Three Maltese climbers on Thursday will attempt to reach the summit of Mt Cho Oyu (8201m) in the Himalayas, having brought their attempt forward because strong wind is expected at the end of the month.
The Challenge8000 team will leave from Camp 2 (altitude of 7150m) on Wednesday at midnight Nepal time (20.20 hours Malta time) and expects to reach the summit by noon next day. The descent to Camp 2 is expected to take between six and eight hours.
The team left Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 30 and has been climbing steadily to attain the necessary acclimatisation. The climbers reached Cho Oyu basecamp at 5700m on September 9 and set up tents on the moraine (rock covered ridge on the side of the glacier) facing the north face of Cho Oyu. This camp has been the Team's home and supply depot as they moved up and down the mountain.
The climbers have gone through two cycles of acclimatisation. On September 14, they climbed and slept at Camp 1 located on a snowy ridge at 6400m and then climbed to just below an ice cliff to 6750m before returning to basecamp.
On September 17 the team returned to Camp 1, climbed past the ice cliff to set up Camp 2 at 7150m on a broad snowy shoulder. The team spent the night at Camp 2 and next day climbed a further 300m, then descended more than 1700m to basecamp to rest.
Climbing above Camp 1 required the use of ice axes and ropes, insulated mountaineering boots and crampons (12 metal prongs attached to the sole of the boots to grip the snow and ice), down jackets and pants, insulated hand mitts and warm head gear. The team members normally carry backpacks weighing at least 15kgs
A spokesman said the second cycle was in itself a major achievement, with the climbers spending the night above 7000m and climbing close to 7500m - which is a national altitude record, without the use of supplementary oxygen.
During the summit push the team will be using supplementary oxygen (one six-litre oxygen bottle carried in the climbers' backpack).
The main purpose of using oxygen is to climb faster and therefore reduce the possibility of frostbite and exposure to high altitude injuries, the spokesman said.
The Challenge8000 team will attempt to climb Mt. Everest in March 2010. Mt Everest is 650m higher and lies a mere 30 km from Cho Oyu. It can easily be seen from the summit of Cho Oyu, weather permitting.
For further information visit the Challenges section on this website or www.challenge8000.net