Sulovsky's Czech team is currently resting in BC after setting up ABC by Cho Oyu's SW face. Image of team members heading towards ABC courtesy of the Czech Cho Oyu 2009 expedition website (click to enlarge).
The planned Czech route on Cho Oyu SW face, in green (previous routes in red). Image courtesy of the Czech Cho Oyu 2009 expedition website (click to enlarge).
According to the area marked out by Simone Moro for his new route (the red square) the Italians might climb to the right of the Czech team. Image and topo courtesy of Simone Moro (click to enlarge).
Sulovsky's team ABC by Cho Oyu SW face. Image courtesy of the Czech Cho Oyu 2009 expedition website (click to enlarge).
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Himalaya wrap-up: Another team for a new route on Cho Oyu SW face
Posted: Sep 16, 2009 10:04 am EST
(MountEverest.net) Aiming for a new route, Simone Moro and Herve Barmasse won’t be alone on Cho Oyu’s SW face – A Czech team led by Leopold Sulovsky has come up with the same idea, and showed up first in BC.
Cho Oyu SW face
Czech Leopold Sulovsky is leading Radovan Marek, Pavol Kuprák, Kamil Bortel and Josef Lukas in an attempt for a new route on Cho Oyu’s SW face. All were climbing mates on K2 two years ago (when Libor Uher topped-out).
The news reached ExplorersWeb two days after ExWeb's latest interview with Simone Moro, who made his plans for the same face known last spring. The two expeditions however have different approaches to the climb.
Simone and his climbing mate Herve Barmasse will acclimatize in the Khumbu Valley prior to the ascent, a strategy Simone and Denis Urubko followed in their first winter climb of Makalu this year. Sulovsky’s team is already resting in BC, after setting up and stocking ABC.
Moreover, comparing images submitted by both teams it seems that Simone's new line could go to the right of the Czechs' (see images). With that, we could get not one but two new lines this year on Cho Oyu's wild side.
"We want to make sure we’re climbing a route that can be repeated in the future,” Leopold told Idnes.cz. “We don't want to gamble on a crazy climb, but to show the way to others.”
Sulovsky’s team hopes to climb the new route in alpine style. “We must check conditions first though,” he said. “Once we're at the base of the wall, we might consider to fix some rope on certain sections, in case they prove seriously dangerous.”
Other season’s highlights summary
Besides the Italian and Czech attempts on Cho Oyu SW face, climbs performed on new or alternative routes, alpine style and/or solo, are getting most of the attention this season.
One is Swiss Ueli Steck, currently acclimatizing on Makalu, before heading up the West Pillar for a bold solo ascent.
Basques Iñurrategi, Zabalza and Vallejo are preparing for a second round up Everest’s North Col route to get some altitude and check conditions for their ultimate goal: the Hornbein Couloir, which they intend to climb in alpine style.
Some teams on Shisha’s South side reportedly also consider alternative routes, nothing is confirmed yet though.
Basque Juan Vallejo recently complained about at least one team intending to fix ropes all the way up Shisha’s British route. “All routes on Shisha’s South face have been opened in light style, and repetitions are usually done in the same way,” Juan wrote in a blogpost.
“The place has become an 'alpine style sanctuary' among the Himalayan 8000ers," Juan said, "and it's just sad that some are unwilling to follow this un-written law and ignore History by climbing the mighty wall in heavy, ‘normal route style’.”
The 14x8000ers collectors
Attention is also on the 14x8000ers baggers: Korean Oh Eun-sun (currently approaching Annapurna) and Australian Andrew Lock (about to arrive at Shisha Pangma’s northern side) who both may end up in the Great 14 Summits’ Club this season.
And then there is Spanish Juanito Oiarzabal, with a record 24x8000ers under his belt, currently on Shisha’s normal route shooting to summit all 14 twice.
Other teams’ whereabouts
As for the general climbing situation in Nepal and Tibet, weather is stable and teams are busy with their acclimatization rounds, setting higher camps and fixing ropes on Manaslu, Shisha and Cho Oyu’s normal routes.
No accidents have been reported since Carlos Pauner’s fall last Sunday. The Spanish climber is out of danger; he reached Kathmandu yesterday and will catch a plane home as soon as possible.
Links to Himalayan fall 2009 expeditions:
Everest:
Basque team Hornbein expedition
Makalu:
Ueli Steck
Annapurna:
Oh Eun-sun
Shisha Pangma:
Edurne Pasaban
Ferran Latorre
Andrew Lock
Kinga Baranowska
Juanito Oiarzabal
Carlos Pauner
Nick Rice's dispatches
Romanian Expedition
Piantoni's Italian expedition
SummitClimb
Dhaulagiri
Chilean expedition
Manaslu:
Mexicans Badia & Mauricio
Altitude Junkies
Chilean Ski expedition
Guillaume Hintzy
Dream Guides team
Cho Oyu
Simone Moro - Cho Oyu SW face
Cho Oyu SW face Czech team
Mario Merelli
Argentinean team
Malta's Challenge8000
Alpine Ascents
Hvitserk
Adventure Consultants
IMG
Jagged-Globe
Himalayan 7000ers:
FTA - Satopanth
Fabrizio Zangrilli - Pumori
Peak Freaks - Pumori
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