원정 개요

BC on east side Annapurna Glacier below Tent Peak
C1 between Bonington's I and II
C2 on South Face's cauliflower ridge Bonington route.

2 weeks between C2 and C3; heavy snowfall at C2, at BC rain for more than 48 hrs without stop; progress now very slow on cauliflower ridge after snowfall; 30m/per day only. Young members psychological problem to keep climbing day after day - snow on cauliflower very difficult. Groslej and Bozic tried for 3 days to climb up east end of face to gain E Ridge but went early 5500m but more than 17m deep snow. Went up between Roc Noir and Glacier Dome; reached 5500m on 25th Oct & then more snowfall.

Some pieces of ice falling between C2 and C3 and a little rock falling.

Face more difficult than expected - have however applied for 6 members in spring 1994 to go to eastern route to gain E Ridge.


The Timetable

19-24/09 Departure from Ljubljana to KTM, and covering additional
200 km to Pokhara.
25-29/09 March from Dhampus Pedhi near Pokhara to BC, which was put
up behind the eastern moraine of the Modi Glacier at 4050m.
29/09 Establishing BC on a fine grassy plain.
30/09 Establishing C1 on top of rocky promontory.
02/10 Fixing ropes in a rock couloir and establishing a relay tent
(for deposit or as a temporary camp) at 5600m.
04/10 Establishing C2 (5900m) on the ridge, which further up develops
into a pillar leaning against the upper sections of the
South Face 1000m higher.
05/10 Consecration of BC (by Sherpas).
06/10 Gradual advancing towards the ridge and along the ridge. The
ascent straight through the gully running parallel to the
ridge was not considered prudent on account of the falling
ice. It might have been negotiated only in the alpine style
of climbing. The only remaining possible route of ascent led
via extremely tiresome cauliflower like formations of ice
of ice and snow on the sharp ridge, and via vertical and
overhanging mushrooms of rotten ice and snow. The height 6400m.
11-14/10 Heavy snowfall stopped any progress on the mountain. Furlan
and Supin were caught at C2 and pinned down by avalanches for
four days, but they saved the camp by continually shovelling
away the snow. Fresh snow reached 80 cm at 5600m and 150 cm
at 6000m. The snow also stopped the alpine style French
rope, just below to retreat, and on the way down Pierre
Beghin was killed. His rope-mate Jean Christoph Lafaille
managed a three-day solo descent, and found refuge in our BC.
15-17/10 Continuing the ascent along the ridge, which, owing to the
masses of fresh snow, was hardly suitable for climbing. The
height reached by the climbers: 6600m
18/10 Levelling out a platform for deposit, later used for C3 at 6600m
19/10 Soon above C3 Groselj and Bozic gave up their attempt to
advance, and so did Jamnik and Ravnik, finding the ice
and snow conditions unmanageable.
20-21/10 After extreme strain Tomazin and Bence reached 6700m which
was to be the highest point, and decided that at that speed
of advancement the summit was out of the question.
21/10 At 14 hours the decision was passed that the attempt on the
British Route should be given up. Instead, one or two ropes
should try climbing via the extreme right wing of the South
Face and reaching the East Ridge, which, though long, is not
considered to be technically very demanding. The first to try this
second choice were Groselj and Bozic, with the assistance of Sherpas.
23-25/10 Groselj and Bozic found the orientation hard, but finally
a passage to the foot of the ice slope leading up to the
ridge. However, they had been delayed so much that they were
forced to return. Morever, a heavy snowfall set in. During
the afternoon of the 25th and before the morning of the 26th
Oct BC had 15-30 cm of fresh snow; at 5000m the amount was
60 cm, and 6000m more than 100 cm, without, in fact, anyone
of us knowing it at that time. Groselj and Tomazin were
supposed to undertake another attempt, as Bozic had given
priority to official duties.

In the meantime we began to clear up the former route. Bence
and Supin had been taken ill and left the expedition on 24th
Oct. On 26th Oct Kajzelj, Ravnik, Jamnik, Rupar and Bozic
decided to leave the expedition, since, as they declared,
they found any further attempt futile. Furlan joined them
on account of a frostbitten finger. In the morning of the
27th Oct they left base camp.

Only while clearing up C2 in the afternoon of the same day
did we notice the enormous amounts of fresh snow which had
fallen in higher parts. At least one week of fine weather
would have been needed to let the snow on the gentle sloped
glacier settle and make walking possible. Until then the
climbing on the steep slopes leading up towards the ridge was
not safe either. Now the last chance of reaching the top
was gone, as we had no more time left. So the remaining
members left BC on 28th to supervise the transport of the
equipment back to the valley (Bozic, Furlan, Tomazin and
Skarja, who waited for the arrival of the equipment). Some of
it was stored there and some was sent back home. During the
remaining days they wrote the necessary reports, paid the
Sherpas and submitted an official application for a pocket.