The team is off! With Chinese Visas in hand, it is time to head to China and begin the approach to Cho Oyu. Our team is splitting up; the climbers are flying to Lhasa to visit the many cultural sights and traverse the vast countryside while the Sherpa team is driving with the gear overland. The two teams will meet in the small outpost town of Tingri in a few days where they will head into base camp together.
That’s a lot of gear!
The climbers will tour the famous Potala Palace tomorrow among other historical sights within the city centre. The following day they will head to Shigatse where they will visit the Tashilumpo Monastery before heading on to Tingri.
The Sherpa team will be battling mother nature in the meantime. Several landslides have covered the roads en route to the border so they, with the help of an army of 40 porters, will need to transport the mass of gear for short stretches. Once they cross the border it should be fairly smooth sailing to Tingri.
It’s go time!
-CTSS Team