In his short life Tomek did enough to fill the lives of several people. He was a mountaineer, an ultrarunner and a traveller.
Always incredibly driven to make the most of every moment and every chance life gave him. He inspired people every day — above all, he made you believe that every dream can come true: you just have to want it and act. He made you believe nothing is impossible.
A graduate in tourism and recreation. He drew crowds of people around him — to many he was a friend, with an amazing sense of humour and a volcano of energy.
„Life is about making dreams come true — your own and other people’s.”
Mountains
Tomek was a superb mountaineer. He climbed 6 of the 9 Crown of the Earth summits.
In 2009, completely alone and on a single expedition, he climbed the three highest six-thousanders of South America. In 2010 he traversed the Mt McKinley massif, the highest peak in North America, and in 2011 he climbed four of the highest peaks of the former USSR.
Highest summits reached, 2004–2013
- 2004 Mont Blanc 4809 m
- 2006 Kilimanjaro 5895 m
- 2008 Elbrus 5642 m
- 2009 Aconcagua 6961 m
- 2009 Ojos del Salado 6893 m
- 2009 Monte Pissis 6792 m
- 2010 Mount Kosciuszko 2228 m
- 2011 Lenin Peak 7134 m
- 2011 Korzhenevskaya Peak 7105 m
- 2011 Ismoil Somoni Peak 7495 m
- 2011 Khan Tengri 7010 m
- 2013 Broad Peak 8051 m
„We did a great job that nobody needed.” — T. Kowalski
Snow Leopard
A record attempt at the Snow Leopard award — climbing the five highest seven-thousanders of the former USSR in under 42 days. It did not quite work out, yet the result was astonishing: in just 24 days he summited four peaks — Lenin Peak (7134 m), Korzhenevskaya Peak solo (7105 m), Ismoil Somoni Peak (7495 m) and Khan Tengri solo (7010 m).
Pobeda Peak remained, but conditions there were so harsh that Tomek did not want to risk the climb without a partner — even though there was still plenty of time to beat the record. For this achievement he received a distinction at the Kolosy Festival in 2011.
„I’m on the summit and I love life.” — T. Kowalski
Around the world
Travel was his passion, but he believed every trip needed a clear purpose. He travelled all over the world — more than 30 countries on 6 continents.
In 2009–2010 he spent a year and a half travelling around the world: among other things he paddled down the Yukon River in North America, raced ultramarathons in Canada, the USA and Borneo, climbed, surfed, dived and discovered the world in every possible way.
Broad Peak
He had the soul of an explorer. His greatest dream was to write himself into world history — to do something no one had ever done. He fulfilled it: he was a member of the Polish national expedition to Broad Peak (8051 m), never before climbed in winter.
The Polish climbers — Tomek together with Maciej Berbeka, Adam Bielecki and Artur Małek — fought the mountain for two months. On 6 March 2013, after reaching the summit, on the way down Tomek and Maciek Berbeka did not return to base. They stayed in the mountains forever.
Watch the film
The book “magisterkowalski.blog”
This is not just another ordinary love story. Nor is it a tale about the tragedy that cut it short.
Tomek Kowalski and Agnieszka Korpal: two young, extraordinary, award-winning athletes and travellers who loved life above all else meet and fall in love. Madly, forever and a hundred percent. Both know almost at first sight that they were made for each other. Everything points to fate having meant to bring them together: decisions made in early youth, passions, journeys and places, all described at length in the book.
Before he died on 6 March 2013 while descending from Broad Peak, after the first winter ascent of that mountain, Tomek kept a blog for several years. That blog, interwoven with Agnieszka's memories, is the backbone of a beautiful story written by life itself, with little room for tears, sadness or bitterness. The joy of life that Tomek had runs through almost every page, gives energy and restores faith that dreams can come true.
