Cho Oyu News Archive

Previous reports from Cho Oyu

As part of the team's training schedule Ben, Tori and Omar are currently attempting to climb Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world.

This is an archive of all their reports from their training expedition. Click here for the last three reports submitted by the team.

Monday 25th September

Serac wall: Climbers ascending the serac wall between Camp one and Camp 1.5

The team is currently at Advanced Base Camp (ABC)

The last 10 days have seen significant progress in terms of making an ascent of Cho Oyu.

Tori and Omar both successfully visited and slept at Camp Two (7,100m) on 19th September, having spent five days on the mountain acclimatising to that altitude in mostly fine weather. The ascent to Camp Two includes the notorious serac wall which combines an exposed traverse and short vertical climb on ascent and abseil on descent. Both experienced mild headaches and a loss of appetite, but have been recovering well at base camp since.

Camp One: Tents crowded into camp 1 at 6,400m

Meanwhile, Ben, suffering from Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), left the team on 16th September and headed back down the mountain on his own to Chinese Base Camp, approximately 900m of descent. After two nights and feeling much recovered he returned to ABC and made his way to Camp One the following day. This was then followed by an ascent to Camp 1.5 (6,750m) above the serac wall. Ben made excellent time on each of these journeys and is now back on track to make a summit attempt from Camp Two assuming his AMS does not return.

Ben was unable to stay at Camp Two because of a bad weather system which has kept all international teams confined to ABC for the last five days.

As of today (25 Sept) we have seen a glimpse of blue sky and are hoping that strong winds and sunshine will stabilise the slopes above Camp Two in order to allow a summit attempt. At present the avalanche risk is too great to venture much beyond Camp One and the weather has not allowed sensible movement above ABC. This morning we awoke to the biggest dump of snow so far and spent the morning digging out our tents and making snowmen to pass the time.

Forthcoming plans

We have now made our first steps towards climbing this mountain and have experienced an altitude of over 6,400m.

Sat 16th: ABC to Camp One (700m ascent in one day, 6-8 hours climbing).

Sun 17th: Walk up to serac wall to practice essential mountaineering skills and descend to Camp One to sleep.

Monday 18th: Move to Camp 1.5 (there has been a decision to place an interim camp between One and Two).

Tuesday 19th: Move to Camp Two, sleep at Camp Two (7,000m).

Wednesday 20th: Descend all the way back to ABC.

Thursday 21st - Saturday 23rd: The team plan to rest and once again rebuild their strength for a summit attempt.

Weather permitting; the team may begin a summit attempt which starts on 24th September. This is dependent on the passing of the tail end of the monsoon rains and the positioning of the jet stream just to the north of Cho Oyu, providing all climbers with a calm weather window.

Many thanks for all your messages of support, please keep them coming, we're sorry we cannot reply but will be in touch on our return.

Thursday 14th/Friday 15th September: Rest Days

Pujah and prayer flags

We have been resting at ABC. It is an array of colouful tents pitched at many different levels and angles with prayer flags hanging overhead. We have a mess tent which seats 12 people, a communications tent, a cook tent, two toilet tents and even a shower tent (which we have all had the pleasure of using just the once so far!)

During the daytime it is warm, but at night time the temperature falls below freezing. Our chef is fantastic and is making sure that we're not going hungry. We are gathering our strength for the next and most important acclimatisation phase.

Wednesday 13th September

At 8am we left for Camp One. This involved a 400m ascent of both a frozen scree slope and a snow covered slope where we used the fixed ropes as a guide and safety mechanism. Once again we took this very steadily, trying to breathe through our nostrils to avoid agrivating our throats with the cold, dry air. Sherpas overtook us carrying loads that were probably triple the weight of ours.

The sun was trying to break through the clouds during our ascent and two anda half hours later we reached Camp One. Unfortunately the weather was still cloudy so we were unable to have a view of the summit, which we're told from here looks deceptively close! Camp One is crowded and a huge crevasse lines one side of it. We left our -40°C sleeping bags and Thermarests there and descended back down the fixed ropes and scree to Lake Camp.

After a cup of hot soup and a choco-pie we continued our descent to ABC.

Tuesday 12th September

Yak with Cho Oyu in the distance

This marked a special day in this year's season on Cho Oyu. The Tibetan ceremony 'pujah' was held to bless all of us who were going to be attempting to summit and also to bless any items of significance that would be used in the ascent. The team offered their ice axes as well as various flags to the ceremony.

Following this we left the relative comfort of Advanced Base Camp and made our way towards Lake Camp (below Camp One and at exactly 6,000m). The journey was slow despite only carrying essential items. We picked our way through undulating, loose, rocky ground (moraine), up and down icy slopes and across fast flowing sediment choked glacial streams.

We followed the edge of a glacier which extends from Cho Oyu and felt the icy winds descend from it. The last slope we had to ascend before reaching Lake Camp was exhausting, after every five or six steps we found ourselves needing to stop to regain our breath.

11th September (Omar)

The team packing kit for the move up to Advanced Base Camp

Finally managed to get the satellite internet connection charged and working today, that's why the last update was delayed. Since leaving CBC, we have made our way to interim camp which is at 5,200m. The not so appealing Yak dung ridden camp was our home for one night. The next day we trekked between three to five hours to Advanced Base Camp (ABC) at 5,650m.

For me this felt like the first time we are on the mountain proper as we began gaining significant altitude and with it the scenery opening up to magnificent glaciers and snow-capped peaks. Over rocky moraine and ridges we progressed, often passing herds of yaks on their way up or down from ABC hauling massive loads or preparing to load other from interim camp.

Everyone is happy to be here, not least of all because we all have our separate tents now. The view from our tents is breathtaking. All you have to do is peak out of the tent door and you are confronted my a magnificent view of Cho Oyu and the surrounding peaks.

Today we get a day of rest for acclimitization and tomorrow we will climb up to Lake camp at 6,000m and spend the night there. If we are all in good shape then we will go up to Camp One at 6,300m before returning to ABC in time for Puge (a local religious celebration). Lake Camp is called so because it is situated in front of a large lake. However, this year there is no lake due to the cold and snow.

9th September

Update from Omar

Ben, Tori and Omar with Cho Oyu in the background

The drive to Tingri was more interesting than the one to Xi Ga Tze. By virtue of us gaining altitude, this meant the scenery was getting more and more dramatic. Snow capped peaks began to emerge and settlements became scarce. After an entertaining ride that included the several off road sections and the odd bus navigating hilly terrain like it was a 4X4 rally car, we arrived at our destination (4,300m). During all the driving until this point it is fair to say that how well the roads are paved despite the remoteness of it all, is truly amazing.

We spent two nights in Tingri getting acclimatized to this new altitude. Our efforts included a five hour hike to around 4,700m. The going was slow as the team wrestled with the now thinner air. Apart from the walk, and on account of Tingri being a bit of an eyesore, the team remained at the "Snow Leopard Hotel" for most of the time. Calling it a hotel is quite the overstatement but when compared to the rest of the village, it is all too deserving. Other activities included a walk to old Tingri which is much more Tibetan in character.

It was fun walking around observing the villagers go about their daily work and taking photos of the surrounding landscape. Speaking of landscape, when we arrived to Tingri there was a bit of overcast skies. But between that and a hail storm that hit two days later, there was a day when there was a complete break in the clouds and we could see Everest and Cho Oyu in all their majesty.

Both mountain look daunting to climb from where we stood, and according to Rob one of our team members, a couple of people turned back home on the sight of this mountain when he had come on this very expedition three years earlier. The mountain did not have quite the same effect on us, we found it captivating, we remained still staring at it and stole a glance every now and then as we hiked the nearby hills but the more we looked the more we were filled with the desire that we wanted to get to the top and that we couldn't have made a better decision coming here.

Now we are at Chinese Base Camp (CBC) and this marks the end of driving and the true beginning of expedition life. Every two team members for now share a tent, and some of us like Omar are sharing a tent with Victor, a member of the other climbing team that has been close to us from the start. Once we get to Advanced Base Camp every member should have his own tent as this will become our home for the next three to four weeks. The view from here is stunning. We can see Cho Oyu fully from where we camp and even the route itself is almost entirely visible. From now on until summit day, we will be chipping away at this mammoth of a mountain.

The first day here was a rest and getting used to this new altitude of 4,900m. This is already 90m higher than the summit of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps range. We were exposed for the first time to the delightful culinary skills of Sheti, our expedition cook. Sheti is known among expedition people as the best cook in the whole of the Khumbu valley, if not all of Nepal.

Although Chinese food was nothing less than wonderful so far, our first day food offered a delightful break from the normal routine. A standard fry up including egg, chips and some coleslaw was especially rewarding for the Brits among us. On the morning of the second day we took to the nearby hill and setup a circuit rope system to practice our rope and jumarring skills. Those technical skills will be crucial for negotiating the harder parts of the mountain, especially the rock band (AKA Chinese Wall) above Camp Three.

In the afternoon we hiked up to 5,220m. All team members felt fine. On the third day we went for a longer hike up to 5,600m. The idea is to get our body prepared for the altitude of ABC. Since we got to CBC, the team has been moving much quicker than we were at Tingri, walking about 200m of vertical altitude per hour. Of course this also depends on the total distance of the hike and not just the altitude gain but in general the team is feeling stronger.

However, this has not come without a few altitude problems. Different people on the team have been experiencing from moderate to painful headaches both at camp and on the hikes above. There is no definite pattern for this as team members have been feeling good and bad at different times. The last hike up to 5,600m was the most dramatic with one team member needing to turn back at 5,385m. However, this is the beauty of climbing expedition life and generally the whole team is looking stronger as the days go on.

Today, our fourth and last day at CBC, everyone is feeling very strong and acclimatized. We are ready to move up to interim camp tomorrow at 5,300m for one night then ABC at 5,600/5,700m the day after. (Interim camp is almost exactly mid-way between CBC and ABC). Today we are spending our morning packing all the kit we don't need until ABC on yaks who will carry it up in a few hours and doing some washing.

In the afternoon we will do some more rope work and after some more delightful food from Sheti our cook, get a good night sleep in preparation for our hike tomorrow to interim camp.

Update from Tori

Dad, they need your 4x4 skills out here – you would love some of the off-road sections that we have been forced to do due to localised road works.

Mum you would be appalled at the 'hotel' that we stayed at in Tingri, but you would love the amazing scenery!

Liv, you would be having a heart attack by now at my wonderful expedition dress sense, but don't panic, you can be my fashion advisor when we return!

And to all at BSES Expeditions ……. when is there going to be an expedition to the Himalaya, it's awesome out here!!

Update from Ben

Everyone is fine health wise; no serious AMS, coughs or stomach complaints. In general the team's spirits are high with everyone beginning to settle into the rhythm of expedition life including getting used to not having a shower for days or weeks at a time.

The temperature at Chinese Base Camp is about warm enough for shorts and t-shirt in the sun but drops a bit below zero at night and is sometimes fairly windy. I am sure that the moves up to advanced base camp and then Camp One, which is the first time we enter snow covered terrain at 6,400m, will mark another change in routine as the temperature drops, however I am confident that the team will handle this transition smoothly.

Update from Omar again!

Nothing more to report since I wrote the update above but just wanted to let everyone know that I am in good health, spirits and looking forward to when the climbing part of the expedition begins.

4th September

A view of the Tibetan plateau on the road from Lhasa to Shigatze

Today we left Lhasa and headed in a convoy of Toyota Landcruisers through the Tibetan plateaux to a town further west called Shigatze. Whilst ground temperatures are around 18°c the effect of the intense UV rays of the sun mean that sunscreen is a must even for short breaks outdoors as the temperatures reach at least 30°c. Tori is avoiding becoming a lobster!

Life on the streets of Lhasa

Our journey followed the course of a river which eventually becomes the Brahmaputra. We were surrounded by steep sided mountains filled with wind blown sands (Loess), no sight of snow yet. We stopped for lunch in a road-side truckers café where we were dined on watercress soup, green tea, omelette/tomato mix, rice, and shredded meat (yak? beef? lamb? – we’re not quite sure!). There are no knives and forks so we’re all improving with chopsticks! There was a bowl of fish in the corner – Ben gave them a stroke.

We will spend one night here in Shigatze at the Gang-Gyan Orchard Hotel (3,900m) before we make our way to New Tingri at (4,300m), via a 5,000m pass. Feeling a bit like tourists, not mountaineers at the moment, however that is all set to change in a few days time...

2nd September

The flight to Lhasa was short yet eventful. To the left we managed to get a glimpse of the great Himalayan range. Seconds later clouds obstructed the view but opened up just in time for us to get a glimpse of Everest and Lhotse. For some of us this was the first time to see the mountain and the view measured up to all our expectations.

Landing in Lhasa at 3,400m we could immediately feel the dry and thin air. Driving to our Himalaya hotel we got an opportunity to admire the beautiful landscape that is the Tibetan plateau. The little city is very interesting and it is amazing how much Chinese influence there is. Still a visit to a few monastries sent us back 300 years and we got to observe some Tibetan culture. Over the last two days at altitude, between us we had some headaches but this has all passed with no incident. We depart now from Lhasa to start our long drive to Chinese base camp. First a stop at Shigatze (5-6 hours).

31st August 2006

Tori and Rob sealing the last of the barrels for the road to Chinese Base Camp

As with almost all expeditions to the Himalaya we have started in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city. It is a stark contrast to the UK and the team have been exploring the sights and sounds of Kathmandu for the last couple of days. Highlights have included the bustling area of Thamel where you will find shop after shop selling jewellery, fake outdoor clothing, carvings of sacred Goddesses and they have also the Pashupatinath Temple where river-side cremations take place daily.

The team were relieved that all the kit that had been shipped out in advance had made it safely to Kathmandu and earlier this week they sent it on the next leg of the journey, to Chinese Base Camp, by road. The monsoon season is just coming to an end and they have been experiencing some heavy downpours and are hoping that the vehicles will make it safely to the Base Camp.

Cho Oyu Team: L to R standing: Ben, Tori, Katie, Fi, Guy (guide). L to R kneeling: Omar, Rob (guide)

There are rumoured to be a number of expeditions on Cho Oyu this season and these mountaineers are easy to spot around Kathmandu.

On Thursday (31st August) the team will fly to Lhasa where they will spend two days beginning their acclimatisation. Lhasa stands at 3,595metres and from there the team will make their way by road to the Chinese Base Camp acclimatising as they go.

Page last updated: December 19, 2006, 11:28 pm (BST)