Old photos & Diaries

Shishapangma Expedition 2003
the Central summit

Finally the hard work, the waiting and the acclimatizing paid off.

We left Camp 3 around 5am, just as it was getting light, and followed the ropes that had been fixed by Purba Tashi, the lead sherpa for Himalayan Experience. There was rope virtually all the way until where they had given up and so we roped the last section. The weather was kind to us. although it was windy on the summit the route was mostly sheltered.

Ice crystals flutter around.
Dawa, Temba and Richard are on top, Nicola is about to ascend the last section.
In fact we fixed a rope up here then she ascended. The snow was very soft and that rope
saved minor two slides when leaving that could have otherwise been dangerous falls.

We take a step back in time, here is the point (~7950m) where Silvio (Italian) and Andrew tried to traverse left to take everyone to the true summit. However the snow was deep and dangerous so we continued up the normal route. The section above the two highest climbers was particularly difficult,
even with rope fixed by Dawa. From this point we used 170m of rope to reach the summit.

Dawa and Nicola with the true Main summit behind. The Papua New Guinea flag is with the Australian; Nicola was brought up there.
We had hoped to traverse from the Central to the Main summit but the first section (behind Dawa's head below) was very steep and covered in rotten snow.

Dawa and Nigel support New Zealand.

We stayed around the summit for nearly an hour and as we descended cloud started forming, but it remained partly fine for our descent.
The last climbers in arrived at Camp 3 on darkness.

From left to right: Gyachung Kang (#15 and indistinct), Cho Oyu (8201m, #6), Everest (the highest in the picture), Lhotse (8501m, #4) and Nuptse (~7800m).

This is the west peak of Shishapangma. Note the curve of the earth evident.

The summit cake.
Temba returned from the summit to ABC so that we could cater for Phil, who turned back at 7am and returned to ABC.
Then Temba could also make us a cake!

Returning from Camp 3 we all carried heavy loads.

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