Annapurna

This article is about the individual mountain. For the mountain range, see Annapurna (mountain range). For other uses, see Annapurna (disambiguation). For the Hindu goddess, see Annapurna (goddess).

Annapurna
South face of Annapurna I (Main)
Highest point
Elevation	8,091 m (26,545 ft) Ranked 10th
Prominence	2,984 m (9,790 ft) [1] [2] Ranked 94th
Parent peak	Cho Oyu
Listing	Eight-thousander Ultra
Coordinates	28°35′46″N83°49′13″E / 28.59611°N 83.82028°E / 28.59611; 83.82028
Geography
60km 37miles Bhutan Nepal Pakistan India China 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1     The major peaks (not mountains) above 7,500 m (24,600 ft) height in Himalayas, rank identified in Himalayas alone (not the world). [3] Legend 1：Mount Everest 2：Kangchenjunga 3：Lhotse 4：Yalung Kang, Kanchenjunga West 5：Makalu 6：Kangchenjunga South 7：Kangchenjunga Central 8：Cho Oyu 9：Dhaulagiri 10：Manaslu (Kutang) 11：Nanga Parbat (Diamer) 12：Annapurna 13：Shishapangma (Shishasbangma, Xixiabangma) 14：Manaslu East 15：Annapurna East Peak 16： Gyachung Kang 17：Annapurna II 18：Tenzing Peak (Ngojumba Kang, Ngozumpa Kang, Ngojumba Ri) 19：Kangbachen 20：Himalchuli (Himal Chuli) 21：Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna) 22：Nuptse (Nubtse) 23：Nanda Devi 24：Chomo Lonzo (Chomolonzo, Chomolönzo, Chomo Lönzo, Jomolönzo, Lhamalangcho) 25：Namcha Barwa (Namchabarwa) 26：Zemu Kang (Zemu Gap Peak) 27：Kamet 28：Dhaulagiri II 29：Ngojumba Kang II 30：Dhaulagiri III 31：Kumbhakarna Mountain (Mount Kumbhakarna, Jannu) 32：Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan) 33：Hillary Peak (Ngojumba Kang III) 34：Molamenqing (Phola Gangchen) 35：Dhaulagiri IV 36：Annapurna Fang 37：Silver Crag 38：Kangbachen Southwest 39：Gangkhar Puensum (Gangkar Punsum) 40：Annapurna III 41：Himalchuli West 42：Annapurna IV 43：Kula Kangri 44：Liankang Kangri (Gangkhar Puensum North, Liangkang Kangri) 45：Ngadi Chuli South
Location	Gandaki Province, Nepal
Parent range	Annapurna
Climbing
First ascent	3 June 1950 Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal (First winter ascent 3 February 1987 Jerzy Kukuczka and Artur Hajzer) [4]
Easiest route	northeast face [5]

Annapurna ( /ˌænəˈpʊərnəˌ-ˈpɜːr-/ ; ^{[6] [7]} Nepali : अन्नपूर्ण ) is a mountain situated in the Annapurna mountain range of Gandaki Province, north-central Nepal. It is the 10th highest mountain in the world at 8,091 metres (26,545 ft) above sea level and is well known for the difficulty and danger involved in its ascent.

Maurice Herzog led a French expedition to its summit through the north face in 1950, making it the first eight-thousander to be successfully climbed. ^[8] The entire massif and surrounding area are protected within the 7,629-square-kilometre (2,946 mi²) Annapurna Conservation Area, the first and largest conservation area in Nepal. The Annapurna Conservation Area is home to several world-class treks, including Annapurna Sanctuary and Annapurna Circuit.

For decades, Annapurna I held the highest fatality-to-summit rate of all principal eight-thousander summits; it has, however, seen great climbing successes in recent years, with the fatality rate falling from 32% to under 20% from 2012 to 2022. This figure places it just under the most recent fatality rate estimates for K2, at about 24%.^{[ citation needed ]} The mountain still poses grave threats to climbers through avalanche danger, unpredictable weather and the extremely steep and committing nature of its climbing routes, in particular its 3,000-metre (9,800 ft) south face, renowned as one of the most difficult climbs in the world. ^[9] It is also a dangerous peak for trekkers, as in the case of a 2014 snowstorm near it and Dhaulagiri which claimed at least 43 lives. As of 2022, 365 people had reached the summit of Annapurna I, while 72 had died in the attempt.

Etymology

The mountain is named after Annapurna, the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment, who is said to reside there. The name Annapurna is derived from the Sanskrit-language words purna ("filled") and anna ("food"), and can be translated as "everlasting food". ^[10] Many streams descending from the slopes of the Annapurna Massif provide water for the agricultural fields and pastures located at lower elevations. ^[11]

Climbing history

Climbing expeditions

The Annapurna massif, view from aircraft

The south face of Annapurna I

See also: 1950 French Annapurna expedition and 1970 British Annapurna South Face expedition

Annapurna I was the first 8,000-metre (26,200 ft) peak to be climbed. ^[12] Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, of the French Annapurna expedition led by Herzog (including Lionel Terray, Gaston Rébuffat, Marcel Ichac, Jean Couzy, Marcel Schatz, Jacques Oudot, Francis de Noyelle), reached the summit on 3 June 1950. ^[13] Ichac made a documentary of the expedition, called Victoire sur l'Annapurna. Its summit was the highest one ever attained at the time, but not the highest climb; higher non-summit points – at least 8,500 metres (27,900 ft) – had already been attained on Mount Everest in the 1920s.

The south face of Annapurna was first climbed in 1970 by Don Whillans and Dougal Haston also without using supplementary oxygen, members of a British expedition led by Chris Bonington that included Ian Clough, who was killed by a falling serac during the descent. ^[14] They were, however, beaten to the second ascent of Annapurna by a matter of days by a British Army expedition whose climbing team was led by then-Captain Henry Day. ^[15]

In 1978, the American Women's Himalayan Expedition, a team led by Arlene Blum, became the first United States team to climb Annapurna I. The first summit team, composed of Vera Komarkova and Irene Miller, and Sherpas Mingma Tsering and Chewang Ringjing, reached the top at 3:30 pm on 15 October 1978. The second summit team, Alison Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz and Vera Watson, died during this climb. ^[16]

In 1981 Polish expedition Zakopane Alpine Club set a new route on Annapurna I Central (8051 m). Maciej Berbeka and Bogusław Probulski reached the summit on 23 May 1981. The route called Zakopiańczyków Way was recognized as the best achievement of the Himalayan season in 1981.^{[ citation needed ]}

On 3 February 1987, Polish climbers Jerzy Kukuczka and Artur Hajzer made the first winter ascent of Annapurna I. ^[17]

The first solo ascent of the south face was made in October 2007 by Slovenian climber Tomaž Humar; ^{[18] [19] [20] [21]} he climbed to Roc Noir and then to Annapurna East (8,047m). ^[22]

On 8 and 9 October 2013 Swiss climber Ueli Steck soloed the Lafaille route ^[22] on the main and highest part of the face; ^[23] this was his third attempt on the route and has been called "one of the most impressive Himalayan climbs in history", ^[24] with Steck taking 28 hours to make the trip from Base Camp to summit and back again. ^[25] There are significant doubts about this claim. ^[26]

Fatality rate

Along with K2 and Nanga Parbat, Annapurna I has consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous of the principal eight-thousander summits. Climbers killed on the peak include Britons Ian Clough in 1970, ^[14] and Alex MacIntyre in 1982, Frenchman Pierre Béghin in 1992, ^[27] Kazakh Anatoli Boukreev in 1997, Spaniard Iñaki Ochoa in 2008, ^[28] Korean Park Young-seok in 2011 ^[29] and the Finn Samuli Mansikka in 2015. ^[30]

Flights

Several airlines offer sightseeing flights over Annapurna. ^[31]

See also

• Dhaulagiri
• Manaslu
• Tilicho Lake
• List of deaths on Annapurna
• List of ultras of the Himalayas

References

1. "Annapurna". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
2. "Nepal/Sikkim/Bhutan Ultra-Prominences". peaklist.org. Archived from the original on 25 December 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
3. "Peak Bagger:Himalaya, Central Nepal Himalaya, Khumbu, Ghurka Himal, Annapurna Himal, Xishapangma Area, Sikkim-Eastern Nepal Himalaya, Western Nepal Himalaya, Assam Himalaya, Punjab Himalaya, Bhutan Himalaya, Garwhal Himalaya, Ganesh Himal" . Retrieved 22 October 2024.
4. Hawley, Elizabeth (1987). "Asia, Nepal, Annapurna Winter Ascent: Kukuczka's 13th 8000er, 1987". American Alpine Journal . #29 (61). American Alpine Club: 251. ISBN   978-0930410292. ISSN   0065-6925 . Retrieved 25 May 2024.
5. Benavides, Angela (20 April 2022). "Annapurna: A Climbers' Guide" . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
6. "Annapurna". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
7. "Annapurna". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021.
8. "The Eight-Thousanders". NASA Earth Observatory. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
9. "Complete ascent — fatalities statistics of all 14 main 8000ers". 8000ers.com. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
10. Loar, Julie (2011). Goddesses for Every Day: Exploring the Wisdom and Power of the Divine Feminine Around the World. New World Library. pp. 287–. ISBN   978-1-57731-950-4.
11. Frankel, Edith Rogovin (15 September 2003). Walking in the Mountains: A Woman's Guide. Derrydale Press. pp. 9–. ISBN   978-1-4617-0829-2.
12. "Stairway to heaven". The Economist. 29 May 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
13. Herzog, 1953, p. 257.
14. Frost, Tom (1971). "Annapurna South Face". American Alpine Journal. 17 (2). American Alpine Club: 259-. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
15. Bonington, Chris (March 1971). Annapurna South Face. London: Book Club Associates. ISBN   0304937134.
16. Blum, 1980.
17. "8000m Peak". summitpost.org. Archived from the original on 19 May 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
18. "New Alpine Solo Route on the South Face of Annapurna". russianclimb.com. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
19. "Climbing Annapurna: Tomaz Humar". Outside . 29 January 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
20. "Tomaz Humar klettert solo durch die Annapurna Südwand" (in German). Bergsteigen.at. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
21. Von: Text: adidas eyewear (26 November 2007). "Tomaz Humar glückt Erstbegehung am Annapurna im Alpinstil - Climbing.de - Alle Infos für Bergsteiger und Kletterer" (in German). Climbing.de. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
22. "Annapurna South Face Routes", russianclimb.com, accessed 13 October 2013.
23. "Ueli Steck and Annapurna: the interview after his South Face solo". planetmountain.com. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
24. "Steck Solos Annapurna South Face". ukclimbing.com. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
25. "Annapurna South Face Solo - 28 Hours", ukclimbing.com, accessed 13 October 2013.
26. "I think Ueli Steck lied". english.elpais.com. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
27. Lafaille, Jean-Christophe (1993). "Asia, Nepal, Annapurna South Face Tragedy". Climbs And Expeditions. American Alpine Journal. 35 (67). American Alpine Club: 230. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
28. "It's over: Iñaki Ochoa lost on Annapurna". mounteverest.net. 23 May 2008. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
29. Woo, Jaeyeon (31 October 2011). "With Park Gone, Korea Loses Its Trailblazer". Korea Real Time (blog). The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
30. "Farewell Samuli Mansikka, the fearless Finn". 2 April 2015.
31. "Annapurna flying- Nepali Times". archive.nepalitimes.com. Retrieved 18 July 2023.

Bibliography

• Blum, Arlene (1980). Annapurna: A Woman's Place. San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books. ISBN   0-87156-236-7.
• Herzog, Maurice (1951). Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8000-meter Peak . Translated by Nea Morin; Janet Adam Smith. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.

Further reading

• Herzog, Maurice (1952). Annapurna. Jonathan Cape.
• Neate, Jill (1989). High Asia: An Illustrated History of the 7000 Metre Peaks. Seattle: The Mountaineers. ISBN   0-89886-238-8.
• Ohmori, Koichiro (1998). Over the Himalaya. Cloudcap Press. ISBN   0-938567-37-3.
• Terray, Lionel (2001) [1963]. Conquistadors of the Useless. Victor Gollancz Ltd. ISBN   0-89886-778-9. Chapter 7.

External links

• "Annapurna". Himalaya-Info.org (in German).
• "Annapurna". Summitpost.