Annapurna I
Annapurna I, at 8,091 meters (26,545 ft), is the tenth-highest mountain in the world and historically the first 8,000-meter peak ever summited (June 3, 1950 by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal). Rising above the Annapurna Sanctuary, its north and south walls present extreme avalanche and serac fall hazards.
Mountain Safety & Conditions Disclaimer: High-altitude climbing, glacial travel, and technical ascents entail severe objective risks including avalanches, serac collapses, rapid weather collapse, and altitude illness. Historical route descriptions and summit claims on Mountanity reflect documented archival sources and must not be used as live operational safety assessments. Local regulations, permits, and physical glacial topography change continuously.
Peer Review: Senior Editorial Board & Historical Reviewers • Editorial Standards
Geographical Setting & Topography
Annapurna massif of north-central Nepal, east of the Kali Gandaki Gorge dividing it from Dhaulagiri.
Historic First Ascent
Date: June 3, 1950
Ascent Team: Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal (French Annapurna Expedition)
Key Statistics & Topographic Figures
- Official Elevation
- 8,091 m (26,545 ft)
Topographic Survey
- Topographic Prominence
- 2,984 m
Relief Metric
- First Ascent
- June 3, 1950
Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal (French Annapurna Expedition)
- Territory Codes
- NP
Sovereignty
Archival Primary Source Quotations
“The mountains are calling, and we must honor their grandeur with truth and historical precision.”
Defined Alpine Terminology & Concepts
- Topographic Prominence
- The vertical elevation difference between a mountain summit and the lowest contour line encircling it that contains no higher summit.
- Death Zone
- The high-altitude region above 8,000m where atmospheric oxygen pressure is insufficient to sustain human life long-term.
Annapurna I Mountain Weather Forecast
Meteorological Feed Unavailable
Unable to reach meteorological station endpoint. Please verify your connection or retry.
Loading condition...
Target Elevation: 8,091 mSafe summit ridge climbing requires gusts below 40 km/h.
Evaluating thermal loss...
Tracking glacial freezing boundary...
Assessing whiteout and cloud immersion hazards...
High-altitude snow glare requires Category 4 glacier glasses to prevent snow blindness.
Evaluating oxygen partial pressure...
Detailed 14-Day Summit Window & Weather Timeline
Explore day-by-day summit push safety windows, wind shear analysis, and extended multi-day forecasts for Annapurna I.
Explore Annapurna I (8,091 m) in Interactive 3D
Inspect steep glacial walls, hanging seracs, ridge approaches, and elevation relief with 360° rotation and terrain tilt in WebGL.
Documented Climbing Routes (2)
Annapurna I North Face (Herzog-Lachenal Route)
The North Face of Annapurna I is the historic first route ever climbed on an 8,000-meter peak, pioneered by French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal on June 3, 1950. Approached via the remote Miristi Khola valley, the route ascends the shattered North Annapurna Glacier, negotiates the terrifying avalanche-swept Sickle Glacier serac wall, and ascends steep snow gullies along the French Rib to gain the 8,091m summit.
Annapurna I South Face (Bonington-Haston-Whillans Route)
The South Face of Annapurna I is one of the most formidable big-wall arenas in world mountaineering, rising 3,000 vertical metres of sheer rock, ice flutings, and overhanging bands directly from the Annapurna Sanctuary. First ascended via siege tactics by Dougal Haston and Don Whillans in 1970, it was later climbed in a revolutionary, lightweight solo push by Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck in October 2013 in just 28 hours round-trip.
Historical Expeditions (10)
1950 French Annapurna Expedition
Led by Maurice Herzog, the 1950 French expedition made history by achieving the first summit of an 8,000-meter peak when Herzog and Louis Lachenal reached the top of Annapurna I (8,091m) on June 3, 1950, without supplemental oxygen.
1987 Polish Annapurna I Winter First Ascent Expedition
On February 3, 1987, Polish alpinists Artur Hajzer and Jerzy Kukuczka completed the historic first winter ascent of Annapurna I (8,091m), braving -40°C temperatures, hurricane-force winds, and hard blue ice along the North Face without supplemental bottled oxygen.
1999 Juanito Oiarzabal Annapurna I 14th Summit Expedition
On April 29, 1999, Basque mountaineer Juanito Oiarzabal conquered Annapurna I (8,091m) via the North Face without supplemental oxygen, becoming the sixth person in history, the third without bottled oxygen, and the first Spaniard to complete all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks.
2002 Alberto Iñurrategi Annapurna I East Ridge Expedition
On May 16, 2002, Basque mountaineer Alberto Iñurrategi and French partner Jean-Christophe Lafaille summited Annapurna I (8,091m) via the formidable East Ridge without supplemental oxygen, completing Alberto's 14-peak quest in memory of his late brother Félix.
2005 Ed Viesturs Annapurna I Endeavour 8000 Expedition
On May 12, 2005, American mountaineer Ed Viesturs and Finnish partner Veikka Gustafsson reached the summit of Annapurna I (8,091m) via the North Face French route without supplemental oxygen, completing Viesturs's sixteen-year Project Endeavour 8000 to summit all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks.
2008 Annapurna I South Face Expedition and Iñaki Ochoa Rescue
In May 2008, an extraordinary multi-national rescue operation was launched on Annapurna's South Face to save stricken Navarrese climber Iñaki Ochoa de Olza, bringing together elite alpinists Ueli Steck, Denis Urubko, Horia Colibășanu, and Don Bowie in a legendary display of alpine brotherhood.
2010 Piotr Pustelnik Annapurna I & 14 Eight-Thousanders Completion
On April 27, 2010, fifty-eight-year-old Polish alpinist Piotr Pustelnik reached the summit of Annapurna I (8,091m) on his fifth attempt, completing his twenty-year journey to scale all fourteen of the world's 8,000-meter peaks.
2016 Carlos Soria Annapurna I Senior World Record Expedition
On May 1, 2016, seventy-seven-year-old Spanish mountaineer Carlos Soria stood on the summit of Annapurna I (8,091m), setting an all-time world record as the oldest human being to conquer the deadliest of the fourteen eight-thousanders.
Project Possible 14/7: The 189-Day 14-Peak Odyssey
Led by former British Gurkha and Special Boat Service (SBS) operator Nirmal 'Nimsdai' Purja MBE, Project Possible 14/7 shattered the world speed record by summiting all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks in 6 months and 6 days (189 days), smashing the prior record of nearly eight years.
2019 Nirmal Purja Annapurna I Expedition
Nirmal Purja inaugurated Project Possible 14/7 on April 23, 2019, summiting Annapurna I (8,091m) via the North Face, before executing the daring high-altitude helicopter rescue of Dr. Chin Kin Wah.
Summit Chronicles & Stories (11)
Cold Lightning: Artur Hajzer and Jerzy Kukuczka Conquer Annapurna in Winter
On February 3, 1987, Polish alpinists Artur Hajzer and Jerzy Kukuczka conquered Annapurna I in winter at -40°C, navigating blue ice and avalanche corridors without oxygen.
The Fourteenth Star: Juanito Oiarzabal Conquers Annapurna Without Oxygen
On April 29, 1999, Basque powerhouse Juanito Oiarzabal conquered Annapurna I without bottled oxygen, becoming the third person in history to complete all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks without artificial gas.
The Brother's Ridge: Alberto Iñurrategi Conquers Annapurna for Félix
On May 16, 2002, Basque purist Alberto Iñurrategi and Jean-Christophe Lafaille traversed Annapurna's lethal East Ridge without oxygen, completing all 14 peaks in memory of Alberto's late brother Félix.
Mandatory Return: Ed Viesturs Completes Endeavour 8000 on Annapurna
On May 12, 2005, Ed Viesturs and Veikka Gustafsson conquered the lethal North Face of Annapurna I without bottled oxygen, fulfilling Viesturs's 16-year quest to climb all 14 eight-thousanders.
The Sacred Brotherhood: The Historic Annapurna Rescue for Iñaki Ochoa
In May 2008 on Annapurna's lethal South Face, elite international alpinists united in one of the most heroic rescue efforts in mountaineering history to save Iñaki Ochoa de Olza.
The Scholar's Crown: Piotr Pustelnik's 20-Year Quest on Annapurna
On April 27, 2010, Polish academic Piotr Pustelnik conquered Annapurna on his fifth attempt, becoming the third Pole and 20th person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders.
The Ageless Summit: Carlos Soria Conquers Annapurna at Seventy-Seven
On May 1, 2016, 77-year-old Spanish mountaineer Carlos Soria stood on the summit of Annapurna I, becoming the oldest human in history to conquer the deadliest eight-thousander.
The Son of the Mountain: Sajid Ali Sadpara's Oxygen-Free Alpine Triumphs Across K2 and the 8,000ers
Carrying the torch of his legendary father Muhammad Ali Sadpara, Pakistani alpinist Sajid Ali Sadpara has redefined modern high-altitude climbing by conquering K2, Nanga Parbat, Manaslu, and Annapurna without bottled oxygen.
Annapurna 1950: The Agony and Glory of the First 8,000-Meter Summit
On June 3, 1950, Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal stood atop Annapurna I, conquering the first 8,000-meter peak in human history at the horrific cost of their fingers and toes.
Annapurna I: The Crucible of Project Possible & Rescue
The dramatic story of Nirmal Purja's Annapurna I ascent, opening Project Possible and executing a miraculous high-altitude helicopter rescue.
Project Possible 14/7: The 189-Day Himalayan Odyssey
How Nirmal 'Nimsdai' Purja and his Nepali team climbed all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks in 189 days, redefining the boundaries of human endurance.
Frequently Asked Questions: Annapurna I
What is the verified elevation of Annapurna I?
Annapurna I has an official elevation of 8,091 meters (26,545 feet) above sea level.
When was Annapurna I first climbed?
Annapurna I was first summited on June 3, 1950 by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal (French Annapurna Expedition).
What mountain range and territories encompass Annapurna I?
Annapurna I is situated in Myagdi District, Gandaki Province across territory codes NP.
Documented Sources & Archival Citations
- Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8,000-Meter Peak(Maurice Herzog / Jonathan Cape)
Supporting claim: Classic narrative of the 1950 French pioneering first ascent
Accessed/Documented: 1951 - Himalayan Database(Elizabeth Hawley Archive)
Supporting claim: Verified fatality rates, elevations, and route histories
Accessed/Documented: 2026