Annapurna I | 1995 N Face (French rte)

A Slovenia expedition to Annapurna I in 1995 via N Face (French rte), led by Tone Skarja. Summit reached on 29th April 1995. 10 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1426
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN195101
Peak ID ANN1
Year 1995
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Face (French rte)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Slovenia
Leaders Tone Skarja
Sponsor Annapurna I
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 31st,32nd
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Croatia, Mexico
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1995-04-12
Summit Date 1995-04-29
Summit Time -
Summit Days 17
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8091
Traverse False
Ski True
Paraglide False
Camps 4
Fixed Rope (m) 1400
Total Members 9
Summit Members 4
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
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(12/04,4100m),C1(14/04,5100m),C2(18/04,5800m),C3(27/04,6600m),C4(28/04,7400m),Smt(29/04,06/05)
Route Notes BC at normal site. No attempt on NW Buttress because frequent snowfall made it too dangerous. Dutch Rib not possible approach, very dangerous (ice avalanches) and upper part all broken with over hanging serac preventing passage to face. This team had avalanching from below C2 seracs and snow avalanches between C2 and C3 (which hit 2 members but they were not hurt); almost broke fixed ropes. Also avalanches from hit 2 other men (this the most dangerous part) and destroyed (buried) C3 by the time Humar descended there. Ski descent by Karnicar brothers began at 9:15 am at 1200m below and followed ascent route; at c100-150m below C3 Davorin in lead passed OK, but Andre (Drejc) skied into fixed rope which got entangled around one leg at very steep place, rope stopped him and made him fall on his side; he cut rope with very sharp edge of ski and carried on; stopped skiing at c4200m where morning began. 2 men kept no more than 50 lines meter apart; used alpine touring skies; arrived at 4200m at 3:30 pm; paused for 15 minutes at C4, at C3, below C2 at C1. Andre very tired at end and had frostbitten toes (will lose ends of 2 toes). Ascent delayed by daily changing of weather with frequent snowfall. Arjun Tamang went up with Humar from C3 but did not want to summit so waited in C4 while Humar went to top alone. In 1979 French skier started not from summit but 200m below it, below rock section. Slovenes, very expert started from 2m below top, descended by ski down couloir to west of rock section just east of West Face. Also French did not use skies in section below C3 at 2-3 times, 10-20m each but Slovenes did; both stopped ski descent 100m above BC because of moriane. Carsolio: face "extremely dangerous"; "most dangerous climb I have ever been." Climbed with Slovenes as one team. Reached BC 9:00 pm of 29th (skiers at 4:00 pm) alone with 3 porters. Important dates: 12 Apr: BC at 4300m 14 Apr: C1 at 5100m established by Andrej and Davorin Karnicar, Janko Opresnik, Tomaz Humar, Carlos Carsolio, Arjun Tamang, Zen Zen Bhote and Dawa Phuri. 200m fixed rope was used between base camp and C1. It was temporarily dangerous from big avalanches of seracs and powder snow. 18 Apr: C2 at 5800m by Tomaz Humar, Janko Opresnik, Carlos Carsolio, Arjun Tamang, Zen Zen Bhote and Dawa Phuri Sherpa. The way between C1 and C2 was very difficult due to new deep snow and dangerous because of falling of ice from seracs. 26 Apr: C3 at 6600m by Andrej and Davorin Karnicar, Tomaz Humar, Carlos Carsolio, Arjun, Zen Zen and Dawa Phuri. Route between C2 and C3 led on glacier and snow buttress with many seracs and with the presence of dangerous snow avalanche, on this section we used 300m of fixed rope and lost 6 loads in the avalanches. 28 Apr: C4 at 7400m by Andrej and Davorin Karnicar, Carlos Carsolio; weather was fine. 29 Apr: Before midnight they left C4 and without moonlight and before sunrise they reached the last rock part 200m below the summit. On the far right side they found a narrow couloir and at 8:25 am. They finished their ascent on the top of Annapurna I at 8091m. Weather was nice and the climbers stayed on the summit for one hour. After that Karnicar brothers put their skis on and then made the first ski descent from the summit of Annapurna I and continued to the last snow before base camp, about 4500-4600m. They took only short rest at C4, C3 and C1 and reached base camp at 6 pm. Carlos Carsolio descended to BC at 9:30 pm. Next day we found that Andrej Karnicar had frostbite on his toes and we called for a rescue flight by helicopter. 01 May: Viki Groselj and Stipe Bozic reached C4 late evening and there for for 3 days because it was windy and snowing. Stipe Bozic became sick. 04 May: Viki Groselj tried to make ascent alone but after two hours he abandoned and both left C4 for the base camp. Same evening in bad weather condition (foggy, deep snow) Tomaz Humar and Arjun reached C4. They were tired and waited there for one day. 06 May: Tomaz Humar left C4 at 9:20 am by himself, leaving Arjun at C4. Climbing on deep snow he reached the summit at 7:00 pm and stayed 10 minutes on the summit for photograph. He returned to C4 at 9:30 pm. 07 May: Both (Humar and Arjun) reached base camp at 6 pm. In the meantime C3 disappeared under new snow and small avalanches. 08 May: At base came landed a big Asian Airlines Helicopter MI-8 and lifted Andrej Karnicar, Dr. Damjan Mesko and Stipe Bozic to KTM. 10 May: Rest of the expedition team left base camp for Deurali. 15 May: Arrived back in KTM.
Accidents Only 1 skier's toes frostbitten
Achievement -
Agency Wilderness Experience
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2454847
Year 1995
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n face (french rte)

Members

10 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Stipe Bozic M 1951 Croatia Climber Split, Croatia Television editor Details Other expeditions
Carlos Miguel Carsolio Larrea M 1962 Mexico Climber Mexico City, Mexico Alpinist & outdoor activities instructor Details Other expeditions
Viktor (Viki) Groselj M 1952 Slovenia Climber Ljubljana, Slovenia Primary school teacher Details Other expeditions
Tomaz Humar M 1969 Slovenia Climber Kamnik, Slovenia Electrician Details Other expeditions
Davorin (Davo) Karnicar M 1962 Slovenia Climber Jezersko, Slovenia Ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Andre (Drejc) Karnicar M 1970 Slovenia Climber Jezersko, Slovenia Student (sports) Details Other expeditions
Damjan Mesko M 1938 Slovenia Exp Doctor Ljubljana, Slovenia Physician (surgeon) Details Other expeditions
Ivan Janko (Zumba) Opresnik M 1964 Slovenia Climber Zrece, Slovenia Swimming pool life saver/life guard Details Other expeditions
Anton (Tone) Skarja M 1937 Slovenia Leader Menges, Slovenia Electrical technician Details Other expeditions
Arjun Tamang M 1964 Nepal H-A Worker Gorakhani, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN195101 AAJ Skarja, Tone - - 70:267 (1996) -
ANN195101 HIGH - - - 155:19 (Oct 1995) -
ANN195101 - McDonald, Bernadette Tomaz Humar Hutchinson, London - -
ANN195101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199626702/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-I-First-Ski-Descent - - -