NABMA
Cho Oyu 2007
At 8201 meters / 26,906 feet, Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world. It is located on the border of Tibet and Nepal about 20 miles to the west of Mount Everest.
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Hike to ABC – Peak 6.666m behind
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![Himalaya Range – Air view from the north<br />
<br />
CHO OYU – 26,906 ft - 8.201 m<br />
- Report -<br />
<br />
Finally, after more than a year since our climb Aconcagua (22,841 ft / 6.962 m) on December 27, 2005 and hard training and preparation, we are departing to climb Cho Oyu (26,906 ft / 8.201 m) on Nepal/Tibet border.<br />
<br />
August 23, 2007:<br />
Gathering at Hotel Tibet – Kathmandu [1], Nepal [2]:<br />
Michael Hamill, leader – IMG [3] (International Mountain Guides of Seattle, WA)<br />
Eric Stevenson, leader assistant – IMG<br />
18 climbers and 4 trekkers from 8 countries: USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Romania, Bosnia.<br />
Visiting Bhaktapur [4] and Boudhanath Stupa [5]. Heavy rain. Diner at Shangri La restaurant.<br />
<br />
August 25:<br />
Flight to Lhasa [6], Tibet [7] (11,975 ft / 3.650 m)<br />
Visiting Potala Monastery [8]<br />
<br />
August 27:<br />
Drive to Shigatse [9], Tibet (12,598 ft / 3.840 m)<br />
Visiting Tashilhunpo Monastery [10] and the biggest statue of a sitting Buddha: 26.2 meters (86 ft) high.<br />
First acclimatization [11] hike to 14,180 ft or 4.322 m on Drolmari Mountain with 1,339 ft or 408 m elevation gain. Fair weather.<br />
<br />
August 29:<br />
Drive to Tingri [12], Tibet (12,586 ft / 4.380 m)<br />
Second acclimatization [11] hike to 15,502 ft or 4.725 m with 1,102 ft or 336 m elevation gain. A lot of rain.<br />
<br />
August 31:<br />
Drive to Base Camp (BC) (16,001 ft / 4.877 m). Trip through Tibet to this point organized by CTMA [13] (China Tibet Mountaineering Association). One person per tent.<br />
In order to have some reasonable sunrise and sunset times, we change the time back to Nepal time zone, i.e. 2 1/4 hours back. Otherwise the sun would always rise at half past eight. 7 members of Singapore Team arrive.<br />
Third acclimatization [11] hike to 17,224 or 5.250 m with 1,224 ft or 373 m elevation gain. Fair weather. <br />
BC is a tent city of transients. Expeditions and yak trains come and go daily. <br />
<br />
September 3:<br />
Hike (3 hrs) to Intermediate Camp (IC) (17,618 ft / 5.370 m). Snow during the night.<br />
<br />
September 4:<br />
Hike (3.5 hrs) to Advanced Base Camp (ABC) (18,456 ft / 5.625 m) our “home” for the next 30 days. Meet 7 members of Singapore Women’s Team [14]. Snowy days.<br />
One trekker leaves the expedition due to altitude problems. <br />
The highest altitude where one can acclimatize [11] (i.e. live there continuously) is about 17,388 ft or 5300 m. Longer stays above 5300 m are always connected to a slow physical degradation, since we can never be acclimatized height for the entire time, and have to put considerable energy into adaptation. <br />
In spite of the big altitude (around 18,700 ft or 5700 m) it is probably the best starting point for climbing Cho Oyu. (By the way this is the highest starting point for climbing any of 14 8-thousanders) Our site is situated east above the shore of Gyabrag glacier.<br />
On the other side are the impressive rock and ice towers of Jobo Rabtsang (21,870 ft / 6.666 m) and Nangpa La (18,835 ft / 5741 m), the most prominent pass in this region of the Himalayan main crest. In the middle age, the today's Sherpa people had immigrated to the Khumbu region over this pass. Nowadays, Tibetan yak caravans regularly cross the pass on the way to and from the market in Namche Bazar. <br />
<br />
September 7:<br />
Hike (5 hrs) to Camp 1 (C1) (20,833 ft / 6.350 m): 3 hrs over the moraine with only 656 feet or 200 meters of net height difference, and 2 hrs up through “killer slope” - the 1,476 ft or 450 m high, steep scree pile that must be conquered directly before reaching C1. The name is meant ironically and indicates the disastrous effect on the psyche that this loose stuff has, especially because the slope gradually inclines backwards towards the top. <br />
Lunch at C1. Snow on the way back to ABC (3 hrs).<br />
<br />
September 9:<br />
Puja ceremony [15]. The Puja is an important religious ritual that has the purpose to make the Gods gracious to Sherpas and mountaineers. It is completed by the ceremonial tossing of rice and tsampa flour by the participants of the ceremony.<br />
<br />
September 10:<br />
Set Adis (Zijo’s son) memorial at ABC.<br />
4 members of Austrian Team arrive.<br />
Our group counts 42 members. Our host is Great Escapes Trekking (Ang Jangbu – director; Ang Pasang – climbing Sherpa sirdar) with about 40 Sherpas (total: 83 Everest summits!).<br />
3 trekkers go back to Kathmandu with visit to Rongbuk Valley, below Everest north face.<br />
<br />
September 11:<br />
Hike to C1 (7 hrs). We only have to carry our own stuff. The site of C1 is situated at a horizontal ridge portion with some small depressions. The south side falls down steeply to the killer slope; therefore there's place for the tents only on the glaciated northern side. Sleep at C1. Two persons per tent above ABC.<br />
Next day - climb up to the Ice cliff (21,982 ft / 6.700 m) and back to ABC.<br />
One climber leaves the expedition due to altitude problems. <br />
Rest days. In the evening everybody quickly enters his sleeping bag, as it becomes cold in the dining tent; in the morning at half past seven we get up and spend the whole day eating, drinking, reading, and sleeping.<br />
<br />
September 16:<br />
Hike to C1 (5 hrs). Snow all the time. Sleep at C1. <br />
Next day climb to C2 (23,392 ft / 7.130 m) (8 hrs). Sunny day. One can hardly miss the route from C1 to C2: After about 2 hours we reach the first ice cliff – almost vertical 66 feet or 20m tall ice wall. It is secured with fixed ropes and we have a line of climbers. A very boring flat basin at 22,310 ft or 6800 m follows. After next hour we reach the second ice cliff – about 70 degrees mix of soft snow and ice. Around 98 ft or 30m is secured with fixed ropes, again with a line of climbers. One has to clear a long snow slope before reaching C2.<br />
Sleep at C2. Windy and snowy all night. Our tents are continuously blasted by heavy winds and the snow that is thrown at the tent making a huge noise, we can not sleep too well. <br />
Morning is cold (-20 C) with almost 3 feet of new snow. It is amazing how the summit of Cho Oyu actually looks so deceivingly near when you are standing at C2. Back (4 hrs) to C1. Sleep at C1.<br />
Next day back to ABC.<br />
Rest days. Considering the altitude one has to be very careful not to catch a cold and to always recover well. We read a lot and are very lazy.<br />
<br />
September 23:<br />
Singapore Women’s Team [14] reaches the summit.<br />
One more climber leaves the expedition due to altitude problems. <br />
The following days are snowy and windy.<br />
<br />
September 28:<br />
We are going for the summit. Hike (5 hrs) to C1. Sleep at C1. C1 is situated at a rocky spur, so the tents are just barely protected from the wind. This night is the stormiest up to now. The ferocious gusts of wind strongly jerk our tent. My tent is cut up.<br />
Next day: Decision – we are going back to ABC. Our expedition is terminated prematurely.<br />
<br />
September 30:<br />
Snow stops in the afternoon. The sky is clearing up before the night.<br />
Packing for leaving the ABC.<br />
<br />
October 1:<br />
Finally, sunny day.<br />
It was like this next 4 days during the time we were in Cho Oyu region. Too late!<br />
<br />
October 3:<br />
95 yaks arrived previous night, and are loaded early in the morning.<br />
We are going down to IC (2 hrs).<br />
Drive to BC and Tingri [12]. Lunch at Tingri [12].<br />
Drive over dirty road to Zhangmu [16] (Tibetan: Khasa; 7,546 ft / 2.300 m) where we spend night. Last about 100 km before border is under construction. Heavy rain! Terrible conditions!<br />
<br />
October 4:<br />
Immigration formalities at Zhangmu [16].<br />
Passing “Friendship Bridge” as the Nepalese border toward Kodari [17] (5,577 ft / 1.700 m).<br />
After 5 hours of driving (105 km) we are in our hotel Tibet, Lazimpat – Kathmandu [1].<br />
Next day visit to Monkey Temple (Stupa at Swayanabath). Diner at Rum Doodle restaurant.<br />
<br />
October 7:<br />
Rafting on Bothe Koshi River [18]. Bhote Koshi is the most stimulating rafting trip in Nepal.<br />
<br />
I learned that big mountains teach patience, humility, and willingness to surrender expectations and consider other options.](https://photos.smugmug.com/NABMA/Cho-Oyu-2007/i-crVjqjj/0/b1dc8bb1/Ti/G08-Himalaya-Tibet-Ti.jpg)
