Old photos & Diaries

Shishapangma Expedition 2003
the beginning - Kathmandu to BC

An 8000m expedition is just that - an expedition. The crew spend a week or so preparing the equipment and food then the team arrives. It takes us 16 days before we even step foot on the mountain.

Getting there is all part of the fun. Often the road is washed out and the gear has to be hauled but this time we had a smooth as silk journey.

In Kathmandu the team and sherpas went to a gompa in Baudha to get the blessing and protection of a powerful lama.

Then we ate pizza and lived it up! We had 3 full days in Kathmandu, time for all the last minute gear shopping.

Driving out and then back into Kathmandu is a patchwork of green fields and terraces.

The gorge leaving Zhangmu for the climb to Nyalam is probably one of the most breath-taking there is, and quite an engineering feat, gaining 1300m in a couple of hours, then the next day tops out at 5150m, below.

Shishapangma rears behind, our first view of it from the Lalung La.
The Central summit (8008m) is slightly right, the smooth face, and the Main summit (8027m)
is just left of it directly above the truck, and looking just that much higher from this point.

After the middle hills and rugged gorges we cross the pass to the Tibetan Plateau with its wide panoramas.

Tingri is a dusty place where we stayed two nights (and previously two nights at Nyalam) but we got a better hotel than most and the food was good - below.

The meals in Tibet are all included, some good Chinese meals although after 5 days of them they can be all the same.

Just hanging out, we also went for a couple of half day walks to help acclimatize - below.

Tingri is behind us.

Finally we arrived at Shishapangma Base Camp ~5000m on day 9. We spent 4 days here, unlike most teams who only spend 1 full day.

Phil relaxes. There are some great treks and day trips possible from here.

A hardy Himalayan Blue Poppy?

Driving in and leaving we saw several Kiang, the curious wild ass of Tibet.

jdesign -- all rights reserved -- frozen in time July 2013