Annapurna II | 1974 W Ridge

A W Germany expedition to Annapurna II in 1974 via W Ridge, led by Peter Bednar. Summit reached on 26th April 1974. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2316
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN274101
Peak ID ANN2
Year 1974
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality W Germany
Leaders Peter Bednar
Sponsor DAV (German Alpine Club)
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 Marshyangdi->Hongde->Sabje Khola
Basecamp Date 1974-03-20
Summit Date 1974-04-26
Summit Time -
Summit Days 37
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 14
Termination Notes Permit withdrawn after illegal climb of A-IV
High Point (m) 7370
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 7
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 Climbed Annapurna IV illegally (ANN4-741-01)
Campsites BC(20/03,3600m),C1(26/03,4200m),C2(27/03,5050m),C3(14/04,6100m),C4(21/04,6950m),C5(26/04,7370m),xxx(7370m)
Route Notes Summited Annapurna IV on 26 April (Gruber, Leutgaeb and Huettl ) Second summit of A-IV on May 1 (Bednar) Permit for Annapurna II therefore cancelled by MFA and penalties imposed. Peter Bednar died Jan 1978 in Alps. Peter Bednar - 24 May 74 Bednar went alone to summit of Annapurna IV after orders received to come down and stop climbing Annapurna II. When trio reached summit, weather not good and they took no photos. Bednar Same route as 1973 Japanese except litte more work as not so much snow and more ice. Annapurna IV 150m above C5 on ridge betwen Annapurna IV and Annapurna II. Kamm and Huettl one with baggage; in 3 more days Huettl comes KTM to get truck and meets Kamm at Pokhara. Gruber - 12 May 74 Gruber (and wife) and Leutgaeb leave KTM tomorrow for New Dehli returning to Germany. Rest of expedition should reach KTM 15th or 16th May. Gruber - 10 May 74 Franz Leutgaeb, Gruber and Huettl reached Annapurna IV summit. Left BC 5 May; Leutgaeb carried to village on road; frostbitten toes, but hope will heel fully. Leave KTM Tuesday if MFA permits. Others including Huettl KTM about 6-8 days more. Huettl, Gruber & Leutgaeb Made C5 26 April at about 7200m and went on to Annappurna IV same day. It was so close and Annapurna IV not really 7525m; really only 100m above C5. C5 would have been last camp for Annapurna II. 2-3 more days and would have reached Annapurna II summit. MP Khanal, MFA - 5 May 74 Canceled permission to Annapurna II because without permission climbed Annapurna IV. 26 April by Gruber and 2 others and when came back to KTM will investigate all in same detail and take further action (to be decided later on) depending on nature of their explanation. Its not legal; its an illegal violation of our mountaineering rules. Are supposed start descents to BC 1 May - climbing stopped. Order sent to expedition after receiving news couple days back. 1 of summiters has frostbite in toe. Mrs Gruber and frostbite victim and one other coming to KTM in advance, leave BC 5 May. MP Khanal, MFA - 16 April 74 C3 established on 14 April at 6180m by Bednar, Gruber and Leutgaeb. Kamm - 11 March 74 Today 11 am 112 porters and 2 Naikes and 6 members and Gruber's wife left Dumre for BC. Kamm and Huettl probably leave KTM Wednesday 13th. Kamm & Bednar - 5 March 74 Bednar and 4 members and wife arrive today; 3 already here so now all in KTM. Truck leaves about 7th and rest by 9th by bus. All to Dumre 80 km before Pokhara. From there go up Marshyangdi River. 12 days to BC 3600m at Serangtang Valley's end. Same BC site as Japanese 1973. Direct North Face route if possible. Maybe have to go Japanese in West Ridge if weather not so good: too much avalanching. 1971 Japanese tried North Face, but forced to go on over to West Ridge and reached 500 ft from top. North Face never climbed to top. 5 camps above base, maybe 6 on face. Reach base about 22 March, maybe 4 weeks to top. 7 Sherpas. If weather permits and whether must shift route if face too difficult or too dangerous Bednar expedition arrive KTM by road about 20 Feb (says Kamm 27 Nov 1973). Letter from Weidenthaler, BC - 25 Apr 74 At April 21st we established C4 (6820m) only 100 meter under the main ridge, which leads to the summit. In this C4 are at the moment Heinz Huettl, Franz Leutgaeb and Georg Gruber. If weather will be good, then will be established on the ridge the last camp. From this C5 we shall try to reach the top. Until now it is not possible to say to you, who of us will shoot first. Probably we need 5 days to establish C5. If this is realized then we should be on the tops between 1st and 5th Aug. It depends on the weather. Since few days in high wind over 6000m blows a very strong storm. It makes working nearly impossible. Letter from Peter Bednar, C3 - 19 Apr 74 Yesterday we reached the place of camp C4 (6820m) of first time (Bednar, Gruber, Leutgaeb). We need between C2 and C4 1500m fix ropes, 700m C3 to C4. They are now in C3 Bednar, Gruber, Huettl, Kamm, Leutgaeb. C2 stayed Eberhardt and Dr. Weidenthaler. All Sherpas are in C2 also and carry between C2 and C3. We hope in 2-3 days in C4 establish, it depends from weather. Letter from Ulrich Kamm, C2 - 14 Apr 74 Today Gruber and Leutgaeb, tomorrow Bednar and Huettl change from C2 (5030m) to C3 (6110m). Then they start to make the way to C4 (about 6850m). Everything is going well; all are healthy. C3 was reached the first time on 6th of April by Gruber and Leutgaeb. The weather is mostly good. On the 9th we were fighting for C2, because a blizzard with heavy snowfall happened from 12 pm - 19 pm. But since than we only have some big clouds in the afternoon. We are very hopefull and think that the rest of the members and the Sherpas can change to C3 on the 19th. Letter from Peter Bednar - 27 March 74 We want to inform you about the things that happened during the last week. On the 21 March we reached the place of C1 (4250m) for the first time. One day later we reached the place of C2 (5030m). We carried up loads and yesterday C1 was occupied and today C2. Now this would be all for now. I hope you have viewed this long period of not reserving word from me not as purposely inconsiderate but brought about by circumstances I mentioned. I very often think of you and also of the big help you have been for us. After some hours all three reached the west ridge of Annapurna II and could leave on this spot one tent and some expedition equipment. Unfortunately, however, from this point the further route and the onward position of the ridge could not be judged. They decided off hand to look for the best viewpoint in the vicinity, to climb the Annapurna IV. The distance of Annapurna IV from our C5 could be covered in an hour's walk. There was no possibility for these three members of the expedition to inform the leaders in advance. From Annapurna IV they could overlook the ridge and study the further route to Annapurna II.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447153
Year 1974
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w ridge

Members

8 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Peter Bednar M 1943 W Germany Leader Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Dipl. Ing Details Other expeditions
Ulrich Kamm M 1947 W Germany Deputy Leader Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Dipl. Ing Details Other expeditions
Ulrich Eberhardt M 1950 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany - Details Other expeditions
Heinz Huettl M 1944 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Franz Leutgaeb M 1947 W Germany Climber Paar, Bavaria, W Germany - Details Other expeditions
Heini Gentner M 1947 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Student Details Other expeditions
Peter Weidenthaler M 1940 W Germany Exp Doctor Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Physician Details Other expeditions
Georg Gruber M 1944 W Germany Climber Munich, Bavaria, W Germany Civil engineer & alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

7 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN274101 AAJ Bednar, Peter - - 49:202-203 (1975) -
ANN274101 HJ Kamm, Ulrich Annapurna II, 1974 - 33:205-206 (1973-74) -
ANN274101 MM - - - 37:9 (Jul 1974) -
ANN274101 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Annapurna 2 - 51:36-37 (Sep 1976) -
ANN274101 DAV - - - 100:131 (1975) -
ANN274101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197520200/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-IV - - -
ANN274101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/33/33/expeditions-and-notes-33/ - - -