Two climbers in winter gear stand on a snowy mountain, smiling with their arms around each other. The climber on the left wears a dark jacket with blue accents and a beanie, while the climber on the right wears a blue jacket with "Eiger Extreme" branding. A snowy landscape stretches out in the background.

Czech Duo to Attempt New Route on Cho Oyu

Anano Atabegashvili | October 15, 2025
News, 8000m
Two climbers in winter gear stand on a snowy mountain, smiling with their arms around each other. The climber on the left wears a dark jacket with blue accents and a beanie, while the climber on the right wears a blue jacket with "Eiger Extreme" branding. A snowy landscape stretches out in the background.

Photo: Marek Holecek

Even among the great Himalayan giants, there are still lines that remain untouched. Czech alpinist and Piolet d’Or winner Marek Holecek and his partner Radoslav Groh have announced an ambitious new project: to open a new route on the southeast face of Cho Oyu (8,188 m) in Nepal, climbing in pure alpine style.

The announcement, shared by Holecek on his social media channels, confirms what followers of the Czech climbing scene have come to expect – another bold and uncompromising challenge from one of the world’s most accomplished alpinists.

This is not the first time Holecek and Groh have teamed up for high-stakes expeditions. The pair previously climbed together in 2021 and 2022, when they attempted the west face of Masherbrum and a new route on Baruntse, both of which ended without summiting. Despite those setbacks, the partnership forged between the two remains strong, fueled by a shared vision of exploration and technical mastery.

Both alpinists boast remarkable achievements in recent years. In 2024, Groh and Zdeněk Hák completed the first full ascent of Muchu Chhish, the world’s highest unclimbed peak at the time. Earlier in 2025, Hák and Groh succeeded in opening a new route on the southwest face of a Hunza summit.

Holecek’s record is equally formidable – and marked by both triumph and tragedy. In 2024, he and Slovakian climber Ondrej Huserka completed a daring first ascent of the east face of Langtang Lirung. Sadly, Huserka died during the descent, a loss that deeply affected the climbing community.

According to their latest social media updates, the Holecek–Groh team is currently positioned at the upper end of the Ngozumpa Glacier, preparing for the ascent. As of now, they haven’t finalized the exact line they’ll follow – the only certainty being that it will rise along the mountain’s southeast face.

Holecek mentioned that “several options” are under discussion on this exceptionally demanding wall. Very few expeditions venture onto this side of Cho Oyu, as it is steep, remote, and technically complex. The last major success on this face dates back to 2009, when Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko completed a historic first ascent.

More recently, Russian teams made unsuccessful attempts in 2023 and 2024, underscoring the wall’s formidable nature. However, a Nepali team led by Gelje Sherpa achieved a breakthrough in 2024, successfully establishing a new route via the south–southeast ridge after three prior failed attempts.

Now, Holecek and Groh are adding their names to the story of this rarely climbed face – aiming to carve out a new line on one of the world’s highest and most intimidating peaks.

If successful, their climb would stand as another milestone in modern Himalayan alpine-style ascents, proving once again that even on the world’s most famous 8,000-meter mountains, there are still unexplored paths waiting to be traced.

Source: Alpin.de