Weather Forces Czech-Slovak Team Off Stairway to Heaven on Bhagirathi III

A Czech-Slovak team attempting a complete free ascent of Stairway to Heaven on Bhagirathi III (6,454 m) has ended its expedition after persistent bad weather forced the climbers to retreat following four days on the wall.

The four climbers, Martin Krasňanský, Tomáš Buček, Michal Mikušínec and Pavel Nesvadba, had set out to free-climb the technically demanding line on the Southwest Pillar of Bhagirathi III in the Gangotri region of the Garhwal Himalaya. Veteran Slovak mountaineer Zolo Demján accompanied the expedition in a support role.

An Ambitious Return to Bhagirathi III

For Krasňanský, the expedition marked a return to familiar ground. In 2019, he was part of a three-member team that attempted Stairway to Heaven and climbed for four days, reaching around 6,100 m before deteriorating weather forced a retreat.

The route itself was established in 2004 by German climbers Walter Hölzler and Jörg Pflugmacher. Their ascent took six days with five bivouacs on the wall. The approximately 1,300–1,500 m line involves difficult high-altitude rock climbing, with sections around 7b, and has remained a formidable free-climbing objective.

Weather Disrupts the Expedition

The expedition encountered difficult conditions from an early stage. After establishing Camp 1 at around 5,400 m, heavy rain caused rockfall around the campsite, forcing the climbers to relocate. Continued rain eventually sent the team back some 24 km to Gangotri to dry equipment, recover, and wait for another weather window.

The climbers subsequently returned to Bhagirathi III for another attempt. But the anticipated improvement in weather never really arrived.

According to an 18 September update published by the Slovak Mountaineering Union SHS JAMES, the team spent four days on the wall before retreating from the lower half of the route. Persistent fog, snow and rain, occasional falling rocks and a forecast of thunderstorms made further progress increasingly hazardous. The freezing level was reportedly as high as 6,000 m.

Describing the brief weather window, SHS JAMES wrote:

“The sun showed itself for only a few hours.” 

With little prospect of improvement, the team abandoned the climb and brought the expedition to an end. Their concluding message was equally reflective: the mountains would remain, while returning safely, richer in experience, and still as friends mattered more.

Unfinished Business on Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven was established in 2004 by German climbers Walter Hölzler and Jörg Pflugmacher. The approximately 1,300 m line involved more than 30 pitches, with free-climbing difficulties up to 7b. Hölzler reported that all but two pitches were free-climbed, leaving the complete free ascent as a formidable challenge for future teams.

For Krasňanský, 2026 was also a return to unfinished business. In 2019, he, Pavel Kratochvíl and Róbert Luby attempted Stairway to Heaven and spent four days on the route, reaching around 6,100 m before deteriorating weather forced them to retreat. 

Seven years later, the weather has once again brought Krasňanský's attempt to an end. The complete free ascent of Stairway to Heaven remains an open challenge. 

Expedition Summary

Peak: Bhagirathi III
Altitude: 6,454 m
Region: Gangotri, Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India
Route: Stairway to Heaven, Southwest Pillar
Objective: Complete free ascent
Climbers: Martin Krasňanský, Tomáš Buček, Michal Mikušínec and Pavel Nesvadba
Support: Zolo Demján
Expedition Period: August–September 2026
Outcome: Retreat after four days on the wall
High Point: Lower half of the wall; precise altitude not reported
Conditions: Persistent fog, rain and snow, occasional rockfall and forecast thunderstorms

Route Record

1982: Bob Barton and Alan Fyffe made the first ascent of the Southwest Pillar. The relationship between this original Scottish Route and the later direct variation is seen as more complex.

2004: Walter Hölzler and Jörg Pflugmacher established Stairway to Heaven, a difficult direct variation on the Southwest Pillar. The route was reported at approximately 1,300 m, 30-plus pitches, 7b A2. All but two pitches were free-climbed.

2019: Martin Krasňanský, Pavel Kratochvíl and Róbert Luby attempted the route, reaching approximately 6,100 m after four days before retreating in bad weather. 

2026: Krasňanský returned with Buček, Mikušínec and Nesvadba to attempt the complete free ascent. After four days on the wall, persistent monsoon conditions forced another retreat.

Photo Courtesy: SHS JAMES