Annapurna
First eight-thousander climbed; dangerous peak with high fatality rate.
Annapurna is a mountain in the Annapurna mountain range of Gandaki Province, north-central Nepal. It ranks as the tenth highest mountain in the world and is renowned for the difficulty and danger of its ascent. The mountain is named after the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment, a name derived from Sanskrit words meaning "everlasting food." Many streams from its slopes irrigate lower agricultural fields and pastures. Geologically, the summit is composed of Ordovician limestone and other sedimentary rocks of the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence, which steeply dips northward as part of the overturned Nilgiri Anticline. This rock pile accumulated on a prehistoric continental shelf submerged beneath the Tethys Ocean before the collision of India and Asia.
Annapurna I was the first eight-thousander ever successfully climbed, achieved in 1950 by a French expedition led by Maurice Herzog via the north face. The south face, one of the world's most difficult climbs, was first ascended in 1970 by a British expedition. The first American team to summit was the 1978 American Women's Himalayan Expedition. The first winter ascent occurred in 1987 by Polish climbers. For decades, Annapurna I held the highest fatality-to-summit rate among principal eight-thousanders, though recent successes have lowered its rate to about 13.42 percent, with 75 deaths from 559 ascents as of February 2025. The mountain remains extremely dangerous due to avalanche risk, unpredictable weather, and steep, committing routes. It also poses threats to trekkers, as seen in a 2014 snowstorm that killed at least 43 people. The entire massif and surrounding area are protected within the Annapurna Conservation Area, the first and largest in Nepal, which hosts world-class treks such as the Annapurna Sanctuary and Annapurna Circuit.
- Location
- Gandaki Province, north-central Nepal
- Notable feature
- South face, renowned as one of the most difficult climbs in the world
Lore & Background
Annapurna is a mountain in the Annapurna range of north-central Nepal. It is the world’s tenth highest peak, standing at over 8,000 meters, and is notorious for the difficulty and peril of its ascent. The mountain is named for the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment, a name derived from Sanskrit meaning "everlasting food." Numerous streams descending from its slopes irrigate agricultural fields and pastures at lower elevations. Geologically, Annapurna comprises a thick stack of early Paleozoic sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks from the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence, which dip steeply northward. The summit itself is made of Ordovician limestone from the Nilgiri Formation. The entire massif and its surroundings are protected within the Annapurna Conservation Area, the first and largest conservation area in Nepal, which hosts world-renowned treks like the Annapurna Sanctuary and Annapurna Circuit. For decades, Annapurna I held the highest fatality-to-summit rate among all eight-thousander peaks, though recent climbing successes have reduced its fatality rate to about 13.42 percent, with 75 deaths from 559 ascents as of February 2025. The mountain remains extremely dangerous due to avalanche risk, unpredictable weather, and the steep, committing nature of its routes, particularly its south face, considered one of the most difficult climbs in the world. It also poses threats to trekkers, as seen in a 2014 snowstorm near Annapurna and Dhaulagiri that killed at least 43 people. The first successful ascent was by a French expedition led by Maurice Herzog in 1950 via the north face, making Annapurna the first eight-thousander ever climbed. Notable later ascents include the first climb of the south face in 1970 by a British expedition, the first American team ascent in 1978, and the first winter ascent in 1987 by Polish climbers.
Reader's Guide
Annapurna I was the first eight-thousander ever climbed, a feat accomplished in 1950 by a French expedition that reached the summit via the north face. This achievement set a new altitude record for a successful ascent, though higher points on Everest had been reached without summiting in the 1920s. The mountain’s climbing history is marked by both pioneering ascents and severe danger. The south face, first climbed in 1970 without supplemental oxygen, is recognized as one of the world’s most difficult climbs. Other notable ascents include the first winter climb in 1987 and a claimed solo of the south face in 2013. For decades, Annapurna I held the highest fatality-to-summit rate among the principal eight-thousanders, though recent climbing success has reduced its rate to about 13.42 percent, with 75 deaths from 559 ascents as of early 2025. The mountain remains extremely hazardous due to avalanche danger, unpredictable weather, and the committing nature of its routes. Trekkers also face risks, as demonstrated by a 2014 snowstorm near Annapurna and Dhaulagiri that killed at least 43 people. The entire massif lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal’s first and largest protected area, which hosts world-renowned treks such as the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary. The mountain’s name comes from the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment, reflecting the life-giving waters that flow from its slopes to support agriculture below. Geologically, the summit is composed of Ordovician limestone and other sedimentary rocks of the Tethyan Himalayan Sequence, which were deposited on an ancient continental shelf and later uplifted during the collision of India with Asia.
Geographic Standing and Global Rank
Annapurna II holds the position of the second-highest summit within the Annapurna range in Nepal, serving as the eastern anchor point of the massif. Though its name suggests a subordinate relationship to Annapurna I Main, the peak is in fact a fully independent mountain. In terms of elevation, isolation, and prominence, it trails its western counterpart by only a modest margin. These figures place it firmly among the most significant peaks on the planet. Annapurna II ranks as the sixteenth-highest mountain in the world. Perhaps most strikingly, it stands as the highest ultra-prominent peak on Earth that falls below the eight-thousand-meter threshold, a distinction that underscores its extraordinary vertical independence from any surrounding terrain. This combination of height, separation, and prominence makes it a landmark in mountain geography.
Physical Character and Objective Hazards
The summit of Annapurna II rests along a steep rock ridge that is notably relatively free of snow near its highest point. From this crest, the ridge drops in altitude westward to connect with the summit of the shorter Annapurna IV. The mountain's South Face presents as a vast pyramidal wall, broken only by a central spur, while the North Face is far more complex, with steep rock walls cascading between extensive ice fields from base to summit. To the northwest, a large hanging glacier fills the flank separating Annapurna II from Annapurna IV. The Northeastern wall carries a distinctive, recurring series of cornices and rock bands that observers have likened to a human face or skull. The mountain is notorious for its large avalanches, particularly those triggered from the high snowpack behind the North-central buttress. Additional dangers include rockfall, massive ice overhangs, and frequent storms. These objective hazards have constrained the scope of mountaineering attempts, and the standard ascent route deliberately uses the central connecting ridge with Annapurna IV to sidestep many of these perils.
A Century of Ascents and Near-Disasters
O. M. Roberts reached the top via the West Ridge, having first climbed the North face of Annapurna IV. The summit party included Richard Grant, Chris Bonington, and Sherpa Ang Nyima. A blizzard trapped the team on descent, and they exhausted their food supply during the final five days. Reported missing, the expedition's eventual return drew significant public attention.
The Annapurna IV Tether and Route Strategy
Although Annapurna II is a fully independent peak, its relationship with the shorter Annapurna IV is intimate and practical. The two mountains sit together apart from the main ridge of the Annapurna Massif, and the summit ridge of Annapurna II drops westward directly to the top of Annapurna IV. A large hanging glacier occupies the flank between them to the northwest. The standard route of ascent today still uses the central connecting ridge with Annapurna IV, a deliberate choice to bypass the mountain's most dangerous features—its avalanches, rockfall, and ice overhangs. In this way, Annapurna IV functions less as a separate objective and more as the essential gateway and safety corridor for any climber attempting the higher peak.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sets Annapurna apart from other 8,000-metre peaks?
Unlike many of its taller neighbors, Annapurna is notorious for extreme technical difficulty and volatile weather rather than sheer height alone. It has historically claimed a far greater proportion of its climbers than most other peaks in the Himalayan range.
More in Notable Mountains And Peaks 1-23
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