman recalling her father, a reflective narrator describing the climbers’ presence among the frozen fjords, and the climbers themselves. The film does not present the technical aspects of the climb, nor does it chronicle it – instead it describes the inner lives of the characters, their reflections during the expedition. The title-character Inussuk is a type of sculpture created by the Inuit by arranging stones in such a way that their pile resembles a standing person. Inussuk has a practical significance – it serves as a signpost. Inussuk can also show the way through life, the way back home, fulfilling its mystical purpose.
Marcin Tomaszewski, aka Yeti (born October 17, 1975 in Szczecin) – is a Polish mountaineer, alpinist, big wall climber. A surveyor by
profession. He is also a member of the Polish Mountaineering Association (PZA) National Team in mountaineering, climbing instructor, mountain photographer, author of books and fairy tales for children published in the form of an audiobook, in cooperation with the Góry Books publishing house and actors of the Polish Theatre, Współczesny Theatre in Szczecin and Czwarte Miasto Theatre in Gdynia. A columnist, co-creator of the Summit mountaineering jewellery collection, in collaboration with Anna Orska. A designer of mountain clothing with the HiMountain brand (4Żywioły collection). A former judoka representing Arkonia Szczecin Sports Club. Marcin was the originator of the project Skalna Wioska Yeti (Rocky Village Yeti) – executed from the Civic Budget in the Municipality of Dobra – the aim of which is to import approximately one thousand tonnes of natural rock from southern Poland and to build climbing rocks out of it in Buk, near Szczecin. He is an ambassador of numerous foundations, including the Polish Mobile Clinic, Jerzy Kukuczka Polish Mountaineering Support Foundation, Start Foundation, Wspinaczom z Ukrainy (For Ukrainian Climbers), and the creator of the “Supporting Nepal’s Children” campaign in cooperation with the White Grain Foundation, whose goal was to send clothing and shoes for poor children from Sherpa villages located high in the mountains of Nepal, India and Pakistan. A member of the Kolosy Travel Awards Chapter.
Professional life
On a daily basis, Marcin Tomaszewski actively promotes climbing in Poland, meeting children and young people in schools, hospitals and
educational centres, organising climbing training and classes, as well as competitions and climbing shows. Since 1994, at the Big Wall climbing gym in Szczecin, he has co-organised the cyclical FC Fight Club National Climbing Competition, of which he is also the originator. He also co-organised climbing competitions at KS Korona Kraków. In 2006, two editions of a climbing competition were also held on the façade of a tenement building in the centre of Szczecin, which was designated for renovation. The first was speed climbing, the second one – dry tooling, during which climbers ascended the façade using, among other things, tree trunks hung on it. Since 1992, he has carried out work at height using mountaineering techniques. As a beginner climber, he sewed mountain clothing on his own and with the help of his mother, using fleece and polyamide fabric bought from a wholesaler, in which he climbed in the Tatra Mountains for the next few years. A couple of years later, he also tried his hand as a manufacturer of mountain clothing, unfortunately without success. In 1998, Tomaszewski founded the company Geronimo in Szczecin, which provided training in both climbing and techniques used in work at height, as well as offered the construction of artificial climbing walls and events with their use. In the years 2015-2018, he organised climbing events on a self-built mobile climbing wall based on a long-load trailers. A climbing instructor since 2005. Between 2007 and 2012, together with his second wife Maria, they ran their own climbing and sports centre in Jarocin, called Geronimo Club. The facility, which included a self-built (45m², 5m high) climbing wall, offered climbing classes for children and adults, as well as Pilates. From 2009 to 2012, he was president of the “Health Path” Association in Jarocin promoting a healthy lifestyle. As part of the association’s activities, he organised, among other things, an event in the market square in Jarocin combined with a climbing competition of the Fight Club series on a portable 10-metre climbing wall brought from Kraków. As a professional climber Marcin Tomaszewski is or was involved with an international team of brands like Millet, Marmot, Climbing Technology, Camp & Cassin, Mx3 as well as Zamberlan, Boreal, Mount & Wave or PZU Bezpieczny Powrót.
Key expeditions
Since 1990 – climbing in the mountains and rocky regions of Europe.
Mountain climbing: the Tatras, the Alps, the Dolomites and the mountains
of Norway with numerous partners, including Paweł Lipiński, Marcin
Michałek, Krzysztof Belczyński, Jakub Radziejowski, Grzegorz Mołczan.
2000 – Greenland, Nalumasortoq (a new route in summer), Planeta spisek
(The Conspiracy Planet) in 7 days, Big Wall, as well as one-day
repetitions of the routes: Moby Dick and War and Poetry on
Ulamertorsuaq, Fiord Tasermiut. The first Polish climbing expedition to
Greenland. Partners: Jacek Fluder, Janusz Gołąb, Stanisław Piecuch.
2001 – Pakistan, Nangmah Walley, Denbor; 700 m, 7 days, summer. The
first climbing route on the face, the second ascent of the summit.
Partner: Krzysztof Belczyński.
2002 – Baffin Island, Mount Thor, Pangnirtung Fiord (a new route, 1500
m). 10 days, Big Wall, summer. The first Polish climbing expedition to
Baffin Island. Partners: Michał Bulik, Krzysztof Belczyński.
2003 – USA, Alaska, Shadows Glacier, route: Ostatni krzyk motyla (The
Last Cry of the Butterfly) in 12 days, Big Wall (a new route in winter),
1200 m. The ascent awarded with the Piolet d’Or in Grenoble (France
2005). Partners: Krzysztof Belczyński, Dawid Kaszlikowski.
2004 – India, Garhwal, Meru Sharks Finn (an attempt at a new route).
Partner: Krzysztof Belczyński.
2005 – USA, Yosemite, El Capitan, Salathe Wall (27 hours, non-stop),
1000 m. Partner: Jacek Krawczyk.
2006 – Patagonia, Argentina, Cerro Torre, Compressor Route (12 hours),
1100 m. The second Polish ascent of the summit. Partner: Krzysztof
Belczyński.
2006 – Norway, winter. Romsdal, Trollveggen (attempt). Partner: Dariusz
Sokołowski, Jakub Radziejowski.
2006 – China, Qonglai Mountains, Seerdengpu (an attempt at a new route
on an unclimbed wall and summit). Partners: Adam Pieprzycki, Wojciech
Wandzel (photographer). Withdrawal from the wall as Marcin developed an
infection and tetanus symptoms (hand numbness).
2007 – Norway, winter, Innset Ice Climbing.
2007 – USA, Alaska, Little Switzerland, Throne (a new 7a route).
Partners: Tom Adcroft and Aneta.
2007 – Pakistan, Karakoram, Trango Tower (an attempt in summer).
Partner: Krzysztof Belczyński.
2009 – Argentina, Patagonia, Fitz Roy, Supercanaletta (attempt; solo,
summer).
2009 – Alaska, USA, Mount Barrille (III, 1200 m solo in winter), Mount
Johnson, Escalator (M5, Wi4 1200 solo in winter).
2010 – Venezuela, Acopan Tepui, Mysterrios (a new route, summer, 650m,
7c). Partners: Marcin Szczotka, Cheo Garcia, Jarosław Woćko, Wojciech
Wandzel.
2010 – China, Qonglai Mountains, Seerdengpu. During an attempt to send a
new route in winter conditions, there was an accident caused by falling
ice hitting one of the participants. Partners: Andrzej Sokołowski,
Marcin Rutkowski.
2012 – Canada, Baffin Island, Polar Sun Spire, Sam Ford Fiord,
Superbalance (a new route in winter, April). Big Wall, 1600 m, 24 days.
Partner: Marek Raganowicz.
2012 – Argentina, Patagonia, Cerro Torre, Ragni Rout (Ferrari route),
free, 12hrs, 1100 m. The second ascent by Marcin Tomaszewski, who is the
only Pole to have climbed this route twice.
2013 – Pakistan, Karakoram, Great Trango Tower, Bushido (a new route in
summer), 1700 m, 21 days, Big Wall. Partner: Marek Raganowicz.
2014 – USA, Alaska, Mount Dickey (an attempt in winter conditions).
Partner: Dawid Sysak.
2015 – Norway, a new route on the north face of Trollveggen in winter ,
1100 m, 19 days (Katharsis M7 / A4). The second route ever established
in winter, the first without using fixed ropes. Ascent in a 2-person
team. Partner: Marek Raganowicz.
2015 – Norway, a new route established in summer on the north face of
Kjeraq, Lysefiord, 1200 m (Wild Stories VII+,A2). Partners: Dariusz
Sokołowski, Andrzej Drygiel.
2016 – Monte Civetta, Dolomites, Italy. Summer, North West Face, Dirty
Harry (1375 m VII, 2 days, a new route in summer). Partner: Tom Ballard.
Additionally, several shorter new routes on lesser-known faces.
2016 – Eiger Nordwand, Switzerland, a new route – Titanic, 1900 m, 7
days, December, winter conditions. Partner: Tom Ballard[14].
2017 – Greenland, two new routes established during the summer while
cruising aboard the yacht Berg. Agpat Island; Rolling Stones 6b, 900m
and on the Aquliaruseq peninsula on Anchor Wall Night Watch 7c, 900m.
Discovery of an unclimbed mountain massif and naming it after the yacht
Bergland. Members of the expedition: Artur Bergier (captain of the
yacht), Sławomir Ejsymont, Mateusz Solecki (cameraman), Wojciech
Malawski, Konrad Ociepka.
2018 – Patagonia. Cerro Torre, an attempt at a new route. Partner: Tom
Ballard.
2018 – Nepal, Jannu West Face. The expedition during which the film Wall
of Shadows directed by Eliza Kubarska was shot. Partners: Dmitri
Gołowczenko and Siergiej Nilow.
2019 – India, the Himalayas, Miyar Walley, Himal Pradesh, Blitz in the
Castel Peak massif; a new route in summer, Big Wall, 7 days. Partner:
Michał Król.
2021 – Greenland, Sandersons Hope. A solo Big Wall exploratory
expedition.
2021 – Pakistan, Karakoram, Trango Glacier. A new route on Uli Biaho
Gallery Frozen Fight Club, 780 m, 11 days. The first winter Big Wall
climb during the astronomical winter in the Karakoram mountains in
December. Partner: Damian Bielecki[15].
