September 5, 2011

Team after Puja. (Photo by Ang Jangbu)

With their pujas behind them, it is time for the climbing to start!  Mike Hamill on Shishapangma and Ang Jangbu on Cho Oyu report that both teams are on essentially the same schedules. Today the sherpas from each team made it up to their respective Camp 1 sites, and got those camps put in.  Meanwhile, the climbers did some more acclimatization hiking and training, in preparation for moving up to Camp 1 in the next day or two.  On Shishapangma the route to Camp 1 is simple snow travel on the lower part of the glacier.  On Cho Oyu the climbers ascend a (normally) rocky slope leading up to the ridge crest.  However, Jangbu reports that there is a lot of snow this year below Camp 1, and today the Cho Oyu sherpas fixed 150 meters of rope below the campsite.

Eric Simonson

September 2, 2011

Cho Oyu towers above the ABC puja alter. (Photo by Ang Jangbu)

IMG leader Mike Hamill reports that the Shishapangma team is doing well up at Advanced Base Camp, with their final yak loads now having arrived.  Today Mike, Kami, and Panuru took a reconaissance hike up a ways towards Camp 1, and everyone will be hiking and/or relaxing tomorrow.  Over at Cho Oyu, Ang Jangbu reports that their final yak loads have also now arrived to ABC, and the Cho Oyu climbers are also doing acclimatization hiking and relaxing.  Tomorrow they plan to go up to Lake Camp (below Camp 1) for a day hike.

Both teams are doing their puja ceremonies on October 4, an auspicious day on the Tibetan calendar.  This is the traditional sherpa blessing ceremoney and the official start of the climbing.  Both groups they plan to start working on carrying to Camp 1 starting on Monday.  So far so good!

Eric Simonson

August 31, 2011

IMG guide Max Bunce reports that today the Cho Oyu climbers moved up to Interim Camp (known as IC) which is on the moraine of the Gyabrag Glacier at about 17,000 feet.   They are accompanied by the yaks, which are making a second roundtrip to ABC. Max says everyone is doing well and that they expect to make it to Advanced Base Camp tomorrow.

Over on Shishapangma, Mike Hamill reports that the team and their yaks made it all the way to Advanced Base Camp today (about 18,400 feet).  Everyone is doing well and they will be taking several days at ABC getting organized, before moving higher.

So far everything seems to be going well with the teams and the weather has been OK, with clear mornings and snow in the afternoons, which is a pretty typical pattern.  On both mountains, our IMG groups are ahead of the other climbers:  We are the only team on Shishapangma right now, and on Cho Oyu there is only one other small team.

Eric Simonson

August 28, 2011

IMG Leaders Craig John, Mike Hamill, and Ang Jangbu report that after two nights in Tingri (14000+ feet) and a good day of acclimatization hiking yesterday to over 15000 feet, the two IMG teams have now officially split and headed for their Base Camps!

For Mike Hamill and the Shishapangma climbers, they backtracked a bit towards Nyalam before splitting off the Lhasa-Kathmandu road to drive further west with their jeeps and truck.  For the Cho Oyu climbers, they drove due north from Tingri for less than an hour to their Base Camp site.  Both the Base Camps are at about 15000 feet.  Ang Jangbu reports that the Cho Oyu team has 30 yaks (and yak drivers) arriving to BC tomorrow, and that the next day they will all head for ABC with 3-4 sherpas to start working on that camp.  For the Cho Oyu team members, their plan is to take three nights at BC (acclimatization hiking each day) before moving up to IC (Interim Camp) on the 31^st and to ABC on September 1^st.  The Shishapangma team is on a similar schedule.

For both the Cho Oyu and Shishapangma teams, their ABC camps are well over 18000 feet, so it is important to be well acclimatized before moving up there.

So far so good!

Eric Simonson

August 26, 2011

Eric,

Cho Oyu rises behind Tingri. (Photo by Mike Hamill)

We’re about to hop in the vehicles here in Nyalam, and to head to Tingri.  The teams are healthy and acclimatizing well. Yesterday we took a longer hike gaining a few thousand feet. The weather is clear and sunny; much better than this time last year, so hopefully it holds and the monsoons are coming to an end. We will spend two nights at Tingri (14000+ feet) before the teams split to their respective base camps. The Cho Oyu sherpa team, minus Mingma Dorjee and Dawa Nuru, went ahead to Tingri yesterday to check on the hotel situation there.  Today they are heading to Cho Oyu base camp to start getting things set up. The Shishapangma Sherpas went directly to Shishapangma base camp yesterday to begin setting up that camp.

Mike Hamill

August 24, 2011

Ang Jangbu reports that the team successfully drove up the rugged Bhote Kosi gorge and have now reached Nyalam (a little over 12000 feet). Tomorrow he will send four Shishapangma sherpas to Shishapangma BC and eight of the Cho Oyu sherpas on to Cho Oyu BC, to start getting those camps set up. The sherpas’ route will take them over the 17,000+ foot Tsong La pass, which marks the beginning of the Tibetan Plateau (Nyalam is still on the south side of the crest).

Meanwhile, the Cho Oyu and Shishapangma team members, and a couple sherpas who are staying back with them, will do further acclimatization hiking tomorrow up the nearby ridges that overlook Nyalam.  The plan for the team will be to go on to Tingri the following day.   Because Tibet is so high, we want to make sure everyone is well acclimatized before going to the Base Camps.

Eric Simonson

August 23, 2011

I talked with Jangbu a while ago, and he reports that all the members, Sherpas, and luggage has all reached Zhangmu!  This is great news, and it means that everything is proceeding on schedule.  Just getting to Tibet is no small feat, and it sounds like the team had some issues en route.  Jangbu said the rain started in Kathmandu and was constant all day.

They ended up waiting three hours at the landslide (before Kodari) before it was finally cleared.  After crossing Friendship Bridge and entering Tibet, the team transferred to their Chinese vehicles (3 trucks, 2 jeeps, 1 mini bus) and they are now all at the hotel (about 8000 feet). Tomorrow the plan is to move on up the rugged valley to Nyalam (about 12000 feet).

Eric Simonson

August 22, 2011

The Cho Oyu and Shishapangma teams got their visas today from the Chinese Embassy and we are all scheduled leave the hotel at 6AM tomorrow morning.  There was a land slide yesterday 7 km before Kodari (on the Nepal side of the border) down near the hydro dam.  They tried to clear all day but didn’t quite finish opening the road for vehicles so our gear truck didn’t reach Kodari. Hopefully they will finish by the time we reach there around 10AM tomorrow.  Raju (in Kodari) spoke to the CTMA and it sounds like our Liaison Officer and Chinese truck have reached Zhangmu, so they will be waiting for us once we cross the border.

Ang Jangbu Sherpa

August 21, 2011

Ang Jangbu reports from Kathmandu that all of our Cho Oyu and Shishapangma climbers and their bags have arrived safely in Kathmandu—always a great way to start an expedition!

The Sherpas have now finished packing all the food and equipment into yak loads. They loaded the truck this evening, which will depart from Kathmandu early tomorrow morning for the border escorted by Panuru, Karma Rita and Pasang Nuri. Currently the road is open which is good news despite reports of some recent landslide activity.

The team receives their Chinese/Tibetan visas tomorrow, and then they will depart early the following morning.  Tonight, the team had a “welcome dinner” at Hotel Tibet.  After traveling half way around the world, it’s great to finally get all that traveling done, and have the chance to relax a bit with your team, knowing the trip has officially started!

Cho Oyu leaders Craig John and Max Bunce, and Shishapangma leader Mike Hamill report that everyone is doing well and are in good spirits!

Eric Simonson