SummitClimb Cho Oyu Autumn 2006: Results

Update 05/25/2006: This is Ryan Waters calling for the SummitClimb Cho Oyu Expedition.  Calling to give you guys the official update.  I'm here facing ABC fending off the Tibetan porters who are trying to sell everyone odd trinkets to be found in Tibet, as we're one of the last teams remaining here. But here goes the official update.  We had two great successful summit groups.  On the 23rd, reaching the Summit of Cho Oyu was Mr. David O'Brien, Mr. Carlo Wambeke, Ryan Waters with his second summit of Cho Oyu, Pasang Sherpa and Sanam Chume.  Mr. Reinhold Krause also climbed to his personal high at 7,900 meters, so we're very happy about that.   On the 24th, Mr. Remco Berendsen,  our expedition doctor, and Mr. James Viles reached the summit of Cho Oyu early in the AM with Pumba and Toombadendu. Mark Merwin    was pretty sick, he'd been battling some stomach issues for several days, and he made Camp 3 his high point.  Liga Hartmane reached high above Camp 3, climbed through the Rock Band, but she'd been battling a cough for several days, so she decided to call it quits just above the Rock Band. Also, Brad Corr reached Camp 2 earlier last week, and he made that his official high point.   For now everyone is down to ABC safe.  We're waiting on just a couple more people to come down from Camp 1 and then we'll all be here.  Our plan is to spend a couple more days till the Yaks arrive tomorrow and on the 27th we'll go down to Base Camp and on to Tingri for the night.  And then our plan is to be in Katmandu on the 28th, so be expecting to hear from all of our team members then for all our friends and family.  Thanks so much for the coverage, and we look forward to another great expedition here next year. OK, we'll check in from the road back to Katmandu.  Talk to you later, bye.

Dispatches

Background: Introduction to Cho Oyu: Cho-Oyu has only recently become a popular mountain to climb.  It is now known to be one of the most accessible of the world’s fourteen 8,000 metre mountains.  This is because the ascent to the summit is short and direct, with a few small technical sections, less than 6 metres high, climbed in safety using fixed lines. Additionally, the mountain can be easily reached by four-wheel-drive vehicle, and the trail to Camp 1 at 6,400 metres, is basically a steep walk on talus slopes, often done in hiking boots.  This expedition to Cho-Oyu maximizes our previous successful ascents on the peak itself, plus many years of accumulated wisdom of the high Himalaya, a strong record of reaching 8,000 metre summits in all safety, along with an intimate knowledge of the Tibetan and Chinese officials who regulate the permit system.  We must also give credit to the highly experienced and hard-working leaders, sherpas and staff here at SummitClimb.com

Leader: Ryan Waters, an accomplished and friendly leader

Cho Oyu - the "Turquoise Goddess" in Tibetan - is located at the frontier of Tibet and Nepal. At a height of 8201 meters, it belongs to the Himalayan range, about 30 km west of Everest. It is the sixth highest mountain in the world and was first climbed on October 19th 1954 by the Austrian Herbert Tichy, with Sepp Jochler and Pasang Dava Lama.

"Finally, the peak is reached, the infinite hardships are ended. The last nine hours fighting with the mountain; the time in the death zone above 24,000 foot, the weeks of privations and hardships, even the risk of one's life - is this reward itself really? Yes, certainly! Not because of fame but inner satisfaction: To have found the mountain as friend and have been so near to the sky." Sepp Jochler.

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