Annapurna I | 1992 S Face (new line)

A France expedition to Annapurna I in 1992 via S Face (new line), led by Pierre Beghin. Summit reached on 11th October 1992. 5 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1131
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN192301
Peak ID ANN1
Year 1992
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face (new line)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Pierre Beghin
Sponsor French S Face Annapurna Expedition
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 1992-09-15
Summit Date 1992-10-11
Summit Time -
Summit Days 26
Total Days 33
Termination Date 1992-10-18
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7400m due to Beghin's fatal fall
High Point (m) 7400
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 5
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 2
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 False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(15/09,4300m),ABC(18/09,5330m),Biv1(6500m),Biv2(10/10,7000m),Biv3(11/10,7300m),xxx(11/10,7400m)
Route Notes BC same as Bonington BC ABC on glacier Biv 1 at bottom of rock Biv 2 on rock. Reached BC 9 am & Lafaille walked over to it. At start of climbing went to 6200m, then made 1st biv at 6500m. 2 nights & down to BC because weather not good. 7th Oct to ABC. Lafaille & Beghin climbed on face 8th Oct night to 1st biv. 9th Oct in night to 7000m. 11th Oct climbed rock & biv in difficult place, sitting on ice in not very good weather ("a lot of snow, a lot of wind"). 11th Oct up to end of difficulty at 7400m, but weather not good & down in morning. Beghin fell when rope came away from mountain at about 7100m, not seen again & not possible he survived more than 1000m fall (perhaps 2000m). Lafaille soloed down to 2nd biv at 7000m where stayed nights of 11th & 12th, then down to 1st biv for 1 night & 1 day, then in night of 14th descended to ABC in difficult snow conditions on glacier & tent crushed under snow, so on down to Slovene's BC 15th afternoon very tired. Slovenes did no climbing to rescue Lafaille whom they could see slowly descending towards glacier. Route of French a new biv between British & Japanese routes - is a good line but very dangerous when sun is on face & very small places for biv. Another problem is ice on rock - impossible to rest on face, wearing helmet all the time because of falling rock. 20th Gabarrow will fly in Bell helicopter to look in area of glacier & a ledge 1000m higher for Beghin's body. If body seen, will try to recover it; if none seen, search ended. This was Lafaillle's 1st time climbing with Beghin. He has very good experience & we were a good cocktail: "more technique from one & more experienced from Pierre." Pierre the best climber in Himalaya from France. On this face is good to climb quickly & there is much technical climbing, Lafaille climbed as quickly as Beghin: "it is not possible to survive if you fall on this face." Ministry of Tourism - 18 Oct 92 LO with Annapurna I returned today with Lafaille: Ministry of Tourism say LO reported: Beghin ahead slightly - sudden big sound, Beghin somersaulted 3 times, rock falling and hit Lafaille and broke his right hand. Erected tent where he was when rock hit. Shouted to get attention of Slovenes, but not heard. Slovenes and Sherpas searching with torchlight and he shouted, they found him and was brought to Slovenes BC. Slovenes doctor treated him. Lafaille is giving confused answers. LO gave no altitudes. Lafaille has not seen Beghin since Jean taken to Patan Hospital.
Accidents Beghin's fatal fall & Laffille hit by falling rock
Achievement -
Agency Kunga
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453914
Year 1992
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face (new line)

Members

5 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Pierre Beghin M 1951 France Leader Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse, Isere, France Engineer Details Other expeditions
Guy Chaumereuil M 1950 France Climber Goncelin, Isere, France Journalist Details Other expeditions
Christian Chauvin M 1961 France Member Ismier, Isere, France Sound engineer Details Other expeditions
Christophe Delachat M 1957 France Member St. Martin d'Uriage, Isere, France Cameraman & alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Jean-Christophe Lafaille M 1965 France Climber Gap, Hautes-Alpes, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN192301 AAJ Lafaille, Jean-Christophe - - 67:230-232 (1993) -
ANN192301 HIGH - - - 122:3 (Jan 1993) -
ANN192301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199323002/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-South-Face-Tragedy - - -