Inaki Ochoa de Olza: Shishapangma "True Solo": Caught in an avalanche, expedition over...

Iñaki Ochoa©Steve Poulsen

Inaki Ochoa de Olza, from the Lorpen-Diario de Navarra expedition, finished yesterday, the 17th, his solo attempt on Shisha Pangma after suffering an avalanche in the north ridge that made him fall 100 meters. After he arrived at Camp I (6.000 meters), Iñaki went up more to see the conditions of the route for the next day and make track: "I was climbing fine and after pass a plateau at 6.500, I saw that the snow was very bad, with high risk of avalanches, so I turn down. Only a few moments after I could listen the avalanche, I turned again to see what to do, but I couldn't do anything... I fall 100 meters down the mountain. It has been a big frigth".

Now, he is on the Base Camp with pain in his right shoulder: "I don't know what it is, maybe ligaments or sprain. I prefer to return to Pamplona to see it, recover and think in Annapurna and Dhaulagiri in April and may. I think I could be in Kathmandu on 23rd of march to go to the hospital and then go back to Pamplona to rest some days".

Previous Update

"Iñaki Ochoa de Olza, from the Lorpen-Diario de Navarra expedition, has begun today 17th his first attempt on his way to summit alone Shisha Pangma Main(8.027 meters). After 15 days of heavy winds and snow, the predictions talk about more or less good weather for 18th and 19th, so Iñaki has climbed today until 5.900 meters, where he has a little tent and other material. His intentions are depart tomorrow 18th until 6.800 meters and made a biv in the tent. If he feels well (in the past days he has suffered the flu) he maybe can will continue to the summit. If not, he will wait to Saturday 19th to the final push. The predictions talk about no too much wind but yes about middle level of risk of snow falls on the north ridge of Shisha.

Iñaki Ochoa has climbed nine 8.000+ meters (Cho Oyu three times, GI, GII, Lhotse, Everest, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, Makalu and K2) and, in 1995, the central summit of Shishapangma (8.008 meters)".

Previous Update

Update 3/15/2005: Very bad weather at the moment. Inaki is in the advanced base camp (5.650).

Inaki Ochoa de Olza, is attempting a "true solo" of Shishapangma. A "true solo" being defined as summiting the mountain on a route where no other climbers are climbing and you have no help from others (which would be assumed). Our records show only 2 "true solos" of 8000 meter peaks using this definition; Messner on Everest and Jean-Christophe Lafaille on Shishapangma in 2004. Others have climbed solo, but used Sherpas to set camps, or other help.

Inaki Ochoa de Olza, from the Lorpen-Diario de Navarra expedition, has depart today from Pamplona to Kathmandu. Ochoa de Olza, 37 years old and who has summited 9 8000+ (Cho Oyu three times, GI, GII, Lhotse, Everest, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, Makalu and K2) will attempt Shishapangma Main in March, alone and in internal time and conditions, by the north side. Inaki reached the central summit of Shisha Pangma in 1995. His climbing permit ends at the end of March. After this, he will go to Dhaulagiri with Italians Nives Meroi, Romano Benet and Luca Vuerich and then to Annapurna with these same climbers along with American Ed Viesturs and Finnish Veikka Gustafsson. Peter Guggemos will also be in the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna groups.

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