Cho Oyu Speed Ascent Update: First Day In Tibet

This article is part of an ongoing series covering Benedikt Boehm and Prakash Sherpa's planned speed ascent of Cho Oyu, Tibet -- the 6th highest mountain in the world. For background information, click here.

Benedikt Boehm and Prakash Sherpa have secured travel visas and entered Tibet, a nation controlled by China as an autonomous zone. They will travel to Cho Oyu in the coming weeks and begin preparations for the planned speed ascent.

Earlier today, Boehm described the team's first day in Tibet via a Dynafit representative.

"The border building appears incredibly imposing in the narrow valley. One wonders if an entire army is housed within the complex, but it doesn't seem particularly inhabited. It almost feels like being in a science fiction movie. It reminds me of a part of 'Planet of the Apes' where the showdown takes place in a remote mountain valley."

Upon entering Tibet, the team was assigned a "License Officer" to accompany them to the Cho Oyu base camp.

After navigating the Chinese-controlled border crossing, the team arrived in Kerung, where they will spend the night before continuing onwards. Boehm, in particular, noted that Tibet is much quieter than Kathmandu, Nepal, from where he and his climbing partner Prakash Sherpa came.

"What stands out in Tibet? It's incredibly quiet! Especially when coming from Nepal, where there's constant hustle and bustle. People speak little and are rather reserved. Everything proceeds quietly. The electric cars and scooters also contribute to the silence. Traffic is relaxed, and people drive much slower compared to Kathmandu. You can mostly hear the countless construction sites. Everything is filled with construction sites. One wonders who all of this is being built for."

The contrast extended beyond the noise, too, with Boehm explaining that Kathmandu exuded warmth, whereas Tibet -- possibly because of its complicated cultural status post-China annexation  -- felt cold and unwelcoming.

"Unfortunately, for my taste, the feeling of aesthetics – yes, love – is lacking. Even attention to detail. This atmosphere evokes a sense of coldness and almost unease in me. Nepal probably has far fewer resources, but you usually feel comfortable in accommodations there. Even though they're primitive and simply constructed. But they paint, carve, and hammer to make everything more beautiful. Often, the scent of fragrant incense sticks fills the air, and the five-colored prayer flags radiate joy. Here, there are hardly any Tibetan prayer flags, but there are conspicuously many Chinese flags and signs. You see them on every street corner."

After arriving at a hotel in Kerung, the team found a restaurant with outdoor seating to refuel for the coming journey.

"In the end, we find a restaurant with a small outdoor seating area that doesn't seem to have found many customers, it seems. Nepalese workers are here, and they chat a bit. Everything feels a bit better. And a deep sense of gratitude for how and where we live comes over me. Prakash feels the same way."

Tomorrow, Boehm and Sherpa will travel to Tingri, a small town at roughly 14,000 feet. There, Boehm will begin the difficult altitude acclimation process. In a previous interview with Powder, he explained that Sherpa, who is from one of the highest-altitude countries in the world -- Nepal -- struggles considerably less with acclimatization.

"It will be uncomfortable nights. I have a hard time acclimating, especially when I reach the next altitude by vehicle. And it's the same here. The body is simply transported to a higher altitude, and then the heart races to compensate for the lower oxygen levels. We'll see how it goes."

Don't miss another headline from POWDER! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing.

We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging ski-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional skier or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on POWDER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality ski videos.