GUNUNG · Nepal

Annapurna III

अन्नपूर्ण III (Annapurna III)

Information

Elevation: 7.555 m
Country: Nepal (NP)
Location / Range: Annapurna Himal, Central Himalaya, Nepal
Mountain type: Non-volcanic peak (Himalayan orogenic sedimentary and metamorphic rock — limestone, schist, gneiss)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 28.5670, 84.0170
Difficulty: Extremely demanding (6B/ED2) — one of the least-climbed 7,000 m peaks; the original route via the NE Ridge requires high technical skill at extreme altitude; the SE Ridge (a fully technical route) was only completed to the summit for the first time in 2021 after decades of failed attempts
Best Season: Spring (April–May) and autumn (October–November); avoid the monsoon (June–September) and winter
Permits & Rules: An expedition permit from Nepal's Ministry of Tourism (NTB) is mandatory; the climbing area lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) — an ACAP permit is also required; permit fees vary by team size and season
Hazards: Extreme and rapidly changing weather, snow and ice avalanches, unstable seracs on the southern route, altitudes above 7,000 m triggering HAPE/HACE, technical terrain at ultra-high altitude demanding strict acclimatization, deep crevasses on the glacier

Description

Annapurna III (7,555 m) is the third highest peak in the Annapurna massif and one of the most rarely climbed mountains above 7,000 m in the world. Despite ranking third within the massif (below Annapurna I at 8,091 m and Annapurna II at 7,937 m), it has a reputation as one of Himalaya's toughest technical challenges — in particular via the Southeast Ridge, which is coated in steep ice, highly exposed, and laden with objective hazard. The first summit was reached by a British expedition on 6 May 1961 via the Northeast Ridge. For nearly six decades the SE Ridge — considered one of the 'last great problems' in Himalayan mountaineering — defeated the world's best: Conrad Anker and Alex Lowe attempted it in 1997; David Lama with Hansjörg Auer and Alex Blümel reached around 6,550 m in 2016 before retreating. It was only in November 2021 that a Ukrainian team of Mikhail Fomin, Nikita Balabanov, and Viacheslav Polezhaiko finally completed the true first ascent via the SE Ridge, closing a long chapter in Himalayan history. The mountain sits at the eastern end of the Annapurna massif, facing north toward Tilicho Lake and south toward the Modi Khola valley, within the Annapurna Conservation Area.

Routes

Rute NE Ridge — Jalur Pendakian Pertama (1961)

ED (Extremely Difficult) — teknis tinggi: mixed climbing, es curam 60–70°, ketinggian ultra-tinggi di atas 7.000 m; diperlukan tim berpengalaman kelas ekspedisi

4–6 minggu total ekspedisi dari Kathmandu; summit bid 3–5 hari dari High Camp

The historic first-ascent route used by the 1961 British expedition led by J.O.M. Roberts via the Northeast Ridge. The route starts from a base camp at around 4,500 m on the northern side of the Annapurna massif, ascending through glaciers and steep ice slopes to the exposed NE Ridge, then continuing to the summit (7,555 m). While considered less extreme than the SE Ridge, this is still a full expedition-scale climb requiring staged acclimatization, fixed ropes on key sections, and readiness for extreme high-altitude Himalayan weather.

Source

Rute SE Ridge 'Patience' — First Ascent 2021 (Ukraina)

ED2–ABO (Abominable) — salah satu rute paling teknis dan berbahaya di Himalaya: mixed climbing ekstrem, hanging bivouac, resiko objective (seracs, windslab) sangat tinggi, ketinggian ultra-tinggi di atas 7.500 m; hanya untuk alpinis kelas dunia

5–7 minggu total ekspedisi; 18+ hari di atas Base Camp untuk segmen teknis SE Ridge

The SE Ridge was Himalayan mountaineering's 'last great problem', finally completed for the first time in November 2021 by Ukrainian alpinists Nikita Balabanov, Mikhail Fomin, and Viacheslav Polezhaiko in an 18-day alpine-style push. Before them, Conrad Anker and Alex Lowe (1997), Jonathan Griffith and Nick Bullock (2013), and David Lama's team (2016) had all failed — Lama's team reaching a highpoint of ~6,550 m. The SE Ridge climbs from around 4,500 m through a succession of technical obstacles: ice walls, mixed terrain, knife-edge ridges, and steep slopes threatened by seracs below the summit. The Ukrainian team named their line 'Patience', acknowledging 40 years of failed attempts before their success.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Annapurna III (7,555 m) is one of the most rarely climbed peaks in the Himalaya — fewer than 30 successful ascents are on record. The videos and reports below document the most consequential attempts: David Lama's 2016 SE Ridge push that came within ~1,000 m of the summit, and the Ukrainian expedition that finally solved this 'last great Himalayan problem' in November 2021. All links are verified.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.