The great bastion of Cho Oyu stands astride the Nepal/Tibet border, just 70 kilometers west of Everest. It is the world's sixth highest mountain and of the fourteen 8,000 meter peaks, it is regarded as one of the most straightforward to climb. The normal route ascends the north-west face from the Tibetan side of the Nangpa La, the old trading route to Nepal. This will be our route of ascent.

Cho Oyu was first climbed by an Austrian expedition in 1954. It was only ascended twice more (Indian 1958, German 1964) before the Chinese closed Tibet to foreign expeditions. Since its reopening in the 1980's, Cho Oyu's normal route has been climbed many times. Jagged Globe has visited the mountain 6 times and been successful on every occasion with team members reaching the summit. The mountain is accessible, technically safe and easy, with one short steep section low down.

The Nepalese side of the mountain comprises the formidable south face, which has only been climbed a handful of times. It is illegal to attempt the north-west face from Nepal, as it entails a clandestine entry into Tibet. Our expedition will be entering Tibet via the Friendship Bridge and driving overland over the Tibetan plateau to the north side of the mountain. From the road-head, three days walking leads to the base camp.

This expedition is not a "guided" ascent. It will be a professionally led team of competent mountaineers who have enough experience to climb one of the world's highest mountains without undue risk. This approach ensures that team members are suitably experienced, reasonably self-sufficient and capable and willing to move between camps unsupervised. They will still have a high level of support, starting with strong, confident leadership; this will maximize the climbers chances of success without undermining the quality of their achievement.

Following the initial acclimatisation camp, the team will embark on the remainder of the journey to base camp. Several hours' driving leads us up, steeply, onto the expanse of the Tibetan plateau, crossing the Lalung La (5,050 meters) en route. This pass is festooned with Buddhist prayer flags, a symbol of the religious fervour of the local Tibetans, and the visiting Sherpas, despite many years of occupation and religious persecution by the Chinese. From the pass, there are good views of another 8,000 meter peak, Shishapangma. Leaving this high point the road finally draws on to Tingri, which has some small local lodges where we spend the night.

The next morning, we leave the Lhasa highway at Tingri and head south towards the road-head. The journey to the end of the road is bumpy and takes 2 to 3 hours. However, the scenery that unfolds as we drive along is fascinating and Mount Everest appears briefly before the four wheel drive climbs up and over ancient moraines and then descends to the road's end. It is here at 4,900 meters, with our first good view of Cho Oyu, that the Chinese and Tibetan Mountaineering Associations establish their headquarters for the climb. This place, known as the Chinese base camp, is where our liaison officer (LO) resides for the duration of the expedition.

The trail from here to the real base camp follows an ancient trade route between Tibet and Nepal. This is still in frequent use, most notably by Tibetans who use it to carry goods into Nepal for sale at Namche Bazaar and other markets in the Solu Khumbu. The route crosses into Nepal from Tibet at a pass known as the Nangpa La.

In the late afternoon after our arrival at the road-head, the yaks that will carry our expedition to base camp arrive in a clamour of bells, shouts and whistles. The next morning, while the Sirdar and yak drivers argue over the loads (the traditional process!), we begin the long but gentle amble towards the mountain (8 hours). Initially, the yak trail leads along the flat valley floor. Just before the terminal moraine of the Gyabrag Glacier, we will cross the icy waters of the melt stream that spouts from the tongue of the glacier. The trail then rises steadily to our camp on a grassy bench high above the east bank of the glacier, at 5,200m. This is one of 2 intermediate camps on the way to our own base camp location.

The following day begins with a descent to the Balung Glacier. After a short climb, the trail contours through talus towards the Nangpa La with the peak Jobo Rabzang rising on our right. After 5 hours, we reach Dzaporoa at 5,450m. This camp provides excellent and easy access to the glacier and to ice cliffs suitable for training. These are located immediately opposite the camp. We spend at least one full day during the early part of the expedition familiarizing ourselves with and revising the techniques that we will need to use higher on the mountain. In particular, we will practice the use of crampons and ice axe, using fixed ropes in ascent, climbing steep ice and descending fixed ropes including abseiling.

Once, we are feeling well acclimatized and we have made full use of the ice climbing and training opportunities afforded by our stay at Dzaporoa, we make our move up to base camp itself. Leaving Dzaporoa, we follow the crest of the moraine that turns east towards the great north-west face of Cho Oyu. We reach base camp after about 2 hours. Here, at 5650 meters, we are almost level with the Nangpa La and it may be possible to see lines of traders and families of refugees crossing the pass into Nepal.

Our first foray out from base camp takes us along the glacier towards the mountain and camp 1. Because of the altitude, this first sortie up the Gyabrag Glacier and onto the mountain itself is essentially tentative and one of familiarization. However, it provides an excellent opportunity to get a good view of the route and for everyone, including the expedition leader and guides, to assess the conditions on the mountain.

Once the expedition leader is happy with the team's acclimatisation and weather permitting, we begin to climb the mountain in earnest. In order to reach a position from which we can make successful summit bids, we must make sure that all camp stores and food are in the right place on the mountain at the right time and that everyone is fit and well acclimatized. This is achieved by a succession of load carries to the three sites on the mountain where the expedition will establish camps.

The Sherpas operate in support of this effort and do the bulk of the load carrying, especially to the top camp. Whilst assisting with the logistics for the climb, the team's load carrying is aimed primarily at improving each individual's acclimatisation, fitness and familiarity with the mountain. The load carrying schedule allows the expedition members to remain reasonably fresh and ensures that the effort of load carrying does not physically exhaust them. Load carrying and periods of rest are balanced to ensure that climbers reach an optimum level of acclimatisation and physical fitness immediately before the summit attempts. Each team member returns to base camp for a prolonged rest of at least 4 days before moving up to occupy camp 3 in readiness for the ultimate climb to the top. Camps on the mountain are located at: 

Camp 1 -		6400 meters
Camp 2 -		7000 meters
Camp 3 -		7400 meters

Camp 1 is at 6400 meters and 5 to 8 hours from base camp. The camp is reached by a stiff climb from the head of the glacier at 6100 meters. From here, the route follows steep scree, which improves as height is gained. Camp 1 is sited on a broad shoulder of snow, which leads up to a ridge above the camp.

Above camp 1, a snow ridge leads easily to a series of ice cliffs. The way through these involves climbing a steep 50m ice wall at over 6600 meters. Although straightforward, this is the hardest climbing on the route as it involves a huge effort to climb steep ice at such an altitude. Improved acclimatisation and greater familiarity makes the prospect of subsequent climbs through the ice cliffs less daunting but the challenge remains physically tough each time we make the journey to camp 2. Throughout this section, fixed ropes are placed in conjunction with the other teams operating on the mountain at the same time. Above the ice cliffs, there are several large crevasses which we make our way around until they finally give way and we reach the site of camp 2 at 7000 meters. Depending upon the snow conditions, this can be a very demanding day of 6 to 8 hours.

Camp 3 is at 7400 meters and about 4 hours above camp 2. The top camp is located beneath a rock band that cuts the snow slopes of the upper basin. Looking south as we rise above the beautiful Nangpa Gosum peaks, we can see the peaks of Nepal and, to the north, the brown and yellow earth colours of the arid Tibetan plateau. Though the distance to camp 3 is short and the way easy, the altitude makes big demands of everyone.

Once in camp 3, we must make every effort to prepare for the following day. This means drinking, eating and resting. In order to function effectively on summit day, it is vital to drink as much as possible and this involves a big effort since the altitude makes the easiest physical work very demanding and the task of boiling water slower than usual. However, we must resist the temptation to relent and to relax as drinking and eating, in order to replenish the calories and fluids lost during the climb so far, is the highest priority if we are to be successful in our ambition of climbing Cho Oyu.

Summit day begins early as it takes several hours to make breakfast, to drink adequately and to get fully equipped before leaving the tent. Being west facing the sun hits the camp late so there is no rush to leave until shortly before first light. Once on our way, easy snow and rock ledges lead through the short rock band above the camp. Gradually the angle of the slope relents until we emerge onto the broad windswept back of the mountain. Now it is only a matter of putting one foot in front of the other to slowly gain the distant summit where Everest is the only summit visibly higher. It is not the only mountain to be seen, however, and the magnificent vista as we cross the vast summit plateau towards our high point includes Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, Menlugtse, Gyachung Kang and Gaurisankar, as well as all the peaks of the Khumbu Himal. We reach the summit 5 to 8 hours after leaving camp 3.

Descent is by the same route, with nights spent at camp 3, and camp 1. 

Tom Jagged Globe Expeditions