Build My Own FeedDodo Kopold's ascent of 8201-meter Cho Oyu
The plan was grand: to climb nine 8000-meter peaks during two calendar years. First would be Cho Oyu, Shisha Pangma, Nanga Parbat, K2, Dhaulagiri, and then next year Gasherbrum 1, Gasherbrum 2, Broad peak, K2, Annapurna. I wanted to climb all of them without supplementary O2 and preferably in alpine style.
With my friends we landed in Kathmandu, crossed into Tibet and headed straight for target number one: Cho Oyu (8201m). The normal route is not difficult, but today I know that an “easy“ route on an 8000-meter peak does not exist.
We carried a lot of things to Camp One but not higher because none of us wanted to carry all that stuff up to Camp Two! So while Camp One at 6400 meters was like a palace with all comfort needed for several days for camping, Camp 2 at 7200 meters was a simple 2-person tent. It was easier to climb in this lighter style but it was also much colder during the nights without sleeping bag, plus less food, less gas for cooking, no dry clothes for change and no fixed ropes.
When our expedition on Cho Oyo was ending, when everybody was tired or sick, there was still one thing necessary to do: We needed to carry all our gear down from Camp One. It meant going up again to Camp One, packing up all the equipment and going down with 30+ kilos each. It was a lot of extra work, but I feel it is very important to leave the mountain as beautiful as when we first arrived.
Like all peaks on the world, Cho Oyu has its own story, beauty and glory. It was great to reach its summit, to safely descend, to clean all of our equipment off of the mountain and to have put our names into the mountain’s long history of ascents and successes.
—Dodo Kopold
United States / English 
