Annapurna South | 1974 SW Ridge-S Face

A Japan expedition to Annapurna South in 1974 via SW Ridge-S Face, led by Tsuneo Suzuki. Summit reached on 26th April 1974. 9 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2325
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANNS74101
Peak ID ANNS
Year 1974
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge-S Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Tsuneo Suzuki
Sponsor Himalayan Expedition of Gamagori Alpine Club 1974
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 Pokhara->Modi Khola
Basecamp Date 1974-03-14
Summit Date 1974-04-26
Summit Time -
Summit Days 43
Total Days 48
Termination Date 1974-05-01
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6000m due to technically too difficult route
High Point (m) 6000
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 8
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 5
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 BC1(14/03,4200m),C1(19/03,4800m),C2(01/04,5400m); BC2(05/04,4050m); BC3(08/04,3700m),C3(13/04,5600m),xxx(26/04,6000m)
Route Notes Suzuki - 15 May 74 All members arrive today. SW Ridge very difficult - no success: not enough technique. 2nd avalanche lost much (30-70%) food and 10% equipment including all medicine. Normal route, party's technique all right, but SW Ridge steep rock face - above C1 all fixed rope. 2 avalanches: 1st 4 April 10 pm. 1st BC hit and cut Sherpa's head and L0 50m in tent and neck hurt. 2nd 7 April 11:00 hit 2nd BC, which 115m below and 1500m distant from 1st BC. 3rd BC made at 3700m, C1 and C2 not hit thus stayed same. No place for C4. Ridge very steep and very sharp and rock loose. 1 member slipped but not injured. Only 3 days fine weather, maximum altitude 6000m 26 April. 400m in almost 2 weeks reached by Yokota & Suzuki (no kin). Many small avalanches. C4 to be placed 6400m but C3 only 5600m and no place for C4. 800m ice face above 6400m. This route strong party maybe can climb, put C4 at 6000-6400m. Suzuki looked at North Face easy slope but much snow which could avalanche; 1 week from village, only looking; food finished. 27 April all coming down; all in BC. 30 April-1 May all leave BC to village and thence all go look North Face. MP Khanal, MFA - 5 May 74 Abandoned 27 April; reached 6000m and couldn't go higher. C3 5600m was highest camp. MP Khanal, MFA - 15 April 74 BC badly hit by avalanche, strong wind and heavy snow fall April 4 9 pm; most equipment and tents swept away including 8 people in tents but only 1 Sherpa injured avalanche came from 3000m, so shifted BC to 3700m to rescue climb from 11 April after moving BC. MP Khanal, MFA - 4 April 74 LO reports bad weather with continuous snow 23-27 March; 26 inches of snow at bsse camp and above. MFA - 22 May 74 Annapurna South base camp at 4200m 14 March. Team will spend about 2 weeks at BC for acclimatization. Weather so far clear and fine. T. Suzuki - 20 Feb 74 Others 26 Feb arrive KTM 4 March leave for Pokhara by bus Leave Pokhara 8 March; 7 days caravan to BC at 4200m in Kyumrung Khola Route Kyumrumg Glacier to SW Ridge. Summit 20 April 4 high camps, C4 6600m SW Ridge new route Sirdar and 4 Sherpas and 1 cook Annapurna South expeditions' routes: 1964 - North Face 1970 - South Face 1971 Spr - East Ridge 1971 Aut - East Ridge 1972 - East Ridge 1973 - East Ridge "I think 30% success, 70% no success." Rock face 400m and expedition small. French route South Face more difficult than SW Ridge, but Japanese 1964 North Face less difficult.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2447243
Year 1974
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge-s face

Members

9 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Tsuneo Suzuki M 1935 Japan Leader Gamagori-shi, Japan Engineer Details Other expeditions
Tsukasa Nakase M 1942 Japan Deputy Leader Gamagori-shi, Japan Engineer Details Other expeditions
Akinobu Yokota M 1941 Japan Climber/Manager Toyota, Aichi, Japan Engineer Details Other expeditions
Jutaro Suzuki M 1947 Japan Climber Gamagori-shi, Japan Engineer Details Other expeditions
Masahiko Suzuki M 1948 Japan Climber Gamagori-shi, Japan Engineer Details Other expeditions
Miyoshi Yamazaki M 1948 Japan Climber Gamagori-shi, Japan Staff member, Gamagori city office Details Other expeditions
Kazutoshi Ishikawa M 1951 Japan Climber Gamagori-shi, Japan Engineer Details Other expeditions
Takaya Murase M 1938 Japan Climber Nagoya, Japan Physician Details Other expeditions
Ang Tshering Sherpa M 1949 Nepal Sirdar Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANNS74101 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. - - 49:203 (1975) -
ANNS74101 HJ Suzuki, Tsuneo Annapurna South Peak - South-West Ridge, 1974 - 34:149-151 (1974-75) -
ANNS74101 MM - - - 37:9 (Jul 1974) -
ANNS74101 IWA - - - 42:26 (1975) -
ANNS74101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197520302/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-South - - -
ANNS74101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/34/32/annapurna-south-peak-south-west-ridge-1974/ - - -