Annapurna South | 1985 E(SE) Face-E Ridge

A Greece expedition to Annapurna South in 1985 via E(SE) Face-E Ridge, led by Mike Tsoukias. Summit reached on 22nd October 1985. 11 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 197
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID ANNS85301
Peak ID ANNS
Year 1985
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 E(SE) Face-E Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Greece
Leaders Mike Tsoukias
Sponsor First Greek Himalayan Expedition to Annapurna South
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 Modi Khola
Basecamp Date 1985-09-18
Summit Date 1985-10-22
Summit Time -
Summit Days 34
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 6
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6500m due to fatal avalanche
High Point (m) 6500
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 11
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 2
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 False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(18/09,4200m),C1(20/09,4850m),C2(03/10,5400m),C3(21/10,6400m),xxx(22/10,6500m)
Route Notes BC at Annapurna Sanctuary, NE of Himalchuli and under it C1 at 4850m on a ridge where this small ridge joins East Face C2 at 5400m on East Face where face becomes SE Face (on rock) C3 at 6400m on face in middle of two couloir High point on face. After C2, 11 days of continious snow and had lost considerable C3 and C4 equipment in avalanche on 25 Sept so progress badly delayed. Gianakoulis and Tsilogiorgis left expedition before C3 established (Tsilogiorgis regarding his job). 22 Oct avalanche hit at 11:45 am: Bountolas and German hit first, then Lambris who was cooking at C3, Tsatsaragos sleeping in C3 and Tsoukias in sun at C3. No avalanche had never came down this section before. C3 completely destroyed. Gianakoulis fell in glacier and injured toes; left expedition about 17 Oct; Dimitris badly injured in fall approach march on 17 Sept. Bountolas and Tsatsaragos killed by avalanche of 22 Oct; Tsoukias taken 200m uninjured while Bountolas, Lambris and Tsatsaragos and German taken 800m over rocks; badly injured by survived 1st avalanche but killed by 2nd one. Lambris moved by 2nd avalanche 4-5m and has broken knee from 1st avalanche. West German 1 day behind Greeks on same route by agreement. Kunga Sherpa - 22 Sep 85 Kunga went on rescue flight yesterday for member of Greek Annapurna South expedition, Sotarikis, who fell down 30m rock wall on approach to BC on 17 Sept; apparently injured spinal column: cannot move. Expedition made BC on 19 Sept and C1 at 5000m 21 Sept.
Accidents 1 member fell in glacier 7 injured toes; 1 member badly injured in fall on approach march; 2 members killed by avalanches, and 1 member had broken knee
Achievement 1st Greek expedition in all Himalaya
Agency Kunga
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2451451
Year 1985
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) e(se) face-e ridge

Members

11 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Nikolaos Brokos M 1958 Greece Climber Athens, Greece Elementary school teacher Details Other expeditions
Dimitris Bountolas M 1953 Greece Deputy Leader Thessaloniki, Greece Electrician Details Other expeditions
Panagiotis (Panos) Chlorokostas M 1961 Greece Exp Doctor Athens, Greece Physician Details Other expeditions
Loukas Gianakoulis M 1960 Greece Climber Athens, Greece University student of architecture Details Other expeditions
Dimitris Karagianis M 1954 Greece Climber Athens, Greece Topographical engineer Details Other expeditions
Ioannis Katrivanos M 1941 Greece Climber Athens, Greece Technician Details Other expeditions
Christos Lambris M 1961 Greece Climber Athens, Greece Computer programmer Details Other expeditions
Klimis Tsatsaragos M 1957 Greece Climber Athens, Greece Electrician Details Other expeditions
Alekos Tsilogiorgis M 1951 Greece Climber Athens, Greece Electrician Details Other expeditions
Mike Tsoukias M 1955 Greece Leader Athens, Greece Architectural engineer Details Other expeditions
D. Sotarikis M - Greece Climber - - Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
ANNS85301 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. & Hawley, Elizabeth - - 60:245 (1986) -
ANNS85301 HJ Tsoukias, Mike Annapurna South: East Face, 1985 - 43:123-125 (1985-1986) -
ANNS85301 MM - - - 108:11 (Mar 1986) -
ANNS85301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198624503/Asia-Nepal-Annapurna-Dakshin-Tragedy - - -
ANNS85301 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/43/21/expeditions-and-notes-43/ - - -