Singapore Mountaineers’ Summit Cho Oyu, will attempt Everest in Spring 2005 without oxygen

Update: Singapore Mountaineers’ Cho Oyu without oxygen expedition

Here at ABC, the Singapore camp has been celebrating the incredible success of its climbers.

Singapore Mountaineer leader Robert Goh summitted Cho Oyu without oxygen on 27 September. This was in preparation for an attempt to climb Everest without oxygen next year.

With him was Ernest Quah, one of the members of the National University of Singapore Centennial Everest team. Ernest with three of his team mates had summitted Cho Oyu with oxygen on September 18. (Robert and his group are grooming the university team to climb Everest in 2005 to mark the university ’s 100th year) Ernest, 24, then decided to climb Cho Oyu again, this time without oxygen. And he made it! An incredible feat for so new a mountaineer.

Then on 30 September, Singapore Mountaineer Lim Kim Boon, who had also earlier summitted Cho Oyu with oxygen, summitted a second time and without oxygen. This, despite a cracked rib!

This has been an incredible season for the Singapore Mountaineers, with 8 summits by 6 climbers. Everyone is optimistic and looking forward to Everest next Spring.

Previous Update: Ang Jangbu Sherpa called us via satellite phone to let us know that the National University of Singapore climbers on the IMG permit were the first climbers of the season to successfully reach the summit of Cho Oyu. At 7:12am Lindley Zerbe, Chow E Fung, Ernest Quah, Ang Chhiring (Kami) Sherpa, Mingma Tshering Sherpa and Karma Rita Sherpa arrived at the summit in good weather. Shortly after, their teammate Teo Yen Kai arrived on the summit with Dorjee Lama Sherpa. We extend our congratulations to them!  Climbers Robert Goh and Lim Kim Boon from the Singapore Mountaineers are currently mounting their summit bids and slept at Camp 1 tonight, aiming for Camp 2 on the 19th, Camp 3 on the 20th, and a summit bid on the 21st if the weather holds for them.

IMG guided team leader Mike Hamill sent a follow-up email to confirm this news and also give us more information about the rest of the goings on. He and Nick Rice and Bruce Dailey had arrived back at ABC after spending another night at Camp 2. Bruce and Nick did well with the altitude on this last round and are now set for a few days of rest before mounting their summit bids. David Schlimme and Da Nuru and Dorje Lama are at Camp 2 tonight and will return to ABC tomorrow. We'll see how they feel when they get down tomorrow. 

Larry Boersma has decided to leave the team and go down to thicker air. Mike tells us that Larry has been a great asset to the team and at age 74 he has been an inspiration to everyone on Cho Oyu this year. Larry is headed to Kathmandu tomorrow by jeep and all the arrangements have been made for Larry's transport. Mike sends this comment about the great guys recruited by Ang Jangbu to work with our climbers this year: "The IMG Sherpa team, as always, help to push the route and are considered to be among the strongest on the mountain. This year they fixed the entire route including the ice cliff and the yellow band and broke the trail to the summit. They are being praised by all the teams on the mountain for their hard work and skilled route setting." 

Regards, Eric Simonson

copyright Jason McMillan

Singapore Mountaineers Robert Goh (who reached Xixabangma’s Central Summit in 2002 in alpine style) and Lim Kim Boon arrived at Cho Oyu Advanced Base Camp on August 28, preparing to climb Cho Oyu without supplementary oxygen via the normal route.

On Sept 1, they set out for Camp 1, returning the same day to ABC

On Sept 3, they acclimatized to Camp 2.  They then headed for Camp 3 on Sept 6 for the next acclimatization phase.

They will be launching their summit bid on Sept 19 or 20th.

 

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