August 24, 2011
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- Road up the gorge between Zhangmu and Nyalam (photo by John Race)
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- Nyalam, Tibet (photo by Mike Hamill)
Ang Jangbu reports that the team successfully drove up the rugged Bhote Kosi gorge and have now reached Nyalam (a little over 12000 feet). Tomorrow he will send four Shishapangma sherpas to Shishapangma BC and eight of the Cho Oyu sherpas on to Cho Oyu BC, to start getting those camps set up. The sherpas’ route will take them over the 17,000+ foot Tsong La pass, which marks the beginning of the Tibetan Plateau (Nyalam is still on the south side of the crest).
Meanwhile, the Cho Oyu and Shishapangma team members, and a couple sherpas who are staying back with them, will do further acclimatization hiking tomorrow up the nearby ridges that overlook Nyalam. The plan for the team will be to go on to Tingri the following day.  Because Tibet is so high, we want to make sure everyone is well acclimatized before going to the Base Camps.
Eric Simonson