"Climb Every Mountain!" -Cho Oyu Expedition Thread

[Alya10]

It deserved it's own thread already, right?


Cho Oyu - The 6th highest mountain in the world

Cho Oyu lies in the Himalayas and is 20 km west of Mount Everest, at the border between China and Nepal. Cho Oyu means "Turquoise Goddess" in Tibetan.

Elevation: 8,201 metres (26,906 feet)
Ranked: 6th
Location: Nepal-China (Tibet)
Range: Mahalangur Himal, Himalayas
Prominence: 2,340 m (7,677 ft)
Coordinates: 28°06′N, 86°39′E
First ascent: October 19, 1954 by Herbert Tichy, Joseph Jöchler and Sherpa Pasang Dawa Lama
Easiest route: snow/ice/glacier climb
Translation: Turquoise Goddess (Tibetan)

[maryb]

Easiest route: snow/ice/glacier climb?

Gawd. It is 8 x Ben Y Vrackie! It'll be absolutely freezing up there. Then again, he'll be fine - he'll have lots of thermal gear in the backpacks.

I think his good fairy needs to go lie down now ... bring me the smelling salts Annie.

[Annie]

DAVAI MARATSKI!!!!!!!!!!!!! Climb the damn thing

[Mrs. Fabregas]

Yaaaaay!!!!!!! Well done Marat ... You climbed (aka walked ) your first summit!!!

You're half way now ;D ;D ;D

Remember : The only way is up, baby!!!!! (and then, after reaching the 8201 meters high top, please return safely!!!! They say that not reaching the top, but have a safe return back to the basecamp is the most difficult part of the expedition!!!!)

Dress warm, listen good to your leader, he's done it before, you don't : He knows what's best for you .... You have no clue up there .... especially with the upcoming altitude and the lack of oxigen

and I expect you to return safely with all your toes and fingers and other parts of your body still intact

May this trip will be an experience for you that you'll never forget!!!!

[Mrs. Fabregas]

Btw... Can we place all the updates from the 7summit.ru site and the pictures here as well??

Can't harm to have the pictures double posted
(At least I don't mind at all ;D)

[justsafin]

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Kathmandu and accommodation in hotel.
Day 2-3 Day in Kathmandu, getting group Tibet visa.
Day 4 Drive Kathmandu/Zangmu (2350 m)
Day 5 Drive to Nylam (3750 m)
Day 6 Rest day at Nylam for acclimatization
Day 7 Drive to Tingri (4200 m)
Day 8 Rest day at Tingri for acclimatization
Day 9 Drive to Cho-Oyu BaseCamp (5100 m)
Day 10 Rest day at Cho-Oyu BC
Day 11 Trek to interimediate camp (5400 m)
Day 12 Arrive at Advance base camp (5700 m)
Day 13-35 Preparation for climbing and climbing Mt. Cho-Oyu
Day 36 Trek back to Base Camp
Day 37 Drive back to Kathmandu
Day 38 Day in Kathmandu (reserve day)

[jenhatter06]

www.7summits-club.com/index.php3?id=27&idi=233&action=showfull

THE FIRST CLIMB OF MARAT SAFIN

September, 16.
Today at night, the team has moved from Zhangmu to a small town of Nialam (3600ì), situated in gorge among high mountains. The way passes by a bad road heavy loaded by lorries. Now the road is under repair for Olympiad. After breakfast we have gone on an acclimatization climb on the nearest summit (under the name Murat) 4100 ì high.

The strong wind blew all the way up and at the top the rain has started.
Having gone down to Nialam, all members of team have intimately congratulated Marat. It was the first climbed summit in his life. Tomorrow we will go to Shigar, which is located at height 4200 ì.

Today in the morning we have said goodbye to ours Sherpas which have gone by two lorries forward to establish Base camp at height 5100ì.

WWW.7summits.ru
www.7summits-club.com
Best regards from Nialam
Alex Abramov

[justsafin]

before departure,taken with team members at equipment shop in Moscow



September 11, main part of members “7Summits Club – Alpindustria” expedition came to Nepal. This team will climb under the leadership of Alexander Abramov. The aim is to climb the sixth highest mountain in the world by classic route from Tibet side.
In expedition take part Russian Tennis star Marat Safin.
Expedition members:
Alex Abramov – guide and leader (9 Himalayan expeditions, 2 times Everest Summiteer, Cho-Oyu Summiteer)
Dmitry Moskalev – co-leader (5 Himalayan expeditions, Everest and Xixapangma Summiteer)
Alexander Chesnokov – co-leader assistant
Yury Beloivan
Konstantin Zhelezov
Igor Kosarev
Evgeny Semenov
Marat Safin – Russian Tennis Star

For Marat Safin this is the 1st mountain in his life.
Hopefully to his many victories in tennis Marat will add one more victory on the 6th highest mountain in the world.



video
polisea.net/blog/?p=621

DIARY OF THE EXPEDITION: DAY OF THE SECOND....
12 September. There was today the day of the purchases of equipment all necessary individual equipment they verified and they were dismantled with the fact, what does not be sufficient.
In the evening we were invited to the roof to our friends to Igor and cat (to leaders of tourist company, which assumes in Nepal), where they relaxed scrutinizing the fires of katmandu.

they tomorrow us invited into the Russian embassy...

Aleksandr Abramov, the leader of the expedition of the "club of 7 apexes - the commands of the adventures Of al'pindustriya" to Cho-Oyyu (8201m, the sixth apex of peace).

Yuri beloyvan and Marat Safin in the store of the equipment

Visit "to the roof" to Igor and the cat

from atptour.ru


at a restaurant in Katmandu
Reuters Pictures by REUTERS
Russia's tennis player Marat Safin sits in a restaurant in Kathmandu September 14, 2007. Safin will bid to scale the world's sixth highest mountain, giving the former world number one a fresh challenge which looks set to rule him out of this month's Davis Cup semi-final against Germany. Safin is part of an eight-member Russian expedition which is due to leave Nepal on Friday to climb Cho Oyu, the 8,201-metre mountain on the Nepal-Tibet border, a Nepalese hiking official told Reuters.



From OS, Marat's letter to fans regarding this expedition and future plans
To all my fans out there - I am writing to you from Katmandu.
Yes a lot of you have heard already that I was on my way to my exciting adventure to climb Cho-Oyu, a mountain in the Himalayas in the Tibet.
I feel it is important for me to fully describe to you what has been going on with me in the last few weeks as well as what are my future plans.

It is you guys who have always been an important role in my career and always been there to support me through difficult times and the oh so sweet victories. We have shared lots of times.

As you will remember I started the US Hardcourt season in Los Angeles where I also began my association with my new coach Hernan Gumy.

I would personally like to say that the co-operation with Hernan is an excellent one. I think he's a great coach and I'm delighted with the work we do together. It is only thanks to the confidence I have in him that has allowed me to go ahead with this step that I have taken and to be where I am now.

Through out the 8 weeks in the US we really tried to work on my game again. To change my game tactics to where I will be playing again my old tennis style meaning playing faster tennis, shorter points, hard hitting and playing more on the baseline rather than playing two metres away from it as I felt I was playing the last 1 and 1/2 years. I really did feel that things were improving but unfortunately through the 1st round match at the US Open - I felt again the pain in my left wrist - the same one that first started bothering me in 2003. At first I wasn't too bothered with that but during my 2nd round match, the pain got me out of focus and I felt that instead of concentrating on the match, I was solely thinking of the implications of going through all the pain and problems again.

My orthopeadic surgeon Dr. Feder from Los Angeles - flew into New York and examined me after the match. His diagnosis was a relief for me. He said I will only need 4-6 weeks rest. Luckily no extra damage had been made and I should be completely fine after that.

Talking with my coach we have realised that this season is over for me and we have made plans which I would love to share with you with regard to the preparations for coming back to next year a better player and stronger and in overall better shape.

When I got back to Moscow and my doctors in Moscow confirmed the same as Dr. Feder, the opportunity occurred to me to join the mountaineering delegation which includes some of my closest friends and I felt for the first time that this is something I really want to do outside of my tennis career.

This is not some simple vacation on the beach. I know that the physical challenge of climbing is huge. With the unique atmosphere and being away from civilisation - hopefully this will renew my resolve and my powers for tennis.

I want this to be a special experience and it is something which deep down inside I wanted to do for a long time.

Before leaving on this expedition, I ensured to close a deal with Gumy until the end of 2008 and only after he agreed and supported me in taking this step did I feel happy to carry on with my plans.

I have planned to be away for 4-6 weeks. I am truly very sorry that I will be missing the Davis Cup semi final tie which I am sure my fellow countrymen will be able to overcome even without me. At least I can say I have contributed a bit to the efforts with my trip to Chile in the beginning of the year and in the 1/4's against France I played a small role in beating Mathieu.

Gumy and I are meant to get together in Moscow at the end of October to start practising and in early November we will fly to Valencia and possibly to South America to get properly ready for the new challenge in 2008.

I can assure you all my friends and supporters that I still have in me the desire to try and make it again to the top of this game and I hope that all of you guys will be there to support me in my efforts to this.

I will definitely miss you all in the next few weeks and I ask you to support and cross your fingers for the success of my fellow Russians in the team in the Davis Cup semi final.

I will see you all again real soon.

From me somewhere above the roof of the world.

Peace to you all

Marat

[justsafin]

(online translation of www.7summits.ru to English)
2007/9/15
METHOD In THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY...

Before the departure the expedition visited Russian embassy in Nepal. Took place fruitful conversation in the apartments of the ambassador of Russia in Nepal Andrey leonidovich It shas trofimovana to encounter so it was present one additional Russian command Valerie babanov and Sergey kofanov which outlined new route to the apex Jeanne.
Alex Abramov
Director of "7 summits club"





A. Abramov | 2007/9/16 - 03:28
EXPEDITION ENTERED TO THE TERRITORY OF TIBET....

On 14 August command the "club of 7 apexes - Al'pindustriya" completed the passage through the border of Nepal and Tibet, after arriving in Dzhangmu. This is the small boundary city, located on the steep slope of mountain. Rains they here flow without ceasing. But the command not of promokla feels itself wonderfully, besides 1 persons... with crossing of border was delayed with the incorrect documents Yevgeny Semenov from Sakhalin, since he intended to cross boundary Nepal - Tibet not with the tourist group visa, but with the working Chinese, but vigilant frontier-guards did not release it.

Yevgeny they sent in the katmandu for the correction of errors and now it will overtake us with the break during 5 days. Good, that soon drops in the Latvian expedition and it will be neglected with them.

Road on to nials - the following point of our journey is closed to the repair and is opened only from 1 hour of night to 6 mornings. Therefore road along the route oppressed by trucks instead of the sleep today at night expects us.

--------
Aleksandr Abramov from Nialama (3600m)
2007/9/16 - 17:38
FIRST ASCENDING OF MARAT SAFIN...

Today at night along the broken and loaded by trucks road, command moved to the town to nials (3600m) that standing in the gorge among the high mountains. After breakfast everything send to the acclimatizing ascending to the nearest apex Murat:) with the height of yay00m.(na of photograph to the right)

High wind blew and the rain went at the apex.
After going down from the apex, children warmly congratulated Marat, for whom this was subjugated apex very first in the life. Tomorrow in the plans of command passage into Shigar. town otoryy is located on height 4200m.

This morning we were requested with our sherpami, which trucks went forward on 2- X, that by the arrival of the command to establish base camp on height 5100m.














WWW.7summits.ru
www.7summits-club.com

They have crossed Nepal-Tibet border, but one guy was sent back to Katmandu to get right entry visa. This guy will join them later (he'll go with other group), the rest are going as planned. The road to their next point is opend only from 1am-6am, that's why they will have to spend the night on the road (it's not because they can't sleep in the hotel)

phew...finally done !! ;D ;D ;D

[justsafin]

picture and article from ATP

Former ATP World No. 1 Marat Safin has embarked on a month-long mission to climb the world's sixth highest mountain. The two-time Grand Slam champion is among an eight-member Russian climbing team attempting to scale the 8,201-metre (26,906 ft) Cho-Oyu on the Nepal-Tibet border.

"This is an interesting climb but [Safin] has (had) very good physical exercise," Ang Tshering Sherpa, chief of the Nepal Mountaineering Association told Reuters. "He is young and energetic, although the climb is challenging. I'm hopeful he will succeed."

The expedition is expected to last a month. If everything goes well Safin is expected to return to the ATP circuit in time for Masters Series Madrid, which begins October 15.

Update: Safin summits 4100m peak as part of acclimatization climb

Writing on his expedition web site, Russian team leader Alexander Abramov said: "Hopefully to his many victories in tennis, Marat will add one more victory on the sixth highest mountain in the world."

Clients typically pay 9,900 Euros to climb Cho Oyu in groups ranging from seven to 12 members. The web site marketing the tours says of the climb: "Cho-Oyu is the easiest eight-thousander of Tibet and one of the most easy eight-thousanders in the world. So it`s no wonder that this summit is one of the most popular among all another summits with altitude above 8000 m.

"We recommend ascent to Cho-Oyu for alpinists who have not any experience on eight-thousanders. Cho-Oyu is an ideal choice for mountaineers ready to test themselves on Tibetan giants, because climbing Cho-Oyu is not technical."

For more information on the expedition, visit: www.7summits-club.com/

========

Honestly, I think Marat is much better looking than many Hollywood stars cuz he doesn't have makeup on or a designer/stylist to take care of his outfits. But he still looks stunning, like a super star on and off courts ;D

from Annie:
Totally agree! i mean, we all know how many pounds of make-up those guys put on everytime they show up for the public...
our Marat, just always au naturale...stubby mustaches, crazy hair, weird shirts, sweat and all...and still looks super hot.

[justsafin]

THE FIRST CLIMB OF MARAT SAFIN

September, 16.
Today at night, the team has moved from Zhangmu to a small town of Nialam (3600м), situated in gorge among high mountains. The way passes by a bad road heavy loaded by lorries. Now the road is under repair for Olympiad. After breakfast we have gone on an acclimatization climb on the nearest summit (under the name Murat) 4100 м high.

The strong wind blew all the way up and at the top the rain has started.
Having gone down to Nialam, all members of team have intimately congratulated Marat. It was the first climbed summit in his life. Tomorrow we will go to Shigar, which is located at height 4200 м.

Today in the morning we have said goodbye to ours Sherpas which have gone by two lorries forward to establish Base camp at height 5100м.

WWW.7summits.ru
www.7summits-club.com
Best regards from Nialam
Alex Abramov

[davis]

Peter Bodo decided to have an opinion about tennis and mountain climbing... While I loathed him through most of this essay (hell, I'm just too biased here ), he ends in a reconciliatory way . I guess this article belongs in this thread:

Cho Oyu, Who Knew?

I've been amused to read the news and comments regarding Marat Safin's decision to skip the next few weeks of tennis, including Russia's Davis Cup semifinal against Germany this weekend. Instead, he will be climbing Cho Oyu, a mountain inside the tiny, tres-chic New York nightclub, Bungalow 8. Oh, not that Cho Oyu, you say? Sorry! It must be the one in Tibet. Oh no, it's in Nepal, you say? Sorry! There appears to be some confusion over that. At his own website, in a touching outreach (or calculated attempt to deflect criticism and rationalize his hiatus), Safin says Cho Oyu is in Tibet, other sources say it's in Nepal, or on the border of Tibet and Nepal.

All I can say is that I hope Maratski knows the rough location and thank God it's not in London, where Maratski has plunged to his death on too many occasions while still negotiating the flat, grassy plain.

One thing I like about this expedition is that Safin showed up in Nepal, or Tibet, or somewhere near the Nepal-Tibet border, wearing a lei, as this popular photo shows. I don't know about you, but I thought you got to wear a lei when you arrived in Hawaii. Are we sure that Marat isn't fooling us, and taking a six-week cruise of the Pacific on a yawl loaded with currently idle NBA cheerleaders?

Earlier today, I made a fleeting reference to Safin's novel expedition in my ESPN post. But let's move past the easy wisecracks and get into something a little more substantial. According the the Marat Safin website linked above, this expedition is part rehab trip for Marat's left wrist, which apparently was the cause of his early (second-round) demise at the U.S. Open. Man, I wouldn't want to be the dude on this eight-man team who's roped into Safin when the only thing between me and a 3,000 drop is the ice-axe in his left hand. He'll be fixing pitons and securing belays with his right hand, you say? We've already seen how uncertain the right wrist can be, too, even when fully functional.

But this is certainly a novel way to rehabilitate a bad wrist. Maybe Marat doesn't plan to use that left hand too much. You know, leave the heavy lifting to the Sherpas (I've heard that the support team will be led by Greg Sharko and consist of a dozen Playboy playmates, although that visual is somewhat ruined when you consider what they'll be wearing). Still, I've read a few mountaineering books and once spent a lot of time with Ed Viesturs (the first American to climb all 14 of the world's highest mountains without the use of supplemental oxygen ) for an article I wrote for the New York Times.

I know even from my limited experience that this climb is no piece of cake, even though Cho Oyu, while the sixth highest peak in the world (that's according to Wikipedia, which means that Cho Oyu could also just be the name of a waiter at Bungalow 8), is also one of the easiest of the elite 8,000 meter-plus peaks to scale. I don't know if Marat plans to use bottled oxygen or not; I do kind of wish the thought had occurred to him during some of those matches I've seen him choke away.

And did you notice at Marat's website that the Los Angeles doctor who examined him and recommended four to six weeks rest (which coincides nicely with the length of this expedition; do you think Marat, in a panic over how to fill that period, suddenly had this flash: To hail with hanging around in Moscow, drinking cup after cup of coffee - if I'm out six weeks, let me just go and climb Cho Oyu!). That doctor, BTW, is named Feder, which might be a misprint for "Federer", the noted proctologist who performs examinations on his fellow ATP pros using the toe of his right foot.

Whatever the case, maybe Marat believes that a little exposure is going to be good rehab for the wrist; he certainly is taking the concept of "icing" to a new level, doing for the wrist what flying out to Beverly Hills for a bout of high colonics. . . oh, never mind.

Oh, this is fun. What would we do without Marat? Actually, all the fun we and others have with him seems to me a sign of great affection, although I'm sure that dullards who take things a little too literally might disagree. Safin is an open, self-revealing guy: he's crazy and don't care about nothin'. He's accustomed to saying and doing exactly what he wants, irrespective of what anyone hopes or expects. I like people like that, because they're comfortable in their own skins, and not necessarily in love with themselves. Only a vain and insecure fool need to hide behind an image.

So I look at that picture of Marat in that ridiculous-looking lie and think, Aw, Marat. . . it's a pleasure watching you trying to find yourself. It sure beats the hail out of watching you throw away matches and then indulge in epic bouts of self-bashing, even though I know you're enough of a cad and lout not to bash yourself too vigorously, at least not in any way that really counts.

But in the end, I'm kind of worried about Marat. I know that none of the high peaks is a slam-dunk: I know that Reinhold Messner, the famed mountaineer, failed to master Cho Oyu until his fourth attempt. In 1959, four members of an expedition died in an avalanche on Cho Oyu, and dead climbers have been part of the moutain's mystique since the first fatality in 1958. No need to get over-dramatic; in these days of climbing tourism, there are more fixed ropes on the treacherous parts of the most common routes up than fixed tennis matches in low-grade ATP Tour events.

One thing that some of you may not know is that the Russians have a rich and robust mountaineering history and legacy, which came to some public attention during the fateful Everest expedition chronicled by Jon Krakauer in his compelling, runaway best-seller, Into Thin Air. I thought that was a great book, but it also led me to another volume, Anatoli Boukreev's posthumously published account of the same events, The Climb. Boukreev was the Russian guide who came off badly in Krakauer's book, but reading Boukreev's is a powerful repudiation of some key elements in Krakauer's analysis - not least of which was that Boukreev was selfish guide and peak bagger. If you know nothing of high-altitude climbing, both books could potentially could leave you shocked and awed. It's a dangerous but complicated and compelling enterprise.

So good luck to Marat. Sometimes it's tough to make pronouncements about professional tennis players and their real or imagined "obligations." At the end of the day, I support anyones' right to do as he or she danged well pleases, all I hope for is an honest accounting - and it helps when the choice someone makes happens to be something that seems interesting, demanding and involves physical hardship and/ or danger - you know, like attending Fashion Week. It's not for everyone but I like that it's for Marat. Climbing a big honking mountain in Nepal/Tibet/borderland is a way cool thing to do, and it has increased my respect for my favorite of all knuckleheads.

[Alya10]

Couldn't read all the way...
Sorry but that Bodo guy is one of my pet hates.
I guess he probably hasn't got much in his life to amuse him, so he takes it whenever he can get it ...

Edit: went back to Annette's opening comment, and decided to read all the way. Little more apeased but still hate the guy!
Between being a knucklehead and an arrogant prick, i'll stick with the knucklehead
Criticizing is sooooooooo easy, isn't?

[yarina]

Thanks for the article anette (hope that's your name... I copied it from the post above .

The guy writes quite well, I will give him that...and well, irony is all good and funny when he makes up for it at the end :-)

Overall, I liked reading this...

Thanks again for the find

[noemi]

OMG! those checker shorts *faints* I know he's a boy, but he really should know better! lol