(Picture: Setting off for Lake Camp with our dome-shaped dining tent in the background)

This morning, we set off for an acclimatization climb yet again (there is simply no end to our great excitement at acclimatization climbs it seems), aiming for a point called “Lake Camp”, right at the base of the infamous scree slope leading up to Camp 1 of Cho Oyu.

This was to be our first acclimatization climb since our arrival at ABC. We had intended to set off for a climb earlier, but the frequent snowfall and bad weather put a dampener on our plans until this morning, when the weather finally let up enough to permit a foray beyond ABC.

The terrain towards Lake Camp was new to all of us and we had to navigate a moonscape of large boulders that required nifty footwork and boulder-hopping most of the time. The terrain was challenging but also very interesting, especially since we could see Cho Oyu right ahead of us. Unfortunately, we were not in the best of physical conditions to enjoy the magnificent landscape of Cho Oyu and the Nangpa La pass to our right (a high mountain pass traditionally taken by Tibetan traders traveling into Nepal), as most of us felt the debilitating effects of altitude at more than 5600m.

Navigating the tricky terrain to Lake Camp

We started off at 8am and after walking for about 4 hours, we were still not at Lake Camp yet, which was a disappointment as we had already passed the estimated time required. Taking into consideration the physical condition of the team and impending headaches, we decided to err on the side of caution and turned around before reaching Lake Camp.

Spirits were low for today as we did not manage to reach our target. However, we feel that at this early stage, it is more crucial to maintain good health than to tire ourselves out prematurely and we are confident that with adequate rest, we will be able to make it up to Camp 1 in another two days’ time.