Annapurna I | 1969 E Ridge

A W Germany expedition to Annapurna I in 1969 via E Ridge, led by Ludwig Greissl. Summit reached on 9th May 1969. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2504
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN169101
Peak ID ANN1
Year 1969
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 E Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality W Germany
Leaders Ludwig Greissl
Sponsor -
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1969-04-02
Summit Date 1969-05-09
Summit Time -
Summit Days 37
Total Days 50
Termination Date 1969-05-22
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7485m (smt of Roc Noir) due to bad storms
High Point (m) 7485
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 6
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 9
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 5
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
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 Glacier Dome (GLAC-691-01) and Roc Noir (ROCN-691-01)
Campsites BC(02/04,4300m),C1(09/04,5200m),C2(16/04,5900m),C3(22/04,6200m),C4(03/05,6500m),C5(07/05,7070m),C6(11/05,7250m),xxx(09,18/05,7485m)
Route Notes Uwe Kerner - 12 June 69 He hopes bring German Alpine Club expedition to Annapurna in 1971 to try either via north side Glacier Dome (where thinks weather would be better) or, if Nepal doesn't give permission for north, from South Annapurna Glacier, not West Annapurna Glacier thus avoiding dangerous area ice seracs below C3. Wants 6-7 members and 12 Sherpas Kerner, Greissl and Reismueller leave today, Reiter tomorrow Winkler left last Monday, the 9th June Mueller, Hanke, Obster and Schubert left yesterday to see Taj Mahal. Ludwig Greissl - 5 June 69 Climbed Glacier Dome (Japanese 1964, Germans 1965) in 3 groups 1) 4 May - Dr. Winkler 2) 9 May - 6 members carrying loads Reismueller, Greissl, Mueller, Reiter, Hanke and Kerner 3) 18 May - 1st ascent by ski by Greissl and Reismueller (both on skis) Roc Noir climbed 1) 9 May - Winkler, Obster and Schubert 2) 18 May - Kerner and Mueller Skied on Glacier Dome from C5 at 7070m to 7142m peak took 40 minutes only by ski, then by ski down to C3 mostly by ski (not over icefalls) C1 - 5200m C2 - 5900m C3 - 6200m C4 - 6500m C5 - 7070m C6 - 7250m Plan: From C6 to [Annapurna I] summit in one day carrying small tents to sleep in on return in temporary C7; from C6 (just below summit Roc Noir) and back to C7 in 8 hours using oxygen last 1500 feet only as ridge very easy not deep snow: hard snow so could walk fast at same altitude. On 9th May and 18th May reached only 100m beyond Roc Noir summit on ridge; on both days good weather. 9 May climbed Roc Noir and recognized ridge and turned back; on 9-10th night heavy wind started; Reismueller, Obster and Schubert in C6 stayed 3 days and then when wind stopped briefly and 3 went to C5; then all, except Hanke, Kerner, Mueller who were in C4, waited in C5 for wind to stop and waited until 18th May when wind stopped and "there was a hope" and on 18th Greissl and Reismueller climbed Glacier Dome; Schubert, Winkler, Reiter and Obster with 2 Sherpas Ang Temba and Ang Tharke went to C6 to sleep and [planned] to summit next day; Kerner and Mueller day before went to summit of Roc Noir to prepare route of fixed rope, so summit team could go more quickly; Kerner and Mueller to C5 on 17th. C4 had no heavy wind (heavy wind stopped at 6800m); on 18th Kerner and Mueller to summit Roc Noir to put in fixed rope from C6 to summit. Again night 18-19th heavy and cold wind came up; 2 Sherpas, Winkler and Obster could easily in am go down through to C5: other 2 Germans being a little late couldn't [go down] and stayed at camp; on 20th all went down because now all had slight frostbite in feet (Schubert more severe and had to be carried from base 2 days to Jamerang); other 2 (Reiter and Mueller) could walk; Obster slightly better than these on turn; all reached base camp by themselves but there warm and suffered; so high time to leave high camps because of feet and to leave mountain because of monsoon; had reached base 2 April and returned 22nd May; so in high camps from 5th (when C1 established) to 22nd. If 2 days without wind we would have done "it." This route makes sense. Not a single cloud, bright sun blue sky and we could do nothing but lie in tents. 2nd night of storm, about 12th May, 2 tents torn apart by wind destroyed and those inside had to move to other tent and all sit up perhaps some others will come again on this route but not Greissl or Reismueller. Did not find difficulties expected: ridge going up and down and deep snow on north side but level, hard icy and could have done from C6 to east summit to C7 in 8-10 hours. From Middle summit to Main summit couldn't see. Very difficult icefall before Glacier Dome which had not been difficult in 1965; ice seracs falling were very dangerous and knew American expedition experience, so sent no Sherpas with reports through icefall while Germans climbing. From C6 to Roc Noir summit very steep and therefore difficult. Perhaps last 100m to East Summit difficult, but Middle Summit and route way between Middle and Main summit couldn't see. 17 May 69 29 April Baisak 17th Camp 4 establish Annapurna 21,500 ft 5 Baisakh 23 Camp 5 22,500 ft 5 Baisakh 26 Camp 6 24,760 ft Liaison officer message in letter 28th Baisakh 10 May Expect to establish Camp 7 (highest camp) in 2-3 days; now weather fine and members well. 3rd May - Greissl to German ambassador received 9 May 1969 5 days terrible weather which greatly hampered progress - 5 Sherpas still in C1 with Hanke. Tomorrow will go up; have all material necessary for peak in C3 and C4 so we are very confident to reach our goal but weather doesn't cooperate. We heard of terrible accident to Dhaulagiri expedition and sent our deep sympathy of our expedition. Since tragedy of Nanga Parbat in 1936 no such tragedy. Will make our way with doubled care. Glaciers are quite dangerous this year because of very little winter snow. Quite for from dangerous zone; way up we can do partly without fixed ropes. Other team spent snowy days 5000m in C3. Today 5 have moved to C4 6450m. ** Oxygen taken for use on Roc Noir in temporary C7. Letter from Ludwig Greissl - May 23, 1969 Surely you wait since a long time for a new report from our expedition. To give this report was not possible because I did not send Sherpas from the higher camps down to the base camp through the glacier which becomes more and more dangerous. With walkie-talkie I gave only a message to our embassy, that Glacier Dome and Rock Noir were climbed by the expedition. I am sure that Mr. Capellmann informed you about this. Unfortunately I am not able to give you now good news. We did not get the hoped full success. A really terrible storm stopped our ascent only one day below the summit of Annapurna. This heavy storm was continous for more than one week. It tears some tents in our C5 (23,300ft) and C6 (24,000ft). The situation becomes critical after few days and this during a bright sun and a blue sky without any clouds. First we tried on May 13th to come 4 Sahibs and 2 Sherpas to the summit. Second in a storm pause on May 19th with another group of 4 Sahibs and the same 2 Sherpas. But the storm-pause was too short, we must return, before our feets and hands were frozen. Now I am very glad that all members, Sahibs and Sherpas, are healthy in the base camp again. It was bad luck for us one day before full success to be forced to return but on the other hand we must not come back with "empty hands." We were able to climb Glacier Dome (23,600ft) 3rd time in three groups (May 5th, 9th and 18th) and Roc Noir (24,800 ft) 1st time in two groups (May 9th and 18th). The last summit, the greatest success was failed.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2445290
Year 1969
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) e ridge

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Ludwig Greissl M 1934 W Germany Leader Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Engineer, expert in developing of optical-electronical instrument Details Other expeditions
Erich Reismueller M 1929 W Germany Deputy Leader Berg bei Starnberg, Bavaria, W Germany Photographer & merchant Details Other expeditions
Helmut Mueller M 1936 W Germany Climber Nuernberg, Bavaria, W Germany Engineer Details Other expeditions
Adolf Hanke M 1938 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Engineer Details Other expeditions
Uwe Kerner M 1940 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Merchant grad Details Other expeditions
Reinhold Obster M 1941 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Monteur = mechanic Details Other expeditions
Heinz Reiter M 1935 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Clerk Details Other expeditions
Karl Winkler M 1937 W Germany Climber/Exp Doctor Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Physician Details Other expeditions
Klaus-Peter (Pit) Schubert M 1935 W Germany Climber Unterhaching, Bavaria, W Germany Engineer Details Other expeditions
Ang Temba Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker - - Details Other expeditions
Ang Tharkay Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

7 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN169101 AAJ - - - 44:180-181 (1970) -
ANN169101 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Annapurna - 58:44-47 (Nov 1977) -
ANN169101 AJ - - - 75:197-198 (1970) -
ANN169101 DAV Greissl, Ludwig Deutsche Himalaja-Expedition 1969 - 95:203-216 (1970) -
ANN169101 DAV Kerner, Uwe Erfahrungen der Deutschen Himalajen-Expedition 1969 - 95:217-221 (1970) -
ANN169101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197018003/Asia-Nepal-Attempt-on-Annapuran-I - - -
ANN169101 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1970_files/AJ%201970%20196-202%20Nepal.pdf - - -