원정 개요

ABC at moraine at foot of glacier
C1 at 6000m near "a" in Glacier of Gyabrag Glacier on Schneider map
C2 at 6500m just before the icefall
C3 at beginning of snow slope.

Forno climbed from C3 at 1:00 am and on top at 9:00 am in beautiful moonlight and clear but windy weather and back to C3 for that night; then stuck in C3 for another day and night in big snowstorm. Other 2 members went only as high as C2 and skied down from there. Only difficulties are between C2 and C3 where same steep bits and crevasse below and above C3. Left BC 12 May.

Had intended to ski up and down mountain but yaks did not go as high as expected and 2 members left expedition early (20 April) and could see there was not so much snow. Fewer members to carry loads. Could see could ski up to 7600m only so skied only down from C3. Left skies at C3 on ascent and made no higher camp because not skiing higher.

May 1 summiters reached summit between 4 pm and 6 pm.

Italians were separate team from German-Swiss party on same permit; but otherwise a different group with different name, time table, camps and supplies.

Germans returned in storm on day before De Marchi left BC for KTM (he left on 5 May). Italians to top from C3, last camp in 8 hours and back to C3. Next day to BC. Forno started from C3 in night, went to summit also in 8 hours and returned to camp to descend with 1st party - others may try (except 2 sick men, who went home). Yaks ordered to beat BC on 9 May for Italians departure. German-Swiss party have more time.


Christine Kopp - Dec 2010 (by email)

Do you remember I had asked you about the ski descent of Cho Oyu in 1988 with the Oreste Forno expedition? I've now found out that Flavio Spazzadeschi is living not more than 10 km from where I live... Incredible! Just for your information: Flavio confirms that he and Lino Zani did NOT make the first ski descent of Cho Oyu. They took their skis up to about 7000m but then didn't use it to descend ("we were simply too tired, I didn't spend one thought in thinking to use them on our way down..."). Other mountaineers (of course with the permission of Zani and Spazzadeschi) used them to do some skiing, but definitely not a full ski descent.