Asia, Nepal, Mahalangur Himal — Khumbu Section, Cho Oyu (8188m), Southeast Face

Climb Year: N/A. Publication Year: 2010.

One of the most remarkable pre-monsoon ascents was the new route on the southeast face of Cho Oyu by Boris Dedeshko and Denis Urubko. The Kazakhs climbed the face to the left of the 1985 Polish Southeast Pillar, joining it at ca 8,000m. Climbing alpine-style, with Urubko leading, the two spent five days completing their 2,600m route, then crossing the summit plateau to give Urubko his 14th and last 8,000m peak. There was a difficult rock barrier low (6b A2/3) and a section of M6 high. The remainder was steep snow and ice. A full account of the Cho Oyu ascent appears earlier in the Journal. There are two other routes on the southeast face. In 1978 Austrians Alois Furtner and Edi Koblmuller, with only a trekking permit, made an ascent of the right side of the face, fixing some rope. In February 1985 a Polish team led by the great winter specialist, Andrzej Zawada, climbed the difficult central pillar, putting four climbers on the summit.