원정 개요

BC at true Kangchung
ABC northeast of Nangpa La
C2 near point 6445 (near Germans).

No C3 because problem with Chinese officials with Swiss. Caught Germans from Nepal side & depanded payment to let them pass: $5000 to return to their BC, $15,000 to continue climb. This Spanish team not caught, heard about this from Germans & decided not to continue climb. After 22 April this team went down to ABC. Then came much snowfall over 2 days & waited at ABC. 28th up to C1 with Germans (Spanish half-hour behind Germans & saw Germans caught by 3 men, 1 with rifle in army uniform), so Spanish to ABC & waited to try again. 29th Germans leader to BC for many while other Germans wait at Swiss camp. Spanish spent Sherpas on 1 May to see situation & reported Chinese still there which they were & would stay till Swiss finished 20 May. Spanish haven't food for 25+ more days. Sherpas brought down C2 & team left ABC 2 May.

Betelu left team on 29th May because he is doctor & Dilip Sherpa, cook of Ibanez, very sick from pulmonary edema which almost killed him (Ibanez was higher on mountain & didn't know problem).

Ibanez was on this expedition's permit but was independent of the others, had his own Sherpa climbing with him, his own Tamang cook, his own gear & climbed independently; he pitched his camp 1 the day before this expedition pitched theirs; he also withdrew from mountain becasue of Chinese controllers, reached Kathmandu 7 May. His highest point was C2, went down because of bad weather & heard from Germans about Chinese charging to climb.

Alvaro Lopez: 30th April, 3 members caught by Chinese at 6100m going to camp at 6400m; took them to BC of Swiss but on the way, German leader met them & said Basques were members of his team & since Germans had paid already $15,000 so Chinese let them go (this second time this had happened on Cho Oyu so maybe Germans had funds in case needed).

** Oxygen used for sick cook.