| |
Cho Oyu Expedition Update: 29th August-4th September 2004
Cho Oyu ABC, 29th August 2004:
During our second rest day in ABC, we set up the communications tent, including two IBM X31 computers and a Thuraya satellite phone. The team also organized the gear tent, checking that all equipment that should have arrived in ABC was indeed present and separating the gear into different loads in order of priority and use on the mountain.
Right:
A spectacular night view of ABC with Cho Oyu in the background, silhouetted by the rising moon.
|
 |
Scree slope on way to Camp 1.
The black line marks the route.
|
ABC to Camp 1 to ABC, 30th August 2004:
After two days’ rest in ABC, we set off for our first acclimatization climb to Camp 1, a 700m ascent from 5600m to 6300m. The trip took us up the Cho Oyu glacier, hiking on the glacial moraine, finishing with a steep ascent up a scree slope, terminating at Camp 1, perched on a rock outcrop at the start of the ridge which would eventually take us to Camp 2. The acclimatization hike lasted for 10 hours, with a one and a half hour rest at Camp 1 to bathe in the thin air. |
| Right on time, at about 1:30pm, the weather came in, exposing us to both snow and cold rain. The team successfully navigated back to ABC in this dreadful afternoon weather notorious at Cho Oyu. |
ABC, 31st August 2004:
After the grueling 10 hour day on the 30th, the team took a well deserved rest day to replenish their bodies with nutrients and let their muscles recover. The day was also spent drying their equipment, saturated from the long hike and inclement weather. |
Clothes washing and drying in ABC. |
ABC to Camp 1, 1st September 2004:
We woke up at 5:00am to prepare for the trek to Camp 1. This day would mark the start of our second acclimatization cycle which would bring all of the NUS team members to the highest they’ve ever been, nearly 7000m. To help the team become self sufficient in finding the path from ABC to Camp 1, Shaffique, the team leader, and Lindley, the co-leader decided to have the team members take turns leading the group up to Camp 1. After reaching Camp 1 in good time, about 5 hours, the team settled into their tents, boiling water and preparing lunch and dinner before going to bed early, in preparation for the coming hard day and early 3:30am rising time.
The route from Camp 1 to Camp 2, with an elevation gain of 600m and two steep ice and snow sections, make for a long hard day of climbing.
|
Camp 1 to Camp 2 to Camp 1, 2nd September 2004:
We left at around 5:30am for our acclimatization climb up to Camp 2 and back to Camp 1. It was sustained climbing on a beautifully clear day. The tents of ABC dotted the distant moraine. At 8:30am, we arrived at our first major obstacle, a 50-meter wall of blue glacial ice. Angled at 70 degrees, the wall demanded stamina and efficient ice climbing techniques and at an altitude of 6500m this was no easy feat. Nevertheless, the team rose to the challenge, but as there was only one route set up the ice wall, it presented a bottleneck and demanded 2 hours of our time. A turnaround time of 1:00pm had been set and it was important for everyone to go as high as possible before turning around.
|
| To maximize time, the first half of the team to clear the ice wall continued upwards followed by the rest an hour later. By now, the sun’s rays were beating down on the mountain, making the snow increasingly slushy and difficult to walk on. Despite the worsening conditions, by 1:00pm the first team reached within 15 minutes of Camp 2 with the second team merely an hour away. We all had reached an altitude of at least 6800m, ushering us well into the next acclimatization cycle that will see us spend a night in Camp 2 and do a climb up to Camp 3 and back down. |
 |
 |
 |
| Climbing to Camp 2. |
Returning to Camp 1 at
dusk after a hard day’s work. |
Taking the few final
steps into Camp 1. |
Camp 1 to ABC, 3rd September 2004:
The team left Camp 1 for ABC at 9am. Once again, team members took turns to lead thus increasing their familiarization of the route between ABC and Camp 1. Along the way, we took the opportunity to drop in and interact with some recently-arrived expeditions camped along the moraine. It’s always great to meet new people, especially those who share the passion of mountaineering and the goal of climbing Cho Oyu. |
Cho Oyu Advance Basecamp. |
ABC, 4th September 2004:
A well deserved rest day! Resting and refueling was the order of the day. Reading books, playing chess and chatting with one another were some of the activities that we engaged in to relax in ABC.
Coming Soon:
On September 6, we’ll be heading for Camp 3 (7,300m). Look out for the next update on September 11!
continue > 5th - 13th September 2004
|
|
