Slovenian team
BC at normal site.
No attempt on NW Buttress because frequent snowfall made it too dangerous. Dutch Rib not possible approach, very dangerous (ice avalanches) and upper part all broken with over hanging serac preventing passage to face.
This team had avalanching from below C2 seracs and snow avalanches between C2 and C3 (which hit 2 members but they were not hurt); almost broke fixed ropes. Also avalanches from hit 2 other men (this the most dangerous part) and destroyed (buried) C3 by the time Humar descended there. Ski descent by Karnicar brothers began at 9:15 am at 1200m below and followed ascent route; at c100-150m below C3 Davorin in lead passed OK, but Andre (Drejc) skied into fixed rope which got entangled around one leg at very steep place, rope stopped him and made him fall on his side; he cut rope with very sharp edge of ski and carried on; stopped skiing at c4200m where morning began. 2 men kept no more than 50 lines meter apart; used alpine touring skies; arrived at 4200m at 3:30 pm; paused for 15 minutes at C4, at C3, below C2 at C1. Andre very tired at end and had frostbitten toes (will lose ends of 2 toes).
Ascent delayed by daily changing of weather with frequent snowfall. Arjun Tamang went up with Humar from C3 but did not want to summit so waited in C4 while Humar went to top alone.
In 1979 French skier started not from summit but 200m below it, below rock section. Slovenes, very expert started from 2m below top, descended by ski down couloir to west of rock section just east of West Face. Also French did not use skies in section below C3 at 2-3 times, 10-20m each but Slovenes did; both stopped ski descent 100m above BC because of moriane.
Carsolio: face "extremely dangerous"; "most dangerous climb I have ever been." Climbed with Slovenes as one team. Reached BC 9:00 pm of 29th (skiers at 4:00 pm) alone with 3 porters.
Important dates:
12 Apr: BC at 4300m
14 Apr: C1 at 5100m established by Andrej and Davorin Karnicar,
Janko Opresnik, Tomaz Humar, Carlos Carsolio, Arjun Tamang,
Zen Zen Bhote and Dawa Phuri.
200m fixed rope was used between base camp and C1. It was
temporarily dangerous from big avalanches of seracs and powder snow.
18 Apr: C2 at 5800m by Tomaz Humar, Janko Opresnik, Carlos Carsolio,
Arjun Tamang, Zen Zen Bhote and Dawa Phuri Sherpa. The way
between C1 and C2 was very difficult due to new deep snow
and dangerous because of falling of ice from seracs.
26 Apr: C3 at 6600m by Andrej and Davorin Karnicar, Tomaz Humar,
Carlos Carsolio, Arjun, Zen Zen and Dawa Phuri.
Route between C2 and C3 led on glacier and snow buttress with
many seracs and with the presence of dangerous snow
avalanche, on this section we used 300m of fixed rope and
lost 6 loads in the avalanches.
28 Apr: C4 at 7400m by Andrej and Davorin Karnicar, Carlos Carsolio;
weather was fine.
29 Apr: Before midnight they left C4 and without moonlight and
before sunrise they reached the last rock part 200m
below the summit. On the far right side they found a narrow
couloir and at 8:25 am. They finished their ascent on the top
of Annapurna I at 8091m. Weather was nice and the climbers
stayed on the summit for one hour. After that Karnicar
brothers put their skis on and then made the first ski
descent from the summit of Annapurna I and continued to the
last snow before base camp, about 4500-4600m. They took only
short rest at C4, C3 and C1 and reached base camp at 6 pm.
Carlos Carsolio descended to BC at 9:30 pm. Next day we found
that Andrej Karnicar had frostbite on his toes and we called
for a rescue flight by helicopter.
01 May: Viki Groselj and Stipe Bozic reached C4 late evening and there for
for 3 days because it was windy and snowing. Stipe Bozic became sick.
04 May: Viki Groselj tried to make ascent alone but after two hours he
abandoned and both left C4 for the base camp.
Same evening in bad weather condition (foggy, deep snow) Tomaz Humar
and Arjun reached C4. They were tired and waited there for one day.
06 May: Tomaz Humar left C4 at 9:20 am by himself, leaving Arjun at C4.
Climbing on deep snow he reached the summit at 7:00 pm and stayed
10 minutes on the summit for photograph. He returned to C4 at 9:30 pm.
07 May: Both (Humar and Arjun) reached base camp at 6 pm. In the
meantime C3 disappeared under new snow and small avalanches.
08 May: At base came landed a big Asian Airlines Helicopter MI-8 and
lifted Andrej Karnicar, Dr. Damjan Mesko and Stipe Bozic to KTM.
10 May: Rest of the expedition team left base camp for Deurali.
15 May: Arrived back in KTM.