Cho Oyu | 1989 SW Ridge-W Face

A USA expedition to Cho Oyu in 1989 via SW Ridge-W Face, led by Carlos Buhler. Summit reached on 8th April 1989. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 814
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHOY89101
Peak ID CHOY
Year 1989
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge-W Face
Route 2 SW Pillar-W Face up; W Ridge-W Face down
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Carlos Buhler
Sponsor International Cho Oyu Expedition
Success 1 False
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 61st
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Spain
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1989-03-09
Summit Date 1989-04-08
Summit Time -
Summit Days 30
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8188
Traverse True
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 2
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 False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(19/03,5200m),ABC(23/03,5400m),Biv1(04/04,6100m),Biv2(05/04,6680m),Biv3(06/04,7000m),Biv4(07/04,7480m),Smt(08/04)
Route Notes BC at Nangpa Glacier at Kangshung (long way from foot of mountain) C1 on glacier 1st biv directly at bottom of SW Buttress 2nd biv on buttress 3rd biv on buttress 4th biv where buttress joins normal route on west side. Buttress that was attempted in Aut 1987 by Udall's American expedition was original objective, and Buhler and Zabaleta took a look at them, but they were too difficult for a 2-man team, too dangerous and "so far from the summit." So went for Poles 1986 SW Buttress. Did some acclimatization climbing before their push up the buttress. After had established C1 on 25 March there was a storm for 5 days in BC. Then acclimatization climb to 6000m. Started alpine-style push for summit on 4 April, got to top on 8th from 4th bivouac at 7480m and back to this biv to sleep night of 8th there. On 9 April descended NW Ridge (normal route in Tibet) to 5840m (via Nangpa La); was "incredibly cold" and Buhler worried about frostbite but did not suffer any. On his return from Cho Oyu, Buhler told PM Shrestha in Tourism Ministry he had broken his promise not to cross border into Tibet. Shrestha not deeply concerned. Kearney got pulmonary edema below BC and was at BC only 31 March to 4 April when other 2 were in Tibet. Sirdar Lhakpa Dorje sick a lot and left the expedition early, back just at end.
Accidents None (Kearney sick and did no climbing)
Achievement -
Agency Everest Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453304
Year 1989
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge-w face

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Carlos Paltenghe Rockhold Buhler M 1954 USA Leader Bellingham, Washington Lecturer Details Other expeditions
Alan J. Kearney M 1951 USA Climber Kathmandu & Bellingham, Washington Photographer & alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Martin Zabaleta Larburu M 1949 Spain Climber Oakland, California Carpenter Details Other expeditions
Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa M 1955 Nepal Sirdar Khunde, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CHOY89101 AAJ Buhler, Carlos - - 64:237-238 (1990) -
CHOY89101 HJ Buhler, Carlos Cat and Mouse on Cho Oyu's West Ridge - 47:30-34 (1989-1990) -
CHOY89101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199023702/Asia-Nepal-Cho-Oyu - - -
CHOY89101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/47/5/cat-and-mouse-on-cho-oyus-west-ridge/ - - -