Pre-Summit Day

As I knocked over the pot of almost melted snow, the glares from Marco and Bertrand indicated that this was going to be a really long night.

After having climbed up from camp II at 7100 to camp III at 7400, (the most painful part of the trip to date) we settled down to pre-summit preparations. These included trying to fit all of our gear into the tents and attempting to clear our minds of what was about to happen.

What was going to happen we did not know, but as Ellen, Gustav, Russell, Marco, Bertrand and myself huddled in our tents, the wind began to pick up and snow whirled in under the vestibules of our tents. We were all tense, Russell included since he really wanted us to succeed the following morning. Camp III was rather full, the German team was there, so was Tap from IMG and the Marconi boys, Chris and James. After many weeks of spending time together, all the teams were anxious to get the job done, climb and get down safely.

As the last brew was consumed, we tried to turn in for a very short night of agitated sleep, if one can even call it sleep. The wind was getting even stronger and the three of us aired our fears concerning how we would function at 8200m without the use of supplemental O2. We concluded that well, we just had to wait and see but we were all scared, really scared.

Summit Day

I set my alarm for 2 am, but never managed to sleep so I just kept on looking at the frost form on the roof of the tent. At 2am sharp we tried to get a brew going but failed miserably and each took it in turn to get our climbing gear on. I struggled to get the harness over the down suit but managed in the end. We crawled out of the tent to the shuffling of others in the same state of total disorientation. The goal was up, but that was still something that we could not fathom as of yet.

Departure time was 3 am and we headed out with both Tibetan Karsang and Karsang Sherpa, carrying the snow boards. There was a long queue of climbers, Martin and the Amicale team from Germany was ahead of us, their head torches forming haloes in the cold morning air. The first climb was steep and a traffic jam quickly formed at the first section of fixed ropes. The French boys shot on ahead, I lingered back with the Sherpas. Clearing the fixed ropes was quite an ordeal, many climbers went into stress mode and started panicking as the thin air made for a major struggle using both arms and legs simultaneously. I was nearly kicked in the face as one climber could not negotiate this mixed section of rock and ice, thrashing about furiously with both feet and arms as he tried to get over the rock band. One climber could not open his jumar, looking on in disbelief as his brain failed to accomplish the most simple of gestures.

After these frenzied moments, we managed to pass many climbers on the next section and finally made it to the long snow slope above the last section of fixed ropes. Karsang the Tibetan and myself went into overdrive, I just kept looking at his feet and hoped that he would stop for a breath or two. Russell, Ellen, and Gustav were a few minutes behind and Marco and Bertrand stopped with Tap to attempt to rewarm Bertrand's frozen hands. Tap was kind enough to give Bertrand a few gulps of O2 which brought temporary relief to frozen hands.

Bt this time, the sun had risen over the great Himalayas, my brain was trying to coordinate both walking and looking at the same time. The views were what I had expected, snowcapped mountains fading into the arid landscape of the Tibetan plateau. Dark yellows and pinks exploded over the highest peaks as the sun gently caressed our faces, we were not yet warm since the wind had not let up. Our feet and hands were numb, and Tibetan Karsang signed that his feet were no longer attached to his body. I knew that I would get some frost bite, I had not felt my feet since the first moments of our climb, yet did not considered turning back. I was not in survival mode, I wanted to get up and that is the dangerous part of this silly game we play with ourselves.

The last two hours were rather unpleasant, not painful as one might expect but the placing of one foot in front of the other, looking up and still seeing a slope, not the round, welcoming dome of success. The last 200m was in deep snow, Ellen having caught up to me and was encouraging me, holding my shoulder and letting me know that we were all in the same state of suffering. The three of us, Gustav, Ellen, and myself had formed a close team over the last few weeks and summit day saw us together. Ellen finally overtook me, I was down to two steps, ten breathes and a tiny, black point was starting to materialize over the last dome. Everest. We made it. If we could see all of it, we had made it, for the last hour on Cho Oyu is a very gradual slope, tedious and the breaking point for many teams. As we all grouped together, a mass of frozen bodies, no one really seemed aware of what had transpired. Karsang , the first Tibetan nomad to stand on an 8000m peak was there with his ever- present smile. We touched foreheads, acknowledging that we had gone through with this senseless adventure together. The breeder of yaks and goats stood atop a mountain that had always been there for him, had always cast its shadow on his yak hair tent, the Turquoise goddess that was both malevolent and benevolent to this 42 year old. You made it Karsang, Everest next?

Two photographs and I begged Ellen to stay with me. She had oxygen I had not and I did not know what would happen on the way down. Gustav shot some video and the French boys did an interview for TVMOUNTAIN.COM their web site. Russell was the ever-present down suit making sure that everything worked out. Purba sherpa and the Karsangs stayed behind to sweep, the rest for me was just trying to get down. Ellen ran out of O2 and slowly shut down, she starting to fall behind but I could not wait, I was too cold, my fingers were numb and I need to rap instead of down climbing the fixed ropes, it was much safer.

Our team had been the last to leave and we were the first to the summit which meant a clear run down. Marco and Bertand snow boarded from the summit all t he way to camp I where we had planned on meeting. I crawled down to camp III where the Sherpas were already brewing up a tea. I made it to my tent, had some half frozen water and headed for II where I had some of my gear and made for camp I and the safety of my friends. The final rappel saw me clear of danger and we had a reuniting hug at our tents. Gustav and Ellen stayed at camp II, Russell at camp III waiting to summit with the second team the following day.

The walk down the scree slope and the moraine was slow, very slow, but we made it by 6pm back to Lachu's amazing meals and a very cold coke. We had accomplished what we had come to do, but that did not sink in at that time.

For our team, Cho Oyu has not been a very technically challenging mountain, it is a long, hard walk up a very high hill, with a few minor obstacles along the way but we all agree that individually, we managed something that we may never do again. Apart from Gustav's frozen fingers and our numb feet, we pulled it off. Marco and Bertrand got their footage of the snow boarding descent (they are heading to Everest next year), Ellen returned and climbed this year after turning back last year due to dangerous snow conditions, Russell got his team up and down safely and I had a good laugh along the way.

Again, thank you to all the Sherpas, this summit would not have been possible without them for they are the key players in any summit attempt. No one really understands what it means to carry 35-45 kilos at altitude and go from camp I to III in a day and then back down again. All Sherpas are not the same, they are not super humans but are dedicated and strong climbers that often lose their lives due to the stupidity and callousness of those that hire them. Two died yesterday on the Gokyo side of Cho Oyu due to a Korean's team lack of respect for human life, our Sherpas are in mourning.

Cheers, Lou

Following the first and largest summit group on our expedition were two smaller teams working towards the summit one day behind the lead group. This partition of effort is a common strategy for large teams with limited resources available high on the mountain as well as differing abilities and levels of acclimatization. Brad and Mark followed one day behind the first team leaving for camp 1 on 9/22 while the first team moved on up to camp 2. We both felt strong moving upto camp 1 having already climbed through camp 1 three times previously in order to acclimatize and bring gear up the mountain to higher camps.

As the first team moved up to camp 3 on 9/23 we moved on up to camp 2. Having been to camp 2 previously this was also a fairly straightforward day. There was a bit of a bottle neck at the fixed ropes at the ice cliff at approximately 22,000 feet. Upon arriving at the ice cliff I counted 9 climbers on one fixed rope as several other expeditions were also moving up the mountain. I waited for a long time as I did not want to get on a single rope with so much load. After some time our head Sherpa, Lopsang, came up behind and assured me that the rope was plenty secure for this load. Given that our Sherpas are the most reliable thing on the mountain I proceeded to motor up the fixed the rope. In spite of this delay we made it to camp 2 in record time.

At camp 2 we anxiously watched the weather knowing that the first team would be going for the summit in a few hours from camp 3. So far everything looked good for the upcoming summit attempt. Waking up very early in the morning, 5am, and getting out of the tent at camp 2 in the pre dawn light, we could see the first team moving up the slope above camp 3 with their head lamps on. As the morning progressed the weather was marginal as the wind picked up a bit and our concern for the summit team grew. We received almost no radio news from the summit team as the morning progressed which added to our concerns. We agonized all morning over the decision to move up to camp 3 since we did not know if the summit team would need to reuse camp 3 again. After some time we decided to go up to camp 3. With great excitement we got to watch Marco and Bertrond snow boarding down the slope between camp 3 and camp 2. We had nearly the entire line of climbers on their way to camp 3 raising their ice axes in the air and yelling as Marco and Bertrond boarded passed breathing nothing. It was good to finally know that at least some of the first summit team were in good shape and on their way down.

In the last 200 yards or so of the route to camp 3 the wind picked up dramatically. By this time I had lost all felling in my fingers and toes and was very anxious to get too camp 3 in order to restore circulation to my hands and feet. Unfortunately our progress slowed drastically as the blowing snow had filled the track at times, some of my steps being knee deep in snow. Upon arrival in camp 3 all I could think about was getting feeling back into my hands and feet. For the next 20 to 30 minutes (seemed like hours) all I could do was to endure the pain until feeling returned. Brad had stayed behind to help one of the other members on our team negotiate the route to camp 3.

Having arrived at camp 3 shortly after the first team returned from the summit I was forced tosit outside in the wind at camp 3 as the tents were mostly occupied, not one of my brighter moves which attribute to the lack of oxygen at 7400 meters. At least now we knew the fate of all the summit team who had got to the top and back. At this point I was ready to turn around and go back to a lower camp since I really am fond of my fingers and toes. After a short chat with Russell, who was staying in camp 3 after summiting in order to support our proposed summit attempt the next day, he convinced me to stay the night given that we were so close to a summit attempt the next morning.

A few minutes later Brad arrived and we settled in for a good night of beauty rest at 7400 meters. I do not believe I slept at all the entire night. We had summit plans for the early morning, unfortunately the jet stream had very different ideas. As the night unfolded and I repeatedly felt the entire tent being lifted beneath me in the high winds. I soon forgot about my summit ambitions and was reduced to holding on until morning light. We did not expect all the camp 3 tents to be intact come daylight. Several radio dispatches during the night, concerning climbers from other teams whose whereabouts were unknown after dark, added to the feeling of desperation.

Still feeling very fond of my fingers and toes, and quite honestly scared to death, I decided that I had enough and wanted to return to lower camps. Getting out of the tent that morning in the high winds I once again immediately lost all feeling in my fingers while getting my crampons on. While standing there warming my hands so that I could finish the job, I looked down to see one of our Sherpas finishing the job for me without saying a word. Some of our braver team members as well as some other expeditions decided to stay another day and night at camp 3 in hopes of getting another attempt at the summit if the winds died down. As we took the epic journey all the way down the mountain the winds only proceeded to worsen high on the mountain. I was blown sideways while rappelling down the ice cliff. The winds reported high on the mountain exceeded 200 Kilometers per hour and this same wind storm resulted in the deaths of two Sherpas who were with a Korean team on the opposite side of the mountain.

After an excruciating long day, acquiring ever more gear in our packs as we proceeded down through each camp, we finally arrived at ABC. From here we were reduced to watching the jet stream scour the upper mountain for several days as we worried about our remaining team members still high on the mountain. (MS)

THE SEDATE TEAM

As the oldest member of the team, I had the pleasure of being teamed with Chung, a veteran of previous Himalayan expeditions and a member of the Hong Kong Mountaineering Training Centre. I think we provided the more mature and respectable element of the expedition! Chung also runs his own outdoor equipment business so his personal equipment left mine very much in the shadows. He occasionally felt some pity for me and would lend me a hat or give me some energy supplement when he saw me flagging. This was very much appreciated. Russell had originally decided that we would follow the other two teams during the first attempt at the summit. They set out on schedule and we were due to leave for Camp 1 when the first team had to return to ABC due to poor weather. This was quite frustrating for us since it meant that we had to stay in ABC longer than we had anticipated.

Nevertheless, the second attempt began and the first team left ABC for Camp 1 on Thursday 21 September. We followed the next day and stayed that night at Camp 1. This was the highest we had got during the expedition so the next day's "walk" to Camp 2 was, especially for me, into the unknown. We set out for the ice cliff with Brad and Mark and I was not going to be disappointed. I found jumaring up the cliff to be a completely exhausting business and I crawled to the top on my hands and knees. I saw the rest of the group disappearing towards Camp 2 and if it had not been for Brad's support I suspect my expedition would have ended there. However, I reached Camp 2 completely "out of it" wondering whether I would even be able to get out of my sleeping bag the next morning. Russell advised Chung and myself to sleep on oxygen and although this was difficult, I felt that some energy had been injected back into my system. We awoke the next morning, Sunday 24 September, not knowing whether the first group had reached the summit. We therefore delayed our departure until the outcome was known. Their success, to our great delight, was confirmed and we set out for Camp 3 in our down suits plus oxygen. Unbeknown to me, Chung was having difficulty using his oxygen system and decided to return to ABC. This was a personal sadness for me since he had provided me with invaluable help and advice for which I was most grateful. On the other hand, my own oxygen supply changed me from a tortoise into an express train. I seemed to forge up the mountain to Camp 3 overtaking several individuals on the way.

On reaching Camp 3 at 7,400 m, I was teamed with Russell in his tent. The wind was blowing hard outside and seemed to be increasing in intensity. I volunteered to make some soup for our evening meal inside the tent, but sadly just as the water came to the boil, it fell over and soaked the floor as well as my sleeping bag. At this point I thought my expedition was at an end and that Russell would be arranging, firstly, a tent for one and, secondly, a one way ticket back to Kathmandu. In any event, he took the incident very calmly despite the fact that we had used up most of our cooking gas. One of the outcomes of the incident was that I was banned from the "kitchen" until further notice.

Despite a soaking sleeping bag, the night was reasonably comfortable. The water when frozen seemed to improve the insulation of my sleeping bag. The wind howled all night and it was clear that a summit attempt would not be on. The sun rose on the morning of Monday 25 September and Brad and Mark decided to return to ABC. Russell and I debated for some time whether to follow them or, having got this far, to remain for another 24 hours at Camp 3 and see what the weather would do. The latter option was decided upon and we remained in our sleeping bags for another 24 hours. During this time small events at sea level are exaggerated beyond all recognition. I have in mind attending to one's natural bodily functions. It was clear that I would have to leave the tent and having geared myself up for what seemed an eternity, I went outside in to the howling wind and sub zero temperatures. Sadly, I discovered that the flaps and openings of my down suit and fleece salopettes were not coordinated and attending to the particular function was not possible. This meant a return to the tent, re-arrangement of my clothing and a second successful attempt. The process seemed to take forever and by the time I got back into the tent, I was completely exhausted as well as being very cold. Russell very kindly offered to zip up the back flap of my down suit which I had completely overlooked!

The night of 25/26 September was extremely stormy and I was surprised to be told by Russell at 2 am to put my boots on. He also said that we should keep our down gloves close to hand inside the tent. Surely we are not going to attempt the summit! He quickly informed me that these precautions were being taken in case the tent was blown away by the very strong wind. When dawn broke we decided that the only option open to us was to return to ABC as quickly as possible. We packed up the contents of the tent, backed out into the raging gale and set out for Camp 2 and a welcome mug of tea, noticing on the way that two tents at Camp 3 had disappeared during the night. We then continued on to Camp 1 and ABC. Since my energy levels were on empty, I was most grateful to Russell and Lou who helped me carry much of my personal kit back to ABC.

My thoughts on the way back to ABC were that I would never set foot on Cho Oyu again. However, 24 hours later, these had been modified and I felt there was still some unfinished business to attend to. Whether I will come back is quite a different matter, but the challenge is there and probably in my blood. There is also the fact that I have spent the last 6 weeks with the most experienced and organised Himalayan Expedition leader in the business, Russell Brice, who has the best team of Sherpas in the Himalayas. Added to that is the fact that I have also spent the last 6 weeks with an excellent group of people who share many of my ideals.

Chris B