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Cho Oyu 2013


TheNumberNine

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  • 4 months later...
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thanks for the list of dead climbers; it is good to remind people that even non-technical routes can be deadly by ignorance, inexperience or genuine accident but I would like to encourage young people to dream, plan and do things but be smart about it. Death is inevitable and happens once in your lifetime; one can die being shot in the city or hunting or just in car accident. These can be more common than you think. I’d say keep your life interesting and take calculated risks.

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I don't mean to dampen anybody's enthusiasm and it is true that climbers with relatively little experience can be successful on Cho Oyu but it is, for sure, a serious mountain -- even by the "dog route." On mountains as high as Cho Oyu, people die just because they are there. Literally. Ignorance, inexperience or genuine accident are not needed to die at 25,000 feet.

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Matt brings up a good point.

 

I was with a group attempting an 8,000 meter peak. Our permit was for a route on the Tibetan side. The Chinese Liaison Officer attempted to get us to drive from 7,000 to 17,000 in two days. We argued. Due to a kerosene spill on our gear we got one extra day at 12,000 to clean stuff.

 

At base camp we were all taking diamox and paranoid. Within a couple days our group doctor developed pulmonary edema. We then had to argue with the liaison officer to get the doctor on a jeep and back down to 7,000. Our point being he's on oxygen now; when O2 runs out he's dead.

 

This all took place with nothing more than sitting in trucks and walking around the area near base camp. Most folks in our group and nearby groups had no problems, but stuff can happen without much warning and or technical climbing.

 

Things might be peachy, but then again?

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Victor Stepanov (master of sport of the ex-USSR from Novgorod) had come down to the Camp 2 (7100m) from the Camp 4 (7600m) to make some photo shots and video of the paraplane flight. He was OK, active and nothing presaged any disaster. April 29 early morning he was alone in the Camp 2. Other participants who arrived here by the noon found him dead... He was likely to cook his breakfast, prepared the gas stove... Argentine expedition doctor stated lung aorta breaking which had happened between 6 and 7 o'clock that morning. Probably it was provoked with cough which is a routine phenomenon on high altitude.

 

http://www.cetneva.spb.ru/en_choiu.htm

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No such thing as an easy 8000er.

 

Agreed - last Thursday, I went for a day hike up Cho Oyu (in my new Vibram toe-less sandals). Some asshole didn't pick up his dog's shit - only 50 yards up the trail!

 

So...

 

I've decided to start a non-profit to put Mutt Mitt doggie poo disposal kiosks at all the major Himalaya trailheads. Hopefully we'll receive enough donations to work down to the lesser Karakoram and Andes as well.

 

Stay tuned for our "Forgot Your Leash? Borrow One!" campaign - coming soon to the Concordia Fee Parking Area, just off the Baltoro Glacier Expressway.

 

 

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  • 5 months later...

NumberNine is Cho Oyu still in your plans?

 

I am seriously thinking of doing it next year. I live in Seattle but grew up in the bay area.

 

Possibly Shishapangma, since there might be a group forming headed by a well known European guide. Shishapangma is almost as technically straightforward as Cho Oyu but much less crowded. The exception is the main summit which is a difficult traverse from the central summit (both are over 8000m)

 

Anyone in the northwest thinking about an 8K next year?

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

I'm working on a trip to cho oyu in the fall of 2013 as well. Does anyone have any beta on arranging permits, or getting on with a group once you get to Nepal? I've heard you can save alot of money that way, but it sounds a little sketchy to me. It would suck to get all the way over there and then not be able to get on the mountain.

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