HOME CHO OYU THE TEAM DISPATCHES WILDLIFE CLASSROOM QUESTIONS? In 2002, Kristoffer Erickson became the first American male to ski down an 8000m peak -- ICE AXE was there... Click on speaker to listen to Kris from the top of Cho Oyu.

The Cho Oyu Adventure... Along the Tibetan border in Eastern Nepal, the jagged and snow-crusted peak of Cho Oyu stands 26,906 feet tall - the sixth highest peak in the world. This fall a seasoned group of alpine specialists will explore new ascents and descents of Cho Oyu.  Renowned alpine climbing brothers Damian and Willie Benegas will attempt a new route to the mighty peak's summit.  Simultaneously, fellow North Face athletes Hillaree Nelson O'Neill (skier), Kasha Rigby (skier), and John Griber (snowboarder) will descend Cho Oyu.  This descent by John Griber will mark the first time the 8000-meter peak has been snowboarded by an American. Swayambhunath or "the monkey temple" The climb alone is a daunting technical challenge -- to ski and snowboard down is truly pushing exploratory limits. Click here for more photos Advanced Base Camp (ABC) en route to Cho Oyu