Annapurna IV | 1992 NW Ridge

A UK expedition to Annapurna IV in 1992 via NW Ridge, led by Michael Trueman. Summit reached on 5th May 1992. 12 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 57
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANN492101
Peak ID ANN4
Year 1992
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 NW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Michael Trueman
Sponsor British Joint Services Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 24th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Germany
Approach Marshyangdi->Hongde->Sabje Khola
Basecamp Date 1992-03-31
Summit Date 1992-05-05
Summit Time -
Summit Days 35
Total Days 39
Termination Date 1992-05-09
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7525
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 800
Total Members 12
Summit Members 5
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Permit for Annapurna II (not attempted)
Campsites BC(31/03,3800m),ABC(03/04,4800m),C1(07/04,5100m),C2(10/04,5400m),C3(20/04,6100m),C4(29/04,6484m),C5(03/05,7000m),Smt(05/05)
Route Notes BC at Sabje Khola valley normal site ABC beside glacier, south of BC C1 at top of cliff below the Dome, which is on NW Ridge C2 further up the Dome ridge to Dome C3 just below Dome C4 at point 6484 on Annapurna area map on ridge C5 on NW Ridge. Only 5 to summit because 2 members had became ill from diarrhea and went down while Trueman dropped down to control the climb. A member was in summit party but turned back soon after leaving C5 with suspected cerebral edema (and who developed frostbite) and stayed at C5 till others could evacuate him and 2 members stayed with them. Dunn's hands so frostbitten during summit success that he couldn't use them (his nose also frostbitten, it may have to have plastic surgery and he may lose tops of 2 fingers). So now no strength for any attempt on Annapurna II. Had 3-day job getting people in C1 off the mountain. Annapurna IV is totally different from 30 years ago; ice cliffs totally different and tons of ice must have broken away. All this change between C2 and C4 (C4 was 1960's C3). Technical difficulties were these cliff and crevasses which had to be fixed, and huge crevasse system opened above C4 which was not fixed but where had to be careful. Snowed often and snow conditions also helped exhaust team, as did technical problems. Probably should have had high-altitude Sherpas to carry loads. Trueman reported the mountain was totally different from what his research had shown it to be 30 years ago. Ice cliffs were very different: tons of ice must have broken away causing realignment of the cliffs and creating big crevasses. All this changed between his team's C2 at 5400m and his C4 at 6484m, which had been the site for C3 in 1960. The technical difficulties were these cliffs and crevasses between C2 and C4 which had to be fixed with rope, and a huge crevasses system above C4 which was not fixed but where great care was needed. Because of technical problems, he felt the team probably should have employed high-altitude Sherpas to carry supply loads and save members' strength for the planned attempt on Annapurna II which was not made. British Joint Serives Annapurna II and IV Expedition 1992 Taken from Himalaya Club Newsletter 1993 The British Joint Services Expedition Annapurna 2 and 4 1992, led by Major Mike Trueman 10th Gorkha Rifles, arrived at Lower Base Camp on 31 March 1992 after a one week approach march from the road-head at Besi Sahar. Conditions on arrival were poor and the team were plagued by bad weather throughout the climb. Advance BC (4800m) was established on 3 April after a concerted effort by the team and 4 porters. The route to the summits followed the prominent ridge to a feature known as the Dome (6300m), between Annapurnas 3 and 4. This gained the main shoulder of Annapurna 4 which in turn led to the to the equally long knife edge leading to Annapurna 2. From our research, supported by the sirdar who had been on the mountain 10 years before. It was apparent that the features of the mountain had changed significantly: Large cliffs and sizeable crevasse fields had formed as large chunks of the mountain had given way. This presumably accounted for the high failure rate of expeditions during the previous decade. Camp I (5100m) was established on 7th April on an obvious promontory, and C2 quickly followed on 10 April. This was the start of the maind difficulties of the climb and it took a further 10 days to force the route to camp 3 on 20 April. Weather conditions were continuing to take their toll on load carrying members and lead climbers, and a particularly heavy snowfall on 23 April forced the team off the mountain for 3 days. On 3 May, 3 pairs of climbers set off and established an assault camp at 7000m. Later that day a storm closed in and forced all those on the mountain to remain in their tents for 48 hours. Mike Trueman reported 2m of snow had fallen at C4 and the summit attempt was again in doubt. However a fine spell followed and 5 members of the team, Brian Tilley, Mark Samuels, Rod Runn, Steve Wilson and Glyn Sheperd reached the summit on 5th May. The retreat became a 72-hour epic. The doctor Helen Robertson was frequently called upon to give advice to extremely tired, and in 2 cases frostbitten victims, as they dragged their way off the mountain, even though she herself was sick and exhausted.
Accidents Dunn and Kuelheim frostbite; Kuelheim with cerebral edema
Achievement -
Agency Mountain Travel
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453845
Year 1992
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) nw ridge

Members

12 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Michael J. (Mike) Trueman M 1952 UK Leader Gosport, Hampshire, England Army Major (commandant of army/mountain training centre) Details Other expeditions
Brian Tilley M 1956 UK Climber Derby, Derbyshire, England Royal Marines corporal Details Other expeditions
Lothar Kuehlein M 1937 Germany Climber Braunlage, Lower Saxony, Germany Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions
Mark Samuels M 1957 UK Climber Grantown-on-Spey, Moray, Scotland Royal Air Force Flight Sergeant, alpine instructor in Scotland Details Other expeditions
Nicholas (Nick) Arding M 1961 UK Climber Newton Abbot, Devon, England Marine Captain (Royal Marines alpine instructor) Details Other expeditions
David Evans M 1962 UK Climber Blandford, Dorset, England Royal Marines captain at School of Signals Details Other expeditions
Rodrick (Rod) Dunn M 1963 UK Climber Rusper, W Sussex, England Surgeon Lieutenant in Royal Navy Details Other expeditions
Steven Willson M 1967 UK Climber Germany Corporal in Army Details Other expeditions
Gail Waller F 1964 UK Climber Woodingdean, Brighton, Sussex, England Army Captain (nurse) Details Other expeditions
Glyn Sheppard M 1960 UK Climber Army Mountaineering Training Centre, Germany Alpine instructor & staff sergant Details Other expeditions
Vicki Barraud F 1963 UK Climber Menstrie, Clacks, Scotland Reserve captain in territorial army & student of ecology Details Other expeditions
Helen Robertson F 1963 UK Exp Doctor, BC Mgr Bath, Avon, England Army Captain (physician) Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANN492101 AAJ Trueman, Michael - - 67:229-230 (1993) -
ANN492101 HIGH - - - 117:8 (Aug 1992) -
ANN492101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199322904/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-IV - - -