Annapurna I | 2002 E Ridge via S Face of Glacier Dome

A Spain expedition to Annapurna I in 2002 via E Ridge via S Face of Glacier Dome, led by Alberto Inurrategi, Ed Viesturs. Summit reached on 16th May 2002. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 3985
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN102104
Peak ID ANN1
Year 2002
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 E Ridge via S Face of Glacier Dome
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Spain
Leaders Alberto Inurrategi, Ed Viesturs
Sponsor International Annapurna 2002
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 40th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Finland, France, USA
Approach Ghandrung->Chomrung->Machhapuchhare BC
Basecamp Date 2002-04-12
Summit Date 2002-05-16
Summit Time 1000
Summit Days 34
Total Days 39
Termination Date 2002-05-21
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8091
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 2500
Total Members 6
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Climbed Roc Noir (ROCN-021-01)
Campsites BC(12/04,4000m),C1(16/04,4250m),C2(23/04,6200m),C3(05/05,7100m),C4(14/05,7300m),Biv(14/05,7500m),Biv(15/05,7850m),Smt(16/05)
Route Notes BC underneath rock face south of Tent Peak C1 north of Tent Peak C2 just north and 500m away from top of Fluted Peak C3 on snow face just before top of Glacier Dome C4 at 500m on ridge C5 in gully between East and Middle Annapurna tops. From C3 did not cross big crevasse before Glacier Dome top. 6 May all down to BC. Returned to C3 on 13 May, C4 14 May. C4 for Ed and Veikka at 7300m and Alberto and Jean-Christophe on to 7500m after topping Roc Noir, from where there was 75 degree, 300m slope to Annapurna I. Ed and Veikka didn't like avalanche risks and problem of returning same route. Alberto and Jean-Christophe were ahead and causing avalanching which in turn caused Ed and Veikka to stop at 7300m and never went beyond there and down to BC and their climb over. 15 May Alberto and Jean-Christophe climbed along North Face 100-200m before summit ridge (did not get to East Summit). Ridge was dry rotten rock, but on North Face was snow. 16 May traversed North Face and down gully on normal route from north side and finally to main summit 9:45 am. Climbed roped together after. Returned by same line and biv 7400m to bottom of summit ridge. 17 May to C3 and 18 May to BC. Decision to press on for summit from C4 a matter of risk one wants to take. Lafaille - 24 May Reached C3 on Glacier Dome by route behind Fluted Peak (Singu Chuli) to 100-200m below Glacier Dome's summit where put C3. Then followed ridge westwards. From C3 onwards Alberto and Jean-Christophe moved alpine-style (and did use Viestur's C4. On 14 May started from C3 6:00 am on ridge that was very much up and down with some parts steep and technical to start of climb of Roc Noir. Here took 3 hours to climb 250-300m very steep (55-60 degrees) with rock band and bad powder snow. Got to summit of Roc Noir about 11:00 am. From Roc Noir summit only 2 choices: to retreat or to go west on ridge; not possible to descend North or South Face as both very steep and long distance down (on South side, and on North side, many seracs and cornices). From Roc Noir, traversed North Face 20-100m below ridge depending on snow conditions. Sometimes could walk with stick, sometimes very snow face and here very technical and used rope. Biv about 4:00 pm 7450-7560m (same altitude as all this part of traverse). 15 May started at 6:00 am and now came on to ridge for about 1 km and then again onto North Face (all North Face snow very good whereas ridge became only rock). At about 7700m crossed onto face and again technical ice and snow climbing. Biv 7950m at top of couloir below East Summit at about 3:00 pm (took time to chop out place to biv). Lafaille fixed 100m of rope above biv for next day's climb. 16 May route steep rock face and very difficult technically and problem to find route. 40m below East Summit continued westwards, behind on North Face crossed Middle Summit along face. Joined normal route at about 7800m at couloir and then up couloir to top. At 10:00 am arrived at summit; 10:30 am resumed traverse but climbed a different line on face because very tired and snow conditions not so good. Middle afternoom returned to biv tent, stayed 1 hour then moved to lower altitude at biv at small plateau 7400m at 6:30 pm very tired and no food and bitter gas and had only milk tea and biscuits. 17 May left biv 6:00-6:30 am still very tired but found cache at biv of 14 May of food, gas and so stayed 2 hours. Same day back to Roc Noir and C3 and returned to C3 4:00 pm with tent and food and could be more relaxed. 18 May arrived BC at end of morning. No accidents or frostbite. "Very happy" about success and glad to get to top after bad experience in 1992 on South Face and two other unsuccessful attempts.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Sea to Summit Trekking/Asian Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2457338
Year 2002
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) e ridge via s face of glacier dome

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Alberto Inurrategi Iriarte M 1968 Spain Leader Aretxabaleta, Guipuzcoa, Spain Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Edmund Karl (Ed) Viesturs M 1959 USA Leader Bainbridge Island, Washington Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jon Beloki Pzeta M 1973 Spain Climber Zarautz-Oairtzun, Guipuzcoa, Spain Mechanical engineering student Details Other expeditions
Eero Veikka Juhani Gustafsson M 1968 Finland Climber Espoo, Helsinki, Finland Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Jean-Christophe Lafaille M 1965 France Climber Vallorcine, Haute-Savoie, France Professional alpinist Details Other expeditions
Jon Lazkano Agirre M 1969 Spain Climber Bilbao, Vizcaya, Spain Worker Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN102104 HIGH - - - 244:51-53 (Mar 2003) -
ANN102104 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 77:384-385 (2003) -
ANN102104 - Lafaille, Jean-Christophe Prisonnier de l'Annapurna Editions Guerin, Chamonix, France - -
ANN102104 - Viesturs, Ed & Roberts, David The Will to Climb Crown Publishers, New York - -
ANN102104 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200338400/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-Himal-Annapurna-I-Traverse - - -