KATHMANDU, April 19: The spring climbing season on Annapurna I has officially begun, with climbers already reaching the summit of the 8,091-meter peak located in Annapurna Rural Municipality–4, Narchyang, of Myagdi district.
According to expedition sources, a team led by Lakpa Sherpa from Seven Summit Treks successfully summited on Saturday. The group included seven Nepali and five foreign climbers. Among the foreign climbers were Charles Page, Valery Babanov, Vladimir Afanasiev, Yuri Kuglov, and Isfarli Asurlu.
The Nepali team members who reached the summit include Lakpa, Chhewang, Dawa Norbu, Pasang Dungpa, Changuba, Taraman, and Pasang Sherpa.
In another successful ascent, two climbers from the Netherlands and Australia, along with a Sherpa guide, reached the summit at around 10:15 am on the same day, according to Mauris Herzog Trail campaigner Tej Bahadur Gurung.
Wonders of rock climbing
“This season’s first climbing team has successfully summited Annapurna, and activity at the base camp has increased with both climbers and trekkers arriving,” Gurung said.
The Department of Tourism has issued climbing permits to 27 individuals from four expedition teams this season. According to branch officer Sharmila Banjade, the government has collected Rs 12.49 million in revenue from these permits.
Annapurna I is the world’s tenth-highest mountain. Last spring, 66 climbers had obtained permits to scale the peak. Base camp has already seen growing activity from expedition teams and visiting trekkers.
Historically, Annapurna was first climbed in 1950 by Maurice Herzog. Three years later, in 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made history by summiting Mount Everest.
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