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Tibetan summit team poised for attempt
The Straits Times - 17 April 2002
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THE Singapore team aiming to scale Tibet's highest peak has reached the advance base camp at 5,800 m, after a bout of bad weather.

The team members are planning an acclimatisation climb, the most crucial part of their training, before trying to scale the 8,027-m Xixabangma summit.

Expedition leader Robert Goh, 36, and members Mok Ying Jang, 34, and Edwin Siew, 32, aim to be the first Singapore climbers to scale it without conventional aids such as extra oxygen, Sherpa porters, pre-built tents or pre-laid ropes.

Ms Lulin Reutens, 55, an editorial consultant, is providing support from base camp.

Since leaving Singapore a month ago, the team has spent more than a week acclimatising at a 4,660-m-high pass in Nepal, making a trek to the Tibetan border and taking a drive to base camp.

The weather was good during their six days on the 5,000-m-high plateau, warm enough on some mornings to sunbathe, said Dr Goh.

But it turned bad when they set out more than a week ago for advance base camp, with 13 yaks carrying their gear in freezing weather.

'The snow was too deep for the yaks to walk,' said Dr Goh.

Heavy snow and high winds held them back at an intermediate camp for three days - two days longer than planned. They made it to advance base camp on Thursday.

It will take another 10 to 12 days to get as high as 7,300 m for further acclimatisation, before returning to the advance base camp to rest for four to five days.

Weather permitting, they will make the six-day summit climb in early or mid-May.