Cho Oyu | 2003 NW side

A Australia expedition to Cho Oyu in 2003 via NW side, led by Paul Carr. Summit reached on 11th May 2003. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4231
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHOY03101
Peak ID CHOY
Year 2003
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 NW side
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Australia
Leaders Paul Carr
Sponsor Everest 2004/Make a Wish
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2003-04-16
Summit Date 2003-05-11
Summit Time -
Summit Days 25
Total Days 33
Termination Date 2003-05-19
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7400 due to death of leader
High Point (m) 7400
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent True
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(16/04),ABC(20/04),C1(26/04,6250m),C2(10/05,6900m),C3(11/05,7400m),xxx(11/05,7400m)
Route Notes Nick Farr - 29 Jun 2003 We arrived at BC on April 16. We all arrived at and first slept at ABC on April 20. Our first trip to C1 was on April 23 but was just up and down - no sleeping at C1 on this trip. First time we slept at C1 was on April 26 staying through April 27 returning to ABC on April 28. Overnight at C1 on May 1st and May 2nd and return to ABC on May 3. Overnight at C1 on May 5 and back to ABC on May 6. Then at ABC until May 9 and overnight at C1 on May 9. May 10 Paul Carr and I climbed to and slept at C2. May 11 Paul Carr and I climbed to and slept at C3. I slept at C3 the next 3 nights (4 in total). Paul died at C3 on May 14. I returned to ABC on May 15. Paul died of a heart attack and not AMS as was first reported. The highest point reached by our team was C3 at around 7400m. This was reached by Paul Carr and I on May 11 along with our climbing Sherpas, Yodha Rai and Tika Tamang. Our expedition had one bottle of oxygen for medical purposes which remained at C1 and one bottle which I planned to use for my proposed ski descent. We took this bottle with us to C3 but did not use it on our climb up. I used this bottle in my efforts to try to revive Paul and I then decided I may as well use it when descending on May 15. I had to carry it anyway so I figured I may as well use it. One of our Sherpas Yodha Rai received minor frostbite to the very end tip of one of his fingers. This was recovering well back in KTM. No other serious illnesses or accidents. Paul died at C3 approx 7400m at around 3:00 pm on May 14. He died very suddenly and an autopsy revealed the cause to be a heart attack. This explained the quick and most unexpected nature of his death. The moment Paul died I decided to abandon any further efforts for the summit - May 14. The team obviously agreed wth this decision when I returned to ABC on May 15. Our team was flown out of ABC to KTM by Colonel Madan KC and the Royal Nepalese Army on May 19. Paul's body was flown from ABC to KTM on May 20. In terms of anything else I might need to say it would be this. Paul, I and Sherpas were in a strong and fit condition when we arrived at C3 on May 11. We had planned to try one last time for the summit on May 15 and if the bad weather continued were going to return to ABC to refresh that day regardless. All decisions we made in terms of going up, staying or going down were sound and agreed upon by us both based on how we were feeling. That Paul died suddenly of a heart attack vindicates what I have always maintained and that being that at no time did we ever ignore any signs of altitude sickness. I remained strong (as strong as I feel you can be at the altitudes we reached) for the whole time we were at those altitudes. Paul too gave every indication that he was feeling strong and fit right up until the moment that he died. "Sherpas" Yuddha Rai, 37, from Gaidipangma VDC, Sankhawasabha Tika Tamang, 31, from Ramechap
Accidents Rai minor frostbite; Carr died of heart attack
Achievement -
Agency Sea to Summit Trekking
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2458104
Year 2003
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) nw side

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
John Graeme (Jack) Carmody M 1967 Australia Climber South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Police officer Details Other expeditions
Paul Bernard Carr M 1960 Australia Leader Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Police inspector Details Other expeditions
Nicholas Philip (Nick) Farr M 1966 Australia Climber Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia Detective senior constable of Victor Details Other expeditions
Michael (Mick) Harvey M 1968 Australia Climber Whitfield, Victoria, Australia Police officer Details Other expeditions
Yuddha Rai M - Nepal H-A Worker Gaidipangma, Makalu-Barun - Details Other expeditions
Tika Bahadur Tamang M 1972 Nepal H-A Worker Rampur-8, Ramechap - Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.