Czechs Marek Holecek and Radoslav Groh are preparing to leave for a single alpine-style push up the southeast face of Cho Oyu.
“The time for hesitation is over,” Holecek texted. “Early tomorrow morning, when you will still be drooling on your pillows in peace, we will start cutting the first meters from the overgrown Goddess [Cho Oyu can be roughly translated as The Turquoise Goddess].”
This is one of the boldest climbs of the season. The south face of 8,188m Cho Oyu has only one route, opened in 2009 by Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko. Urubko and Dedeshko were awarded the Piolet d’Or for their line, which has not been repeated.
Magical light at dawn on the south side of Cho Oyu. Photo: Marek Holecek
Cyclone thwarted plans
Holecek, 50, and Groh, 36, intend to climb the formidable face in a single, on-sight push. According to their preliminary plans, they would have started the push days ago, but they retreated down the valley when Cyclone Montha hit Nepal’s mountains last week.
When they returned to their small Advanced Base Camp at the base of the mountain — after breaking trail for six kilometers through deep, fresh snow up the Ngozumpa Glacier — they found their camp buried.
The climbers in their Advanced Base Camp, with the summit of Cho Oyu looming above them. Photo: Marek Holecek
Holecek explained that this could have meant the end of their expedition. However, the climbers managed to retrieve their soaked gear and broken tents from the snow and spent all day yesterday drying everything and fixing the tents. They now have two patched tents in place, assembled from pieces of the four original tents. After their repair work, the two climbers retreated for a day of rest before the final push.
High winds ahead
According to Holecek, conditions on the face look very good. However, the weather tells a different story. Several meteo charts forecast sunny days all week, but with fierce west winds reaching 100kmph at the summit.
Forecast for the summit of Cho Oyu this week. Photo: Meteoexploration.com
A second forecast, at 6,500m and still on the lower part of the face, shows similarly tough conditions:
Forecast for Cho Oyu at 6,500m for the next six days. Photo: MountainForecast.com
The climbers might be somewhat sheltered from the wind while they are on the face, which looks to the southeast, but would be hit full force when they reach exposed areas closer to the summit.
