August 31, 2018

We heard from IMG Guide Dallas Glass overnight with short and sweet message; “Visas and Passports in hand.”  Great news!

We like to take these expeditions one step at a time.  The first thing we like to hear is “all climbers and duffels have arrived safely to Kathmandu.”  With Cho Oyu, the next big steps are that our “Advanced Sherpa Team has arrived at the Tibetan Border” and “we have permits, visas and passports in hand.”

With these three big objectives checked-off, we’re now looking forward to hearing from Dallas and Phunuru that the Cho Oyu Team has crossed the Tibetan Border. We won’t get this update until tomorrow, for now we wait. The Team will be up and out the door at 4am tomorrow morning to beat the Kathmandu rush hour traffic.

All is well in Nepal!

Greg Vernovage

August 30, 2018

Phunuru checked in overnight with great news from Ghate Khola, which is just a 10-minute walk to the Tibet border. He reports: “The road is not as bad as we thought.  We left Kathmandu at 5:00am and reached Dhunche by 11:45am for lunch.”

After waiting for some time at a landslide near Dhunche, Phunuru and the Sherpa team shuttled our loads across the washout, with the help of some local porters. It took the Sherpa and Porters only an hour and a half to get all the expedition gear transported.  A couple more hours by truck and the advanced team arrived at Ghate Khola.

Phunuru is optimistic that Dallas and the climbing team will be able to make good time to the border after they receive their visas.  Back in Kathmandu, the team had a great day visiting the sights.  The team made their way to Boudhanath Stupa and the Monkey Temple.

Great day in Nepal!

Greg Vernovage

August 29, 2018

IMG Guides Dallas Glass and Phunuru Sherpa checked in after a busy day in Kathmandu.  The Team was up early, which is no surprise when getting over jetlag.  After an early breakfast, passports were collected and sent to the Chinese Embassy for visa processing, this was followed by a team meeting on the roof of the Hotel to go over trip logistics.  Once the gear checks were completed, and duffels had been repacked and collected, our Sherpa Team took over and loaded the trucks for the border.

The Sherpa Team is going to leave early tomorrow morning to beat some traffic and head towards the border.  Their goal is to reach Timure and be ready for the rest of the team to join them once they get their Visas.

All is well in Kathmandu!

Greg Vernovage

August 28, 2018

Gear packed and ready to be transported to Cho Oyu. (Ang Jangbu Sherpa)

All Cho Oyu Climbers and Tibet Trekkers have arrived in Kathmandu with all their luggage.  Great news!  IMG Senior Guides Dallas Glass and Phunuru Sherpa have been busy meeting the team and running through gear.  Our team came from all over the world and handled the first duffel shuffle  very well. Next up for the group is a team meeting tomorrow morning, followed by a trip to the Chinese Embassy to drop off their passports for Visa processing. While they wait for their passport stamps they’ll focus on shaking the jetlag, and staying hydrated & healthy.

Jangbu and the Sherpa team have been hard at work the past few weeks organizing the paperwork and gathering all of the needed gear and supplies for the trip to Chinese Base Camp outside of Tingri. Jangbu reports that we have an estimated 2 truck loads of gear that needs to be sent to Tibet for the expedition.

All is well in Kathmandu!

Greg Vernovage