Josef Rybicka

A tribute to Miroslav Šmíd, a Czech rock climber, solo climber, mountaineer, mountain cinematographer and photographer. Mira, as he was known, was also an active organizer of climbing and cultural events. In 1981 he founded The International Festival of Mountaineering Films (Czech: Mezinárodní horolezecký filmový festival) in Teplice nad Metují. He also wrote several books. Šmíd died tragically in 1993 during a solo ascent at Lost Arrow Spire in Yosemite. Apparently he fell just below the top while he was climbing unroped. All his equipment was found on the last ledge below the top.

Fourth episode of the historical series on the Czech Himalayan expeditions 'Ceske himalajske dobrodruzstvi'. The episode focuses on two mountains: Cho Oyu and Shisha Pangma. Cho Oyu was first climbed in winter in 1985 by the Czech mountaineer Jaromír Stejskal and Slovakian Dušan Becíkand in an international expedidion led by Canadian Roger Marshall. About Shisha Pangma, it wasn't climbed by a Czech mountaineer until 1990, when Josef Rakoncaj stood on top of it. Next Czech ascent was five years later by Oldřich Rypl, Stanislav Šilhan, Petr Skřivánek and Josef Šimůnek.

Second episode of the historical series on the Czech Himalayan expeditions 'Ceske himalajske dobrodruzstvi'. The episode focuses on two mountains: Gasherbrum I (also known as Hidden Peak) and Gasherbrum II, the lowest eight-thousanders. It was not until the summer of 1997 that a Czech expedition led by Zdeněk Hrubý paid attention on the Gasherbrums. Hrubý died in 2013 in the descent of Gasherbrum I after opening a new route on the south west face.