Commercial expedition of Mount Cho Oyu via Nepal could soon be a reality as two groups of Sherpa guides set out on a mission to explore a new route for the world’s sixth highest peak.
A team led by renowned guide Gelje Sherpa is currently at Camp 1, while another team led by Mingma Dorchi Sherpa is at the base camp. Each team has ten members, according to Bhisma Bhattarai, an official of the Department of Tourism.
Mount Cho Oyu, which straddles Nepal and China, has never seen any commercial expedition via Nepal due to safety concerns.
“Alpinists do prefer Nepal but there has not been a single commercial expedition from our side because we do not have a specified route like on the Tibetan side. Our aim is to find one,” Gelje Sherpa, who climbed K2 in winter last year, told Everest Chronicle, “I’m confident that companies would explore via Nepal if we offer them a specified route.”
Considered one of the easiest eight-thousander to climb, Cho Oyu (8188-meters) attracts hundreds of climbers every year. According to Himalayan Database, there have been 4,047 summits until 2022, making it the second most climbed eight thousander in the Himalayas. Of them, barely 135 summits happened from the Nepal side.
Expedition agencies use the Tibet route which is safer compared to Nepal which still lacks a well defined route to the peak like other mountains. Climbers said that the Nepali side is steeper and prone to accidents. Only alpinist climbers known for their swift and light climbing– have climbed the peak from the southern side.
Pemba Sherpa, who has summited Everest 12 times, said that the two teams were working on an understanding to explore all possible routes to the peak. He said that the teams would work together to identify a route which can be climbed by everyone. In other words, the route would be well defined with a safer area to camp and arrange logistics as well as points for helicopters if needed.
Pemba said that the agencies would be able to organize a large-scale commercial expedition if they are successful in their mission. “We want to offer climbers a route that is safe and viable for all kinds of expeditions. This would end the compulsion to climb the mountain via the Tibet side,” said Pemba, adding that they were carrying out this mission in support of expedition agencies who were helping them with logistics. The mission is expected to cost around 20 million Nepali rupees each.
Sherpa guides involved in the mission consider the mission as a matter of prestige which would benefit Nepal as well as the entire climbing community. Stakeholders believe that Nepali side would be preferred over Tibet once there is a well defined route. Hundreds of climbers have been waiting in queue to climb Cho Oyu and other mountains from Tibet since China barred climbers citing Covid19 outbreak in 2020. China charges around $9000 for the climbing permit of Cho Oyu , more than five times the permit fee of $1800 set by Nepal. Climbers and crew members frequently face issues in getting visas due to sensitivity over Tibet issues, according to Sherpas.
If the teams become successful, it would not only increase businesses and revenues but also generate more jobs to guides and porters. It is the reason the National Mountaineering Association as well as several expedition companies have been helping teams with logistical and financial support.
Gelje, who has all 14 peaks except Cho Oyu and Broad Peak, has also his own personal record in mind. He wants to become the youngest person to climb 14 peaks by climbing the remaining two peaks by next year. In recent years, especially after the disruption of mountaineering works with the onset of Covid-19 in 2020, Sherpa guides have been making use of their free time working on ambitious projects for name and fame.
Bhattarai, the DoT official, said that his office was cooperating with the NMA and Sherpa guides in their mission. But members of the two expedition teams complained about the lack of support against the government.
“We spent several months knocking every door of the ministry. But we got nothing except promises. It shows how little our government thinks about promotion of mountain tourism,” said a guide.
The NMA and several agencies have supported the mission although many appear skeptical about its success or the usefulness of the new route.
“Since opening Cho Oyu route from Nepal side is a praiseworthy mission, we have announced to provide little financial support,” said Kul Bahadur Gurung, general secretary at the NMA, adding, “Opening of Cho Oyu route from Nepal side was under discussion for the last 10 years. Young climbers are working hard to make this possible, which is good for the nation and climbing industry.”
The weather in the Himalayas has deteriorated in recent weeks, forcing climbers in other mountains to cancel their expedition. There are also doubts that climbers would choose Nepal over Tibet while the latter route is considered technically far easier.
“It will for sure be a hard task but I hope that all of them will be successful. I’m sure that this would help promote mountain tourism in Nepal,” Lukas Furtenbach, managing director of Furtenbach Adventures said, “It’s a great initiative from Nepali climbers.”
Lukas believes that setting a new rout via Nepal will change the Cho Oyu expedition. “As far as I understand the route from Nepal–if opened–has a totally different character as the one from Tibet,” he said, “It will be an additional option to climb Cho Oyu especially for years when Tibet is closed for foreigners.”
Lukas, however, doesn’t expect all future Cho Oyu aspirants will switch to the more technical route from Nepal.
Pemba, co-leader of expedition team exploring route from Thame said that the new route would at least give an option for the climbers willing to climb through the Nepal side.
“So far, those climbing through commercial expeditions have no option but to climb via Tibet. The new route would at least give them an option,” said Pemba.
