Annapurna I | 2005 N Face (French route)

A USA expedition to Annapurna I in 2005 via N Face (French route), led by Ed Viesturs. Summit reached on 12th May 2005. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4835
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN105102
Peak ID ANN1
Year 2005
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Face (French route)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Ed Viesturs
Sponsor Two Americans and a Finn to Annapurna I and Cho Oyu
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 43rd w/Italy
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Finland
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2005-04-30
Summit Date 2005-05-12
Summit Time 1400
Summit Days 12
Total Days 14
Termination Date 2005-05-14
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8091
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
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 True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Climbed Cho Oyu (CHOY-051-01)
Campsites BC(30/04,4300m),C2(08/05,5500m),C3(09/05,6900m),Smt(12/05)
Route Notes BC lower than normal route C2 at North Face C3 at North Face in tent moved from C2. Chin to C2 only. Viesturs had told him that because of his altitude sickness near Cho Oyu; he would have to go no higher than C2 and he had agreed. Viesturs had had to sacrifice his own summit bid to escort Chin down when the Chin got sick. Viesturs and Gustafsson waited in C3 3 days waiting for wind to drop; now had half of a gas cannister left and little food left and afternoon of 11th wind dropped, so on 12th 3:00 am left for top (with 4 Italians, minus Mondinelli, Masao and Damuda). On top 2:00 pm (with 3 Italians, minus Mondinelli). Near top went up a small gully to summit ridge. Ridge has numerous bumps and to be sure got to highest which was farthest west; when reached in and looked back realized it was highest. Slept in C2 at 10:00 pm. Now weather bad in cloud and snow so had trouble finding route down in dark and in snow storm, so waited hours till 9:00 pm. Viestur's feet felt fixed rope (were at about 7000m). "Annapurna didn't let us go, she just held on," says Viesturs. All way to BC next day; during night heavy snowfall in places waist deep snow; whiteout when approached C1 so waited in place one hour till could see way amongst crevassed. Started from C3 at 9:30 am and got to BC 6:00 pm: waiting for them about 4500m were Chin and 2 Italians with juice and beer. Had fixed no ropes but Merelli's team fixed much rope and invited Viesturs and Gustafsson use ropes with them. After each snowfall minor avalanching - "were quiet" not the visual big seracs falling constantly. When he reached summit, his 14th 8000er, Viesturs felt a dream come true. "I had my doubts that I'd ever get there because of our conservatism and its dangerous avalanching." He's not sure weather he is 14th person to summit all 8000ers but guesses he's probably 7th or 8th without any oxygen. What next? Now that he has the 8000ers out of the way, perhaps Antarctica, perhaps smaller Nepalese mountains, no definite plans.
Accidents Gustaffson frostnipped toes
Achievement -
Agency Peak Promotion
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2458433
Year 2005
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face (french route)

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
James Kuo-Wei (Jimmy) Chin M 1973 USA Climber Jackson, Wyoming Photographer Details Other expeditions
Eero Veikka Juhani Gustafsson M 1968 Finland Climber Espoo, Finland Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Edmund Karl (Ed) Viesturs M 1959 USA Leader Bainbridge, Washington Alpinist Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN105102 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 80:405 (2006) -
ANN105102 - Viesturs, Ed & Roberts, David The Will to Climb Crown Publishers, New York - -
ANN105102 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200640501/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-Himal-Annapurna-14th-for-Viesturs-Accident - - -