Caudwell Xtreme Everest - Exploring Human Physiology At Extreme Altitude
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News - Cho Oyu 2006:

On the 26th August 2006 the Caudwell Xtreme Everest team flew out for a dress rehearsal expedition to Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world (8201m).This was the second year in a row that members of the research expedition had visited Cho Oyu. A short distance to the west of Mt Everest, this mountain also straddles the border between Tibet and Nepal.

The aim of the expedition was to put all the medical equipment through its paces in similar combined cold and altitude circumstances to those encountered in the main expedition in Spring 2007.

LATEST: Camp 2 and summit photos added. See right>>

This page only contains news items related to Cho Oyu 2006

Expedition Update
08/10/06:  The team has been packing and travelling non-stop since last Wednesday.


9 team members summit Cho Oyu
02/10/06:  At 6.45 this morning, Monday, October 2nd, 9 team members
and 6 sherpas summitted Cho Oyu.


Latest Climbing News
01/10/06:  6 of the team have successfully made it to Camp 3 at 7530 meters, and the Xtreme Everest team are coordinating yet another medical evacuation.


Latest Climbing News
01/10/06:  The guys who made it to Camp 2 unfortunately had a terrible nights sleep. So much so, that Alex van Tulleken and Denny Levett have had to call it a day and will be heading back to Camp 1 this morning....


Update from Jon Morgan
30/09/06:  I set off, lightly laden, for camp 1, 6400m a couple of days ago with several others...


Latest Climbing News
30/09/06:  I radioed up to Camp 1 to find out how they were doing. I spoke to Chris Van Tulleken who was manning Camp 1...


Latest Climbing News
29/09/06:  The Xtreme Everest team are still resting at Camp 1 in preparation for the climb to Camp 2 tomorrow.


Life at ABC by Mac Mackenney
28/09/06:  A detailed report from Mac Mackenney (Expedition Manager) about life at Advance Base Camp and latest expedition news.


Latest Climbing News
28/09/06:  Expedition and Base Camp Manager Mac, has just spoken to Expedition Leader Mike Grocott on the VHF radio to check that all is well at Camp 1.


Heading for Camp 2
27/09/06:  Camp One is at 6.5km altitude and consists of what seems to be hundreds of dome-tents balanced precipitously on bits of ice.


Oh, Joy!
22/09/06:  A full night of uninterrupted sleep, and we are awoken to the sound of snow sliding from the tents in the sunshine.


Can I come down now?
21/09/06:  What a shocking night. Despite the absence of any other symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS), I sleep terribly.


Up to Camp Two
20/09/06:  A big day for some. We set off at around 07.00, having learned yesterday that the ascent is harsh in the heat of the sun.


To the Serrac
19/09/06:  A lovely day at Camp One, and for some a rest day. For others, a day of
recuperation after a bad night of altitude-related symptoms.


The Climbing Begins
16/09/06:  Eleven of the team are on the mountain, working their way via Lake Camp to Camp One.


The first move up
15/09/06:  The day starts cold and early, and we have much to do. A run of blood letting starts the day...


Action stations
14/09/06:  A frenetic day of testing. The CPX machine struggle to hold their calibration as ambient temperatures rise wildly first thing in the morning.


More science.. and a walk
13/09/06:  Once again, we need to set the labs up- but this time, we are even faster than before.


Onwards and upwards
12/09/06:  A snowy and blustery start to the day, as the camp is stripped, and loads prepared for the Yaks to carry to Advanced Base Camp.


A Farewell to Helen and to Base Camp
11/09/06:  Following a hearty breakfast, we set about dismantling the last of the camp, and helping weigh kit and load a lorry which was to deliver gear on to intermediate camp.


Hugh on being a High Altitutude guinea pig.
08/09/06:  I starved overnight in preparation for a test this morning...


Headaches and Shakes!
07/09/06:  Last night, a bottle of scotch was discovered- a gift from Kit at the Summit hotel.


Brain Aches and Heart Breaks
06/09/06:  What an interesting day. We are all well aware of the limited oxygen available, but think we are doing well?.


The real science starts!
05/09/06:  We have at last arrived, and are able to start testing our equipment and logistics.


A new base at base camp
04/09/06:  We have reached 5000m now, at Tibetan Base Camp.


One week out?
03/09/06:  We have been gone a week now, and find ourselves in an almost mediaeval environment.


On to Xegar
02/09/06:  We have an early breakfast, and are on the road by 07.30 hrs. The drive lasts some eight hours...


The Drive to Shigatsu
01/09/06:  All packed, we leave at 07.30hrs for Shigatse, a small town at nearly 3900m.


Illness Spreads
31/08/06:  Many of us were suffering headaches overnight, courtesy of the altitude.


Monasteries and Mountains
30/08/06:  We all seemed to sleep fairly well, and for some of us our ?sats? have risen from 77% to 84%.


But isn?t Lhasa a dog?
29/08/06:  A late night of conversation over beer, and an early start (05.00) causes some confusion.


Weighing In
28/08/06:  The day dawns bright and warm, and all are in good humour. We set up a dining area as a small research lab...


At the Summit already?
27/08/06:  The flight went smoothly, and we land in Doha for a six hour stopover. On exiting the aircraft, the heat and light are oppressive...


And they?re off?.!
26/08/06:  It must now be six years or more since the concept of ?Xtreme Everest Research? was born, and we are now almost there.


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