Annapurna I | 1992 S Face (Bonington rte)

A Slovenia expedition to Annapurna I in 1992 via S Face (Bonington rte), led by Tone Skarja. Summit reached on 21st October 1992. 14 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1127
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN192302
Peak ID ANN1
Year 1992
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face (Bonington rte)
Route 2 Eastern end of S Face (to 5500m)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Slovenia
Leaders Tone Skarja
Sponsor Slovenian 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 Croatia
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1992-09-29
Summit Date 1992-10-21
Summit Time -
Summit Days 22
Total Days 30
Termination Date 1992-10-29
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6700m due to snowfall
High Point (m) 6700
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 1000
Total Members 14
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
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(29/09,4500m),C1(30/09,4800m),C2(04/10,5800m),C3(18/10,6600m),xxx(21/10,6700m)
Route Notes BC on east side Annapurna Glacier below Tent Peak C1 between Bonington's I and II C2 on South Face's cauliflower ridge Bonington route. 2 weeks between C2 and C3; heavy snowfall at C2, at BC rain for more than 48 hrs without stop; progress now very slow on cauliflower ridge after snowfall; 30m/per day only. Young members psychological problem to keep climbing day after day - snow on cauliflower very difficult. Groslej and Bozic tried for 3 days to climb up east end of face to gain E Ridge but went early 5500m but more than 17m deep snow. Went up between Roc Noir and Glacier Dome; reached 5500m on 25th Oct & then more snowfall. Some pieces of ice falling between C2 and C3 and a little rock falling. Face more difficult than expected - have however applied for 6 members in spring 1994 to go to eastern route to gain E Ridge. The Timetable 19-24/09 Departure from Ljubljana to KTM, and covering additional 200 km to Pokhara. 25-29/09 March from Dhampus Pedhi near Pokhara to BC, which was put up behind the eastern moraine of the Modi Glacier at 4050m. 29/09 Establishing BC on a fine grassy plain. 30/09 Establishing C1 on top of rocky promontory. 02/10 Fixing ropes in a rock couloir and establishing a relay tent (for deposit or as a temporary camp) at 5600m. 04/10 Establishing C2 (5900m) on the ridge, which further up develops into a pillar leaning against the upper sections of the South Face 1000m higher. 05/10 Consecration of BC (by Sherpas). 06/10 Gradual advancing towards the ridge and along the ridge. The ascent straight through the gully running parallel to the ridge was not considered prudent on account of the falling ice. It might have been negotiated only in the alpine style of climbing. The only remaining possible route of ascent led via extremely tiresome cauliflower like formations of ice of ice and snow on the sharp ridge, and via vertical and overhanging mushrooms of rotten ice and snow. The height 6400m. 11-14/10 Heavy snowfall stopped any progress on the mountain. Furlan and Supin were caught at C2 and pinned down by avalanches for four days, but they saved the camp by continually shovelling away the snow. Fresh snow reached 80 cm at 5600m and 150 cm at 6000m. The snow also stopped the alpine style French rope, just below to retreat, and on the way down Pierre Beghin was killed. His rope-mate Jean Christoph Lafaille managed a three-day solo descent, and found refuge in our BC. 15-17/10 Continuing the ascent along the ridge, which, owing to the masses of fresh snow, was hardly suitable for climbing. The height reached by the climbers: 6600m 18/10 Levelling out a platform for deposit, later used for C3 at 6600m 19/10 Soon above C3 Groselj and Bozic gave up their attempt to advance, and so did Jamnik and Ravnik, finding the ice and snow conditions unmanageable. 20-21/10 After extreme strain Tomazin and Bence reached 6700m which was to be the highest point, and decided that at that speed of advancement the summit was out of the question. 21/10 At 14 hours the decision was passed that the attempt on the British Route should be given up. Instead, one or two ropes should try climbing via the extreme right wing of the South Face and reaching the East Ridge, which, though long, is not considered to be technically very demanding. The first to try this second choice were Groselj and Bozic, with the assistance of Sherpas. 23-25/10 Groselj and Bozic found the orientation hard, but finally a passage to the foot of the ice slope leading up to the ridge. However, they had been delayed so much that they were forced to return. Morever, a heavy snowfall set in. During the afternoon of the 25th and before the morning of the 26th Oct BC had 15-30 cm of fresh snow; at 5000m the amount was 60 cm, and 6000m more than 100 cm, without, in fact, anyone of us knowing it at that time. Groselj and Tomazin were supposed to undertake another attempt, as Bozic had given priority to official duties. In the meantime we began to clear up the former route. Bence and Supin had been taken ill and left the expedition on 24th Oct. On 26th Oct Kajzelj, Ravnik, Jamnik, Rupar and Bozic decided to leave the expedition, since, as they declared, they found any further attempt futile. Furlan joined them on account of a frostbitten finger. In the morning of the 27th Oct they left base camp. Only while clearing up C2 in the afternoon of the same day did we notice the enormous amounts of fresh snow which had fallen in higher parts. At least one week of fine weather would have been needed to let the snow on the gentle sloped glacier settle and make walking possible. Until then the climbing on the steep slopes leading up towards the ridge was not safe either. Now the last chance of reaching the top was gone, as we had no more time left. So the remaining members left BC on 28th to supervise the transport of the equipment back to the valley (Bozic, Furlan, Tomazin and Skarja, who waited for the arrival of the equipment). Some of it was stored there and some was sent back home. During the remaining days they wrote the necessary reports, paid the Sherpas and submitted an official application for a pocket.
Accidents Nothing serious but Bence and Supin left BC sick (kidney and intestinal problems)
Achievement -
Agency Wilderness Experience
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453924
Year 1992
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face (bonington rte)

Members

14 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Filip Bence M 1950 Slovenia Climber Trzic, Slovenia Truck driver Details Other expeditions
Stipe Bozic M 1951 Croatia Climber Split, Croatia Television editor Details Other expeditions
Vanja Anton Furlan M 1966 Slovenia Climber Novo Mesto, Slovenia Forestry student Details Other expeditions
Viktor (Viki) Groselj M 1952 Slovenia Climber Ljubljana, Slovenia Primary school sports teacher Details Other expeditions
Janez Hrovat M 1945 Slovenia Climber Jesenice, Slovenia Cameraman Details Other expeditions
Matjaz Jamnik M 1966 Slovenia Climber Medvode, Slovenia Economist Details Other expeditions
Miha Kajzelj M 1967 Slovenia Climber Ljubljana, Slovenia Architecture student Details Other expeditions
Benjamin Ravnik M 1966 Slovenia Climber Jesenice, Slovenia Electrician Details Other expeditions
Slavko Rozic M 1972 Slovenia Climber Trzic, Slovenia Electro-energy student Details Other expeditions
Uros Rupar M 1965 Slovenia Climber Skofja Loka, Slovenia Geologist Details Other expeditions
Anton (Tone) Skarja M 1937 Slovenia Leader Menges, Slovenia Electrical technician Details Other expeditions
Robert Supin M 1966 Slovenia Climber Luce, Slovenia Machinist Details Other expeditions
Igor Tekavcic M 1950 Slovenia Exp Doctor Ljubljana, Slovenia Physician Details Other expeditions
Iztok Tomazin M 1960 Slovenia Climber Krize, Slovenia Physician Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN192302 HJ Skarja, Tone Annapurna South Face - 49:185-187 (1991-1992) -
ANN192302 AAJ Skarja, Tone - - 67:232-234 (1993) -
ANN192302 HIGH - - - 124:13 (Mar 1993) -
ANN192302 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199323200/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-South-Face-Attempt - - -
ANN192302 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/49/25/annapurna-south-face/ - - -