Cho Oyu | 1988 W Ridge-W Face from N

A Italy expedition to Cho Oyu in 1988 via W Ridge-W Face from N, led by Oreste Forno. Summit reached on 1st May 1988. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 80
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHOY88103
Peak ID CHOY
Year 1988
Season 1
Host Country 2
Route 1 W Ridge-W Face from N
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Italy
Leaders Oreste Forno
Sponsor Italian Cho Oyu Spring 1988
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 43rd,44th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Zhangmu->Nyalam->Tingri->BC
Basecamp Date 1988-04-14
Summit Date 1988-05-01
Summit Time 1600
Summit Days 17
Total Days 28
Termination Date 1988-05-12
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8188
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 4
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(14/04,4860m),ABC(20/04,5350m),C1(21/04,6000m),C2(24/04,6500m),C3(30/04,7000m),Smt(01-02/05)
Route Notes ABC at moraine at foot of glacier C1 at 6000m near "a" in Glacier of Gyabrag Glacier on Schneider map C2 at 6500m just before the icefall C3 at beginning of snow slope. Forno climbed from C3 at 1:00 am and on top at 9:00 am in beautiful moonlight and clear but windy weather and back to C3 for that night; then stuck in C3 for another day and night in big snowstorm. Other 2 members went only as high as C2 and skied down from there. Only difficulties are between C2 and C3 where same steep bits and crevasse below and above C3. Left BC 12 May. Had intended to ski up and down mountain but yaks did not go as high as expected and 2 members left expedition early (20 April) and could see there was not so much snow. Fewer members to carry loads. Could see could ski up to 7600m only so skied only down from C3. Left skies at C3 on ascent and made no higher camp because not skiing higher. May 1 summiters reached summit between 4 pm and 6 pm. Italians were separate team from German-Swiss party on same permit; but otherwise a different group with different name, time table, camps and supplies. Germans returned in storm on day before De Marchi left BC for KTM (he left on 5 May). Italians to top from C3, last camp in 8 hours and back to C3. Next day to BC. Forno started from C3 in night, went to summit also in 8 hours and returned to camp to descend with 1st party - others may try (except 2 sick men, who went home). Yaks ordered to beat BC on 9 May for Italians departure. German-Swiss party have more time. Christine Kopp - Dec 2010 (by email) Do you remember I had asked you about the ski descent of Cho Oyu in 1988 with the Oreste Forno expedition? I've now found out that Flavio Spazzadeschi is living not more than 10 km from where I live... Incredible! Just for your information: Flavio confirms that he and Lino Zani did NOT make the first ski descent of Cho Oyu. They took their skis up to about 7000m but then didn't use it to descend ("we were simply too tired, I didn't spend one thought in thinking to use them on our way down..."). Other mountaineers (of course with the permission of Zani and Spazzadeschi) used them to do some skiing, but definitely not a full ski descent.
Accidents Forno slight frostbite on left foot; Benzoni and Gianola altitude sickness
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452961
Year 1988
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w ridge-w face from n

Members

8 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Alessandro Benzoni M 1944 Italy Climber Bergamo, Italy Carpenter Details Other expeditions
Giuliano De Marchi M 1947 Italy Exp Doctor Belluno, Italy Physician Details Other expeditions
Oreste Forno M 1951 Italy Leader Sondrio, Italy Electronics engineer Details Other expeditions
Gerolamo Gianola M 1958 Italy Climber Como, Italy Woodcarver Details Other expeditions
Ugo Gianola M 1940 Italy Climber Como, Italy Artisan Details Other expeditions
Erma Pomoni M 1963 Italy Climber Como, Italy Artisan Details Other expeditions
Flavio Spazzadeschi M 1953 Italy Climber Casargo, Como, Italy Technician Details Other expeditions
Lino Zani M 1957 Italy Climber Brescia, Italy Ski instructor Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CHOY88103 AAJ Forno, Oreste - - 63:282-283 (1989) -
CHOY88103 HJ Schmatz, Dr Gerhard & Forno, O. Cho Oyu Expeditions, 1988 - 45:161-163 (1987-1988) -
CHOY88103 MM - - - 122:10 (Jul 1988) -
CHOY88103 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198928202/Asia-Tibet-Cho-Oyu - - -
CHOY88103 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/45/22/expeditions-and-notes-45/ - - -