Raúl Muñoz is a Spanish mountaineer who is going to do an expedition in September. He hopes to get to the top of the Cho-Oyu, an 8,000-meter high mountain. Moreover, he’s got two objectives, because once at the top he wants to descend the mountain with skis.
In September, Raúl will leave his job as a mountain guide in Jaca to start this challenge. “There are Spanish people who have tried it, but no one has succeeded.” He recognizes that there is a person who did a similar descent: Jordi Tosas in 2000. The only difference is he did it with snowboard.
Raúl says that he chose this summit because it is easier to climb. The Cho-Oyu has 16 descents, the highest number of descents on skis.
“My passion for the mountain began when I was young, but increased when I came to Jaca. I’ve been climbing since I was8,”says Muñoz.
Raúl will be with climb with his mate Jordi Montorde. They will be assisted by sherpas who will carry the material to the advanced base camp.
Muñoz and Montorde will go alone from there.
Preparation includes three phases. The first is technical, related to the techniques of skiing, a part that Raul deals with daily because of his job. The second phase is physical. He prepares for it by running in the mountain. The last, but not least, is the psychological phase, as Muñoz assures: “At this altitude, the oxygen pressure is very low and the head starts to ask you to get down. You have to be stable to continue with your goal, always taking into account certain safety limits.”
Written by: Carla Lanuza Sanromán
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