Fowler and Boskoff Missing in China:UPDATED

Two well known and accomplished climbers are missing in Eastern Tibet. Chris Boskoff, the owner of Mountain Madness Inc and her partner, Charlie Fowler were due to return to the US on December 4th. There are conflicting reports of the pairs whereabouts.

In an e-mail, on November 7th, Fowler wrote they were in Litang and intended to climb in the Genyen area before heading home. However, notes in Fowlers computer imply they were headed to Dechin, possibly to attempt an unnamed 6590m peak in the area. The Sichuan Mountaineering and the Ganzi Mountaineering associations have also been contacted, but as no climbers had registered for a climbing permit but Charlie Fowler was well known for his disdain for bureaucracy and disregard for permits

Currently the U.S. Consulate and guides in the region are trying to determine what peak the pair might have attempted to climb. They remain unsure whether the pair are stranded, met with foul play or had an accident in the mountains. On December 14th, teams searched Litang for clues but came up with nothing. There is no evidence that the pair stayed at any of the hotels in the town but the possibility that they stayed with a family can not be discounted.

To help cover expenses associated with the search, go to mountainmadness.com and make a donation. Telluride Mountainfilm has also opened a donation account under its non-profit umbrella to accept tax deductible donations. The account is titled The Fowler-Boskoff Search Fund. It is a Wells Fargo account, the number is 1736253632. All checks should be made to Mountainfilm in order to qualify for tax deductibility

A blog has been started to give updated search information. http://fowlerboskoff.blogspot.com

23/12/06 The China Daily has reported that "two foreigners, a man and a woman", were seen on on December 10 on the Gazi Mountain highway in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. Rescuers immediately began to follow up the lead. Until now, searchers were unsure if the pair were in Sichuan or had crossed into neighboring Yunnan Province.

While this sighting is good news, it must be tempered by the understanding that the US consulate is belived to have offered a reward of 30,000 yuan (3,800 US dollars) for valid clues on the missing climbers.

Boskoff and Fowler have not been heard from since November 7th.

25/12/06: Searchers have found some luggage left in the care of a Chinese man whom Christine Boskoff and Charlie Fowler had hired as a driver in early November.

The luggage was discovered by searchers in Lamaya, a remote village in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The new discovery now allows the searchers to focus on Lamaya and the nearby 6,204 Genyen Mountain. searchers have yet to get on the mountain due to bad weather.