Trip Facts

• Location: Nepal/Tibet border, 30 km west of Everest
• Elevation: 8,201m (26,906ft)
• First Ascent: Joseph Joechler, Herbert Tichy (Italy), Pasang Dawa Lama (Nepal), October 19, 1954 
• Coordinates: 28°06′00″ N 86°39′00″ E
• Expd Duration: 54 days (typically)
• Climbing Duration: 40 days (typically)
• Group Size: 02-14 person per Group
• Climbing Season: Late spring and autumn
• Climbing Ratio: 1+1 (1 Member 1 Climbing Sherpa Guide)

Trip Highlights

Approaches to Cho Oyu from North (Tibet): From the north, the peak approaches from the Tingri Plain, to the Palung Glacier which lies below the peak's north face, and the Gyabrag Glacier which surrounds the Northwest face. 

Typically, it takes 3 days to drive to Tingri (4,300m) from Kathmandu with acclimatization stops in Zhangmu (1600m) and Nyalam (3,700m). The Tingri expedition takes a day's rest at Chinese Base Camp (5,000m), and Middle Camp (5300m) before arriving at Cho Oyu North Advanced Base Camp (5,700m). It takes 10 days to reach ABC from Kathmandu.

Climbing Routes of Cho Oyu: Cho Oyu has three main ridges: the Northwest, Northeast, and Southwest, and an impressive Southwest face rising 3,000m from the ABC. 

South Side: The south side of Cho Oyu is a great climbing playground for high-altitude climbers because of the cool face that is relatively easily accessible for skilled climbers. In 1994, Yasushi Yamanoi completed the First solo ascent via the southwest face. On October 2, 2006, Slovenian Pavle Kozjek speed-climbed a new route on the Southwest Face in a single solo ascent from the advanced base camp. The crux was a vertical icefall, which was bypassed with 5.6 rock climbing. He reached the summit in 14 hours.

North Side:

• The Northwest Ridge is also known as the Tichy Route. Tichy Route is a normal route for commercial operators and for first-time climbers of the 8,000m peak. It doesn’t require technical climbing skills as it is a less than 50-degree snow field with one very short section of yellow band rock with fixed lines. The route begins from the Gyabrag Glacier at the base of Peak 6,395 and the location of the advanced base camp (ABC) at 5,700 m (18,700').
• The route skirts first and then ascends the screed and fern on the west side of the slope leading to Camp 1 at 6,400 m (21,000') at the bottom of the Northwest ridge proper of Cho Oyu. Camp 1 location is very nice as it is well sheltered from the weather by the ridge itself and the rocks below the base of the Northwest ridge. 
• From Camp 1 the route follows the Northwest ridge and then opens out onto the Northwest face of the upper mountain. About halfway between Camp 1 and Camp 2, there is a steeper 30-50m section consisting of moderate ice cliffs. Most of the route between Camp 1 and 2 is fixed with rope because there are hundreds of unskilled mountaineers with a huge entourage of climbing Sherpas provided by commercial operators. 
• Camp 2 is located at about 7,200 m (23,500'). Some expeditions fix an intermediate temporary camp between C1 and C2, just below the ice cliff on the Northwest ridge at about 6600 m (21,600'), especially during the first or second acclimatization trip.
• Most operators fix a high camp at about 7,450 m (24,500') just below yellow bands to maximize the chance of success on summit day but occasional parties do the summit from C2. Usually, the yellow bands are fixed with rope, which requires some strenuous climbing. Above this, more rocky bands there is a steep summit ridge snowfield. Expeditions usually continue up this steep snowfield to the crest of the Northwest Ridge and the false summit. From here climbers cross a broad plateau, with a very small rise to the true summit of 8,201 m (26, 901 feet). From the true summit, there is an incredible view of Everest and Makalu. 

Other Possibilities:

• Most of the climbing is on ice and snow slopes up to 50 degrees with a few very short sections of steeper rock and ice. 
• The highest technical section is 6m high and safely climbed with fixed ropes. This makes it perfect for ski and snowboard descent. The first American ski descent of an 8,000-meter peak was on October 1, 2002, when Montana ski mountaineer Kristopher Erickson reached the summit of Cho Oyu and then skied down.
• Speed climbing is another option on Cho Oyu. On October 2, 2006, Slovenian Pavel Kozjek speed-climbed a new route on the Southwest Face in a single solo ascent from an advanced base camp. The crux was a vertical icefall, which was bypassed with 5.6 rock climbing. He reached the summit in 14 hours.

Approaches  from Kathmandu to Shishapangma ABC: 

• Our standard expeditions start from Kathmandu. We will cross the border to Tibet in Kodari. After 2 days of acclimatization at 3,400m in Nyalam, we take 5 hrs Jeep drive to the Drivers Camp at 4,900m. Another possibility is to fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa/Tibet. From Lhasa, it takes 2 days to get to the Chinese Camp. 
• The ABC is located 18. km from the Drivers Camp it takes two days to get to the Base Camp (5,400m) 18 km away. From here we execute our climb through 3 camp arrangement

Climbing Route of Shishapangma:

• Shishapangma is usually climbed via the Northwest face and North Ridge, which is the standard commercial route. This route is considered among the easiest routes to the summit of all the 8,000m peaks and has often been skied. The greatest challenge of this route is traversing from the Central to the Main Summits along a knife-edged ridge. 
• The climb starts from the Base Camp (5,800m) located on the lateral moraine of the Shishapangma glacier. We walk along the moraine and climb 20-30 deg skiable and snow bondable snowfields to reach Camp 1.
• Camp 1 (6,200m) is located on a flat snowfield with plenty of space for tents. From C1 we cross a small plateau and climb up to Camp 2 on another-ski able and snowboard-able snowfield.
• Camp 2 (6,700m) is also located on a large flat platform. We cross a large snow plateau largely flat with some minor up and down slope to eventually reach another 30deg headwall, one is marginal for skiing due to protruding rocks.
• Camp 3 ((7,400m) is located on a protected and safe rock-crowned flat buttress at the bottom of the North Ridge.
• Summit day is a steep ascent on a snow and rock ridge to the snow knob of a false central summit. Most climbers finish here and do not attempt the snowy knife-edge ridge to the real summit less than 15m higher. The view is tremendous from here on Cho Oyu, Everest, and the number of 7,000m satellite peaks surrounding Shishapangma.

Skiing Possibilities: Most of the climbing is on ice and snow slopes up to 30 degrees with a few very short sections of steeper rock and ice. This makes it perfect for ski and snowboard descent. The first ski descent of an 8,000-meter peak was on September 19, 1987, when Polish climber Jerzy Kuczka reached the summit of Shishapangma and then skied down.

Need of Oxygen: The Shishapangma ascents can be attempted with or without oxygen which depends on the climber's experience, stamina, and strength at altitude. The climber should get final approval from our expedition leader about the need for oxygen. Apart from that, oxygen will be placed at a high camp for all climbers, and no refund will be provided if it is not used.  

Is Climbing Shishapangma in Spring Better than in Autumn?

On Shishapangma like Cho Oyu (it doesn’t matter), each season has slightly different weather and different attractions but for Shishapangma is lower than Everest the reliability of good weather is roughly smooth.

Spring starts cold and then warms up. So acclimatization is tough but the climb can be pleasant with slightly longer days and warmer temperatures. In spring you wait for the transition between winter winds and monsoon snowfall. You don’t want to get a big snow dump on Shishapangma because of the objective avalanche danger on its 30-degree slopes and the steep North ridge. The visibility in spring is usually not as clear as in autumn. The optimum spring summit usually is in around mid-May.

Autumn climbing is nice and comfortable. It is easy to acclimatize and you basically wait for the weather transition from monsoon to winter, when winds stop before they change direction. There is lots of snow and high objective avalanche danger, so you basically wait for snowfall to stop and snow to consolidate and hope for no snow dump just before you are ready for your climb. The visibility is superb, crisp, and crystal clear. The optimum autumn summit is around the end of September and early October before winter cold winds set in.