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Current
Expedition Time
Sunday, August 28, 2005 3:52 AM
Update
IMG #5: Ang Jangbu
reported today that the entire team has now made it safely to Base Camp (about
15,000 feet) and that everyone is doing well. The plan for the next couple
days is to get the gear sorted out and do some acclimatization hiking.
Tomorrow a couple of the Sherpas will head up to Advanced Base Camp (about
18,500 feet) with 23 yaks to start getting that camp ready for the team to
move into. The rest of the team will leave BC on September 4, along with the
second wave of yaks. The climbers will spend a night en route at Intermediate
Camp, about 17,000 feet on the east lateral moraine of the Gyabrag Glacier,
before pushing on to ABC the next day. This route is the same as the famous
trade route over the Nangpa La pass to Namche Bazaar in Khumbu, so they may
see some trade caravans crossing over with to trade with the Sherpas.
Eric
Simonson,
International Mountain Guides
Update
IMG Cho Oyu #4: Justin Merle and
Ang Jangbu report that everyone has safely reached Tingri. The Sherpas had a
good drive up from Kathmandu and Justin's team had a long and bumpy drive from
Xegatse, due to road construction. The Sherpas will move to Base Camp
tomorrow to start getting it set up. The climbers will take an
acclimatization hike tomorrow and another night in Tingri (a little over
14,000 feet) with the plan to move up to Base Camp the following day. So far
everything is going smoothly for the team and everyone appears to be doing
well with the altitude.
Eric
Simonson,
International Mountain Guides
Update 08/29/2005:
Justin Merle reports that the
team left Lhasa in three jeeps and traveled to Gyantse (13,500 feet) in the
Nyang Chu valley, along the way visiting the famous Kumbum Stupa and Shalu
Manastery. From there they continued on to Xegatse (12,800 feet), the
second largest city in Tibet. Today they spend an acclimatization day in
Shigatse and visit the carpet factory and Tashilumpo Monastary. Tomorrow
they do the big drive to Tingri. We have heard that the road is in bad shape,
so this will be a rump-buster, crossing two passes in the 17,000 foot range!
We'll look forward to hearing that they have linked up with the Sherpa team in
Tingri---from there it is just an hour drive from the Cho Oyu Base Camp.
Eric
Simonson,
International Mountain Guides
Update: IMG 2005
Cho Oyu Expedition Team
Justin Merle, co-leader
Ang Jangbu Sherpa, co-leader, sirdar
Jack Sutton
Robert Hottentot
Charles Gray
Richard Davis
Gary Giss
Steve Hirschorn (trekker)
Mike McNeill (trekker)
Danuru Sherpa
Phunuru Sherpa
Kaji Sherpa (head cook)
Phubu Thundu (Tibetan climber)
Rinjing (Tibetan cook boy)
Dispatch #1: August 25: Justin Merle reports from Beijing
that all members and duffel bags have safely arrived. Just getting out the
front door is sometimes the hardest part of the trip, so we are happy to
report that the team's first steps on the way to Cho Oyu have gone smoothly!
Our Beijing host, Li Guowei from the Chinese Mountaineering Association,
joined the team today for a tour that included Tianiman Square, the Great
Wall, and the Forbidden City. Tomorrow the team flies to Lhasa. Ang Jangbu
and the Sherpa team will leave Kathmandu tomorrow for Zhangmu, on the border.
The plan is for the two groups to meet in Tingri on August 29th. So far, so
good!
Dispatch #2: August 26: We have received the news from
Ang Jangbu that the truck and Sherpa team have all made it safely to Zhangmu,
which is good news since the road to the border is sometimes blocked by
landslides. They met the Liaison Officer at the Friendship Bridge, which is
the actual border between Nepal and China. Justin reports from Lhasa that his
crew has also made their flights safely from Beijing and that everyone is
doing fine. They will spend tomorrow visiting the sights of Lhasa (the Potela,
Johkang, Barkor) before starting their journey across Tibet.
Eric
Simonson,
International Mountain Guides

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