ANNAPURNA SOUTH PEAK—SOUTH-WEST RIDGE, 1974

The Gamagori A. C. Expedition

TSUNEO SUZUKI

Members: T. Suzuki (leader), T. Nakase, A. Yokota, J. Suzuki, M Suzuki, M. Yamazaki, K. Ishikawa, T. Murase (doctor) and Capt. Hari Bahadur Karki (L. O.) Sirdar Ang Tsering.

WE left Pokhara on 7 March and after eight days set up our Base camp on a lateral moraine on the Kyumron glacier at 4200 m. near the French B. C. of their post-monsoon 1970 expediton to the same mountain.

Our initial aim was to tackle the south-west ridge higher up after traversing the glacier, but since it was in an extremely unstable condition we diverted westwards straightaway and set up camp 1 on a snowfield under the first rock peak (see sketch map) on 19th March at a height of 4800 m. Here again the face of the rock peak was so steep that we chose to climb the easier rock wall to our right, over ice slopes and drop down to a subsidiary glacier without losing too much height, and established Camp 2 (5400 m.) April after having been tent-bound by bad weather for six days in Camp 1.

Climbing the rotten ice slopes from Camp 2 we arrived on the south west ridge proper and on 3 April reached the snow peak (5650 m.)

Down below, aseries of catastrophes visited the Base Camp.On 4 April an avalanche from the South ridge destroyed 6 tents, injuring the liaison officer and a Sherpa. Considerable amount of personal equipment, food and medicine was also lost. The following day climbers from Camps 1 and 2 descended with available equipment and food. A small party was sent to Kyumron and Fokhara villages for more food to replace what was lost, and set up the second Base Camp at a lower height. On 7 April another avalanche from the south ridge buried all our tents though no one was injured—the snow-dust covered the valley for 1000 meters !

The next day we retreated further down to the terminal moraine and set up our third Base Camp.

On 11 April we resumed our climb and set up Camp 3 on a ledge at 5600 m. to the north of the snow peak. Above this was a 100 m. rock wall (which we surmounted) culminating towards three ice peaks nicknamed 'Three Sisters'. We were so exhausted that we stopped at the 6000 m. ice peak. From there the ridge narrows to a sharp rock and ice ridge and finally an ice overhang snow wall at 6400 m.

The weather now started really turning for the worse—we had only three fine days throughout the expedition. On 1 May we abandoned the attempt and returned to Kyumron.

Annapurna South Peak 7220m.

Annapurna South Peak 7220m.

 

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