Annapurna I Middle | 1981 S Face (E of Bonington rte)

A Poland expedition to Annapurna I Middle in 1981 via S Face (E of Bonington rte), led by Ryszard Szafirski. Summit reached on 23rd May 1981. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1818
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANNM81101
Peak ID ANNM
Year 1981
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Face (E of Bonington rte)
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Poland
Leaders Ryszard Szafirski
Sponsor Polish Himalayan Expedition Annapurna I South Face
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 2nd
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1981-03-31
Summit Date 1981-05-23
Summit Time 1730
Summit Days 53
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8051
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 3300
Total Members 11
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken True
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits Held permit for Annapurna I (ANN1-811-02) (required for Annapurna I Middle Smt)
Campsites BC(31/03,4300m),C1(02/04,5400m),C2(08/04,6100m),C3(28/04,6850m),C4(19/05,7300m),C5(21/05,7700m),Smt(23/05)
Route Notes Szafirski & Korniszewski - 2 June 81 Climb was much more difficult than expected. Most difficult between C2 and C3: very sharp crazy ridge of snow and ice, very steep vertical snow. 3 weeks to climb at 40m per day. Technical difficulties greater higher up where also very steep and Grade 4 and difficulties. 28 April when route made to C3, good weather ended. Summiters had to wait in C5 extra day and night for good weather. Poles had 6 climbers, Dr and leader. Others were photographer, driver and priest. Driver left from Machhapuchare BC, priest left after one week. Dr and leader were Polish Sherpas. Should have made permanent camp between C2 and C3. 9 to 12 hours from C2 to C3 hanging glacier below C3. C4 was used only one night on way to top. Summiters went to middle summit only. Route of face was climbed. No other summit attempts: too late, too bad weather and "we had not forces." Doctor broken right arm from fall between C2 and C1 during evacuation. Route was safe, powder snow avalanches made difficult climbing and all tents after covered. Oxygen medical only and kept in BC; no one used it. Have studied another difficult but fine route up face via buttress between Bonington and Polish routes. Want to name route John Paul II route if Vatican gives permission. Will arrive Rome 10 May and hope to see Pope. Church in Poland gave contribution. Priest will meet in Rome. Priest member went back after 1 week because not well (heart probably). Szafirski - 13 March 81 1 leader 6 climbers 1 doctor 1 driver 1 photographer 1 priest -- 11 members No Sherpas above BC - too diffcult. Route = South Face to route of Bonington route. BC same as Bonington 1970 about 4800-5000m, impossible to say how many camps. Main problem is descent from summit. C3 about 7000m; from here can go nonstop to summit but impossible to descend same way without another camp or 2 more. Szafirski arrived 9 March, waits now for others. Members arrive KTM 16 March and back soon at Bhairawa. Oxygen medical only. Polish Himalayan Expedition Annapurna I South Face. Most difficult part above C3; maybe make C3 ABC.
Accidents Doctor broken arm from fall
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2449834
Year 1981
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) s face (e of bonington rte)

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Maciej Berbeka M 1954 Poland Climber Zakopane, Poland Student Details Other expeditions
Ryszard Gajewski M 1954 Poland Climber Zakopane, Poland Mountain rescuer Details Other expeditions
Stanislaw Kardasz M 1936 Poland Climber Torun, Poland Priest Details Other expeditions
Zdzislaw Kiszela M 1953 Poland Climber Zakopane, Poland Technician Details Other expeditions
Lech Korniszewski M 1936 Poland Exp Doctor Warsaw, Poland Physician Details Other expeditions
Maciej Jozef Pawlikowski M 1951 Poland Climber Poronin, Poland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Boguslaw Probulski M 1953 Poland Climber Zakopane, Poland Mountain rescuer Details Other expeditions
Wlodzimierz Stoinski M 1951 Poland Climber Zakopane, Poland Chemical engineer Details Other expeditions
Ryszard Szafirski M 1937 Poland Leader Zakopane, Poland Photographer Details Other expeditions
Szymon Wdowiak M 1934 Poland Cameraman Milanowek, Poland Photographer Details Other expeditions
Krzysztof Wisniewski M 1935 Poland Driver Warsaw, Poland Engineer Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANNM81101 AAJ Nyka, Jozef - - 56:227-229 (1982) -
ANNM81101 MM - - - 80:11 (Jul 1981) -
ANNM81101 DAV - - - 107:159 (1982-83) -
ANNM81101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198222704/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-South-Face-New-Route - - -