September 10, 2013

Cho Oyu. (Ang Jangbu)

IMG guide Mike Hamill checked in this morning from Advanced Base Camp (over 18,500).  The team had a great hike up to ABC.  The team is doing well.  They had great weather and got a few good looks at Cho Oyu.  It is always a good feeling to pull into ABC.  The team can get all their gear and move into their tents to stay a while.

A little rest and some good Kaji cooking is always nice!  The team will have a Puja, rest and prepare for what is next.  With good weather, they will have great motivation as Cho Oyu is now right in front of them.  From ABC the team can see all of Cho Oyu as well as the Nangpa La, one of the oldest trade routes in the world.  This trade route connects Tibet and Nepal and is well over 18,500 feet.

Greg Vernovage

September 6, 2013

IMG leader Mike Hamill reports that the weather was cold, clear, and windy today and that the team is doing well with only a few slight headaches. They had a good acclimatization hike today, climbing over 1000 feet to the west of BC and getting some great views of Cho Oyu and the surrounding area.  We also had the good news that Chhewang and Mingma Tenzing made it up to ABC at 18,500 feet with 30 yaks (and the local yak herders).  On this first trip up they moved a good quantity of tents, food, fuel, and gear to start getting ABC established.  Then, the yaks and yak herders will head back down to Base Camp to make a second carry in the next few days.   In the autumn season the yaks are stronger (since they have been grazing all summer) so they can carry 25 kg on each side, for 50 kg total per yak  (in the spring season they are weaker from the winter and can only carry 40 kg per yak).

Eric Simonson

September 5, 2013

The IMG Cho Oyu climbers and Tibet Trekkers have now reached Base Camp (about 15000 ft) after driving up the Ra Chu Valley from Tingri.  Everyone is doing well and the team is excited to finally be getting close to their objective.  Phunuru and the Sherpa team have been busy getting a nice camp established and packing up the yak loads for Advanced Base Camp.  They have 30 yaks arriving later today and tomorrow. The yaks and yak drivers will start up with the first loads for ABC, accompanied by Mingma Tenzing and Chewang Lendu.  The members will take another couple days of acclimatization hiking in the BC area, before they move up.  Advanced Base Camp is well over 18,000 feet, so we want to make sure everyone is well acclimatized before moving up there.

So far, so good!

Eric Simonson

September 4, 2013

The ancient village of Tingri is at the north end of the trade route between Tibet and the Khumbu area of Nepal, and even today, long strings of yaks carry trading goods over the Nangpa La pass to the market in Namche.  IMG leader Mike Hamill reports that the Sherpas are now up at Base Camp getting camp set up. The IMG climbers and trekkers reached Tingri yesterday from Nyalam, and took another nice acclimatization hike in the Tingri area.

Mike says “overall the weather was good and we had a brief view of Cho Oyu. The team is acclimatizing well with only a few slight headaches last night. Assuming everyone is feeling good tomorrow we will head in to base camp”.

Eric Simonson