Annapurna I East | 1988 E Rib of S Face up; E Ridge-Glacier Dome down

A Poland expedition to Annapurna I East in 1988 via E Rib of S Face up; E Ridge-Glacier Dome down, led by Jerzy Kukuczka. Summit reached on 13th October 1988. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 848
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANNE88301
Peak ID ANNE
Year 1988
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 E Rib of S Face up; E Ridge-Glacier Dome down
Route 2 Glacier Dome-E Ridge
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Poland
Leaders Jerzy Kukuczka
Sponsor International Annapurna I South Face Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 3rd
Ascent 2 4th
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Ecuador, Italy, UK, USA
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1988-08-30
Summit Date 1988-10-13
Summit Time 1600
Summit Days 44
Total Days 53
Termination Date 1988-10-22
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8026
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 2
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 11
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent True
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Climbed Glacier Dome (GLAC-883-01) and Roc Noir (ROCN-883-01)
Campsites BC(30/08,4300m),ABC(02/09,5200m),C1(05/09,5800m),C2(12/09,6550m),Biv1(11/10,7100m),Biv2(12/10,7500m),Smt(13,16/10)
Route Notes BC as same as Swiss East Ridge '84 foot of tent Peak on right moraine of Annapurna Glacier 1st biv - South Face 2nd biv - East Ridge. Had planned to fix all route on S Face but big avalanche seracs changed their minds about route and now planned Hajzer and Kukuczka to make quick ascent of S Face route while others to ascend E Ridge. All descended E Ridge route. C2A and C3A made via Glacier Dome: C2A 6760m on 30th Sept and C3A 7150m on 1 Oct at foot of Roc Noir. Then all back to BC. 8th Oct Kukuczka and Hajzer started up from BC. 10th Oct on C2 on S Face, 11th Oct at 1st biv; 12 Oct, 2nd biv; and 13th top 4 pm at E Summit and descended E Ridge at biv 7500m; 14th to C2A. Navarrete summited 16 Oct via E Ridge route. Majer and Espinoza turned back just below summit. Navarrete fatal fall on descent. "Weather: very strong ice wind, low temperature on bad ice, snow"; 60-degree ice walls from C2, 1st biv to C2 mostly fixed rope with grade 3 in some places, grade 4 in one place (with rock covered by loose snow), 15 pitches from C2 and 1st biv on icewall. Above 1st biv climbed together in hurry up 200-300m gully step to big snowfield. Ridge to 2nd biv which became C4A for other route. Route even to C1 very exiting: grade 4 rock back and icefall below C1 with 400m fixed rope which had to be replaced often. Did not go to main summit because had been to it in 1987 and more importantly were afraid of heavy clouds moving in. -26 degrees in tent at 2nd biv and strong winds, so decided to skip main summit and descend. 2nd route (4 camps) via Glacier Dome: 15 Oct from C3A Navarette, Espinoza and Majer up to Kukuczka and Hajzer's 2nd biv = C4A. 16 Oct 2 pm Navarette to East Summit of Annapurna I, Majer stopped 10m below summit because strong cold wind. Espinoza stopped 100-200m because altitude affecting him (altitude exhaustion). Same evening to C4A all 3 men and next evening to C3A in fog. Near top of Roc Noir descended slightly more direct way; in this section were very big cornices and one broke and Navarette fell (he was Ecuador's No 1 mountaineer). Majer and Espinoza down rock face, Espinoza fell 100m and lost gloves, so fingers frozen (also nose). Navarette fell from about 7450m and disappeared 4:00-5:00 pm. Espinoza fell from about 7200m at 6:00 pm. Espinoza and Majer did not find C3A till next morning and stayed there 1 night. Todd up from C2 18th: scaled Glacier Dome and later that day BC radioed to him to search for 3 missing men and he found 2; to C2 in 1 day and ABC in another day 20th. Espinoza was comotose when Todd met them. Left BC 22nd. Dr. Korniszewski: Espinoza will lose top half of right thumb from frostbite. After he learned of Navarrete's fatal fall, he became paralyzed in his legs, had to be carried from Chamro most of the time to Surkhet, although few hours each day could walk slowly with 2 poles (sticks): psychological cause. Expedition Round Up Expeditions 1988 - from Himalaya Club Newsletter Annapurna South face, 1988: Our expedition was organized by the High Mountain Club of Katowice and led by Jerzy Kukuczka. We reached the base camp on 30th Aug on the right morraine of the Annapurna Glacier. On the 2nd Sept advance BC was placed at 5200m. Two days later C1 (5800m) was established in a small basin between the slopes of Annapurna, Roc Noir and Glacier Dome. The route to this camp led by dangerous icefalls and very dangerous corridor between the glacier and rocks. On 12 sept C2 (6550m) was made on the lower part of the far east spur of the Annapurna South Face. On 11 Oct Hajzer and Kukuczka started from C2. They climbed via the nearly 2000m high spur mostly through 60-degree ice grooves. 15 pitches or so need careful rope protection. Climbing alpine-style, they made the bivvy at 7100m. Next day the difficulties of ice continued but in the upper part of the rib the ground became less severe. The pair reached the Annapurna East Ridge half way between the Roc Noir and Annapurna East. They bivouacked at 7500m where a tent was placed. On 13 Oct, 1988, the summit of Annapurna I East (8010m) was reached. Bad weather conditions thwarted the plan to continue the climb towards main summit. Hajzer and Kukuczka descended to the 7500m bivvy and spent the night there. On 14 Oct they continued the descent via the slopes of Roc Noir and Glacier Dome (7193m) and bivouacked once again at 6800m. Next day the base camp was reached. The second team consisted of Espinoza, Navarrete and Majer who took a much easier variation. On 15 Oct they reached the tent at 7500m and next day left for the summit. At 2 pm Navarette gained the top and in spite of wind and cold spent there about 10 minutes. I didn't reach the very top and waited for him a few meters below it. Espinoza had to give up some 200m before the summit. We descended to our tent and slept there. Next day (17 October) the weather was bad with strong wind and mist. Descending the east ridge we had route finding difficulties. In the area of the sharp ridge of Roc Noir, Navarrette disappeared, probably falling through a cornice. Lack of visibility prevented us from a search. Beneath Roc Noir Espinoza fell some 100m but survived. The night from 17 to 18 we spent both in snow caves without equipment. In the morning the tent at 7200m was reached and base camp informed about the fatal accident. A rescue team including Steve Untch helped the exhausted pair and went in quest of Navarette, unfortunately, in vain. The base camp was left on 22 Oct. Ramiro Navarrette (39) had very good seasons in South America and belonged to the best mountaineers of his country. In Sept 1987 he climbed the Shishapangma (8027m).
Accidents Espinoza fingers frostbitten and temporary leg paralysis after fall; Navarrete fatal fall
Achievement Climbed Glacier Dome en route to Annapurna East Summit
Agency Asian Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2452541
Year 1988
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) e rib of s face up; e ridge-glacier dome down

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Philip Butler M 1949 UK Climber London, England Technician Details Other expeditions
Francisco (Pancho) Espinoza M 1949 Ecuador Climber Ambato, Ecuador Television technician Details Other expeditions
Artur Henryk Hajzer M 1962 Poland Climber Katowice, Poland Cultural anthropology student Details Other expeditions
Lech Korniszewski M 1936 Poland Exp Doctor Warsaw, Poland Physician Details Other expeditions
Jerzy Kukuczka M 1948 Poland Leader Katowice, Poland Electrician Details Other expeditions
Janusz Majer M 1946 Poland Deputy Leader Katowice, Poland Metallurgical engineer Details Other expeditions
Ramiro Navarrete M 1950 Ecuador Climber Quito, Ecuador Writer & alpinist Details Other expeditions
Alberto Soncini M 1955 Italy Climber Reggio Emilia, Italy Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Henry Barclay Todd M 1945 UK Climber Edinburgh, Scotland Businessman Details Other expeditions
Steven Untch M 1956 USA Climber Green Valley Lake, California Carpenter & photographer Details Other expeditions
Ryszard Warecki M 1952 Poland Climber Katowice, Poland Metallurgist Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANNE88301 AAJ Majer, Janusz - - 63:217-219 (1989) -
ANNE88301 AJ Todd, Henry Annapurna Test 88 - 95:34-42 (1990-1991) -
ANNE88301 MM - - - 125:11 (Jan 1989) -
ANNE88301 MM - - - 126:12 (Mar 1989) -
ANNE88301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198921700/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-South-Face-Ascents-and-Tragedy - - -
ANNE88301 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1990-91_files/AJ%201990%2035-43%20Todd%20Annapurna.pdf - - -