About Cho Oyu

At 8201m Cho Oyu is the world's 6th highest peak and considered one of the best introductions to climbing an 8000m peak. With good weather and a strong support team it has one of the highest summit success ratios of any 8000m peak. With moderate objective hazards and low technical demands it is a great peak to focus on high altitude climbing.

First climbed in 1954 it has seen thousands of ascents since and the normal route is a well traveled route. As the climb runs along the border to Tibet and Nepal it may be climbed from either side but typically is done so from Tibet.

Expedition Overview

Travel to and from the base camp

One of the most exciting parts of this trip will be the wild ride from Kathmandu up through the border towns, along the cliff side"highway" and onto the tibetan plateau. Narrow gorges, border crossings, precipitous roads and stunning vistas will confront you on this journey and it will be a memorable experience. We will be spend several nights in Nylam as it is our first high sleep and take a day of acclimatizing walks. Then on to Dingri where we will also feel the effects of another altitude jump and enjoy a day of ambling about the town and visiting old Dingri.

FTA and Cho Oyu

2008 will be our second trip to Cho Oyu and members will have a larger degree of input than they will find on other commercial expeditions. We will include our members in pre-trip logistics conversations and work together to create the travel, base camp and climbing atmosphere that we all want most. We have worked hard to look at the internal costs of such a venture and have come up with a fee that reflects what we believe we can offer to support a team of 6 or more climbers.

If our team grows beyond this we will be taking a portion of the excess funds and discussing as a team which local organization in Nepal or Tibet we would like to support. In Pakistan we have made significant contributions to the rebuilding and relief efforts in the aftermath of the earthquakea nd we look forward to taking a similar leading role in supporting the Nepali and Tibetan cumminites. If you have a particular skill (medical, construction etc) you can offer to a local project please let us know.

The Climbing Team

In recent years we have found an increasing trend for our climbing teams to be composed of independent styled and self sufficient adventurers. The benefit of joining a like-minded group of climbers with a common goal goes beyond the savings found in just sharing expedition and permit costs.

Our expeditions are great learning opportunities, from both your trip managers and the other climbers around you. Typically half of our team will be setting out on their first major expedition attempt, while the other half could have an experience that spans the globe and includes several 8000m peaks.

We do not take applicants from travel agencies, or completely inexperienced people who don't know a crampon from a rucksack, you can be assured the people whom you will be climbing with are competent, have prepared themselves for the expedition, and will be there to share with you the excitement of a major life adventure.

In general our team members come from USA, Europe, and Australia.

Our Staff & Guides

All of our major expedition climbs (except for private groups we organize from time to time) are managed by a western Field Touring trip manager. Our lead guides are as experienced and knowledgeable as any in the business today. Just as importantly, they are enormously respected by their teams. Click here to read client testimonials. They also hold advanced wilderness first aid certification, and in many cases are qualified Emergency Medical Technicians.

Their expertise, which embraces dozens of years of climbing on peaks up to and in excess of 8000m, is at your complete disposal. Rather than push or drag you up a hill, they will show you the best way to achieve your goal, and in a fashion that will leave you with a very high degree of independence and self satisfaction. Sean James will be leading this trip and joined by Chris Symiec as his assistant. Sean led our 2006 Spantik and 2007 Aconcagua Polish Glacier trips, assisted on our 2006 Ama Dablam and on a began with FTA on Broad Peak in 2005. Chris was a guide-in-training on Ama Dablam and will be running an Everest Base Camp trip directly following this expedition.
Click here to view our staff & guides biographies.

Joining The Expedition & Further Information

If you are interested in joining our Cho Oyu expedition we invite you to send us an email with your contact details and/or any further questions you may have. Your application will be dealt with promptly and staff from our office will contact you with further information.

Cho Oyu Expedition Information Form

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