Annapurna is an enormous 55 km. long Himalayan massif which highest point Annapurna I, a stunning peak stands at 8,091m. making the 10th highest mountain in the world. It is located east of Kali Gandaki Gorge cut through the Himalaya by the Kali Gandaki River which separates from the Dhaulagiri Massif. Its glaciers on western and northwestern slopes drain into this gorge. It became the first 8000m. peak to be successfully clmbed in 1950 by Maurice Herzog and Luis Lachenal of a French expedition.
The third ascent in 1970 by Don Whillans and Dougal Haston members of a British expedition led by Chris Bonington is considered a very important ascent as they climbed the south face of Annapurna taking the very diffuclt route of climbing left pillar of south wall. Since then many new routes have been climbed: second ascent of summit 8051(little bit east from main summit) made in 1981 by Maciej Berbeka and Boguslaw Probulski via right south pillar, Reinhold Messner’s route from the north-west side(1985) and Kukuczka and Hajzer’s route on east ridge of east summit of Annapurna(8010) on October 1988. It is notable that the team comprised of all women climbed the peak in 1978. The Annapurnas are considered the world’s most dangerous mountains to climb due to the peaks prone to avalanches and the high rate of fatality.
