Cho Oyo Summary of climb: Trip Report

After quite some time acclimatizing, Carrying loads and setting up  camp one and camp two. With a break in the weather I made my first attempt at the summit on the 30 September. Setting off at 5am from camp 2, as I didn't have enough equipment to set up a camp 3 but in the end conditions where still cold from the bad weather and by the time I got to the rock band my feet where frozen and I had to make the decision of either going for the summit or losing some toes so I turned back. Of course the mountain is a cruel mistress and due to that adventure I have lost all feeling in all my toes.

I made a my next attempt the next day on the 1 October, this time I

set off a 2am to give me plenty of time. Early on in the expedition going from Base camp to intermediate camp I had to do a river crossing and bashed the heal of my foot, I think that I may have damaged some muscles or bruised the bone, so was not able to walk properly on my foot. I also managed to develop a high altitude cough, which I have to say is a cough like no other, at times you fell like you are going to cough your lungs out, and because of the lack of oxygen when you start coughing you have to stop to catch your breath all the time. It also feels like you may pass out at times. Combined with these problems you are fighting the standard problems of the intense cold, fatigue, exhaustion and mucked up appetite that you get, but I was determined that none of it was going to get in the way, but I have to say I was not moving fast on the mountain. I managed to reach the summit solo at 4:20pm, 14 hour and 20 minutes after heading off. It's a very strange feeling reaching the top; with the lack of oxygen things seem a little dream like especially when you are looking down on these massive clouds floating beneath you - but it felt good - part of me was amazed to be there then at the same time it seemed quite surreal. I took some  photos sat down composed my thoughts and then headed down at about 5:15pm.

The descent was quite arduous due to the exhaustion and fatigue and at one Point at the rock band lost my footing by the rock band on some ice and was almost thrown off the mountain, but was luckily managed to arrest my fall with my ice axe. It got in to the evening and dark with my descent and had to use my head torch. Unfortunately due to my coughing it loosened some wires in my torch and I had to remove my gloves to reconnect the wire. It was only for a matter of maybe 5 minutes, but you pay a dear price and I have lost the feeling in all the fingers of my right hand, I am told that within a couple of months I should have full feeling back in my toes and fingers. In the end I got back to camp 2 at about 11:30pm, so full summit and return took me about 21 hours, which is a very long time and a lot longer then most but I was determined and just but my head down and when for it.

That evening, I guess maybe because of dehydration, I woke up during the Night choking, it was quite funny as I having a dream about a group of Japanese and the dream seemed to become part of what was happening and in the dream the group where running around trying to find out why I was not able to breathe - in the end I woke up pulling at my clothing shouting out in Japanese quite strange. But the next day I got my stuff together and headed down to camp 1 and I didn't have any more problems.

I have to say as tough as it was, it was good and I am glad I did it! I = believe that I pushed myself and extended my envelope. There where some amazing views, that make you feel like the world was floating beneath you - and it was all worth it. Jason McMillan

 

Altitech2: Digital Altimeter, Barometer, Compass and Thermometer. Time/Date/Alarms. Chronograph with 24 hour working range. Timer with stop, repeat and up function. Rotating Bezel. Leveling bubble. Carabiner latch. E.L. 3 second backlight. Water resistant. 4" x 2-1/4" x 3/4" 2 oz. Requires 1 CR2032 battery. See more here.

  Altitude pre-
   acclimatization

   Ascenders

   Atlas snowshoes

   Black Diamond

   Botas

   Brunton

   Carabiners

   CaVa Climbing Shoes
   Clearance

   Clif Bar

   CMI

   Crampons

   Edelweiss ropes
   Eureka Tents

   Featured

   FoxRiver

   Garmin

   Granite Gear

   Harnesses
   Headlamps
   Helmets

   HighGear
   Ice Axes

   Kavu Eyewear

   Katadyn

   Kong

   Lekisport

   Lowepro

   Motorola

   Nalgene

   New England Ropes

   Nikwax

   Omega

   Outdoor Designs

   Pelican

   PowerBar

   Princeton Tec

   Prescription Glacier

   Glasses

   Primus

   Rope Bags

   Seattle Sports

   Serius
   Sleeping Bags

   Stubai

   Suunto

   Tents

   Trekking Poles
   Ushba
   and more here