Annapurna Descent Update: Climbers in C1 & Boyan Petrov’s Summit Report / Updated
Around 30 climbers summited Annapurna over the past two days. Boyan Petrov reached the top on April 30th, while rest of the climbers on May 1st. However, a climb is not complete until the climbers return to Base Camp, safe and healthy. “The true summit is in the BC,” says Carlos Soria.
Boyan retreated to BC yesterday, while other climbers started the descent this morning. Some climbers are in C1, as of now.
Carlos Soria in C1 (See Update-01 below)
After a 20 hour round-trip from C4 to summit and back to C4, the 77 year old Spanish climber decided not to come down to C3, as previously planned. Leaving Camp 4 this morning, Carlos Soria was in C3 by noon and rested there for a couple of hours. He reached C2 at around 1800hrs local time.
The last message from team says that the climbers are in C1. “The team already rest in C1 (5200m). Despite the accumulated tiredness, all are encouraged.”
Matt Du Puy & Chris Burke
The duo also spent the night in C4 and checked in from C1, a while ago. “Arrived at camp for the night, OK.” (note: GPS data shows that he messaged from C1).
Last night, Matt Du Puy confirmed the team’s success and informed that they are spending the night in C4. “Summit succuss! High winds didn't stop us! Chris and I are crashing camp 4 again. C3 seems too far in this state.”
Jost Kobusch
The German climber hasn’t communicated directly, but the tracker showed that Jost Kobusch was half way through C2 to C1, few hours back. However, the tracker is not sending any data now; perhaps the battery has drained out completely. We hope that he is already back in BC.
Boyan Petrov’s Summit Report
Boyan Petrov has shared the details of ascent and summit photos with dnevnik.bg. As per Bulgarian climber, together with two Russian climbers Dmitry Sinev and Sasha, he climbed to C2 on April 27th and reached C4 in next two days.
On the night of April 30th, three climbers launched the summit-bid. Russians left the tent at around 2:30am, while Boyan delayed his departure till 03:45am. Nonetheless, an hour into ascent, Boyan moved ahead of fellow climbers.
Continuing the solo ascent in good sunny weather, Boyan says, he reached the base of couloir that leads to summit at around 1200hrs local time. The Bulgarian climber estimated to reach the top within one hour. However, the couloir inclined at 50 degrees was full of deep, drifting snow. It took him two hours to overcome the section.
By the time he reached summit crest, clouds were closing in. Boyan quickly turned left to reach the true summit. “Snow floated everywhere, didn’t have any view towards south (due to clouds), but in north, had some visibility to our BC.”
On descent, he met the Russians still 200 meters below couloir at around 1500hrs. He told the fellow climbers that it was too late to go for summit. By the time, Boyan Petrov returned to C4 (at around 1800hrs), the main summit push party was getting ready for summit-bid. Boyan descended to BC on May 1st in about 7 hours.
Boyan retreated to BC yesterday, while other climbers started the descent this morning. Some climbers are in C1, as of now.
Carlos Soria in C1 (See Update-01 below)
After a 20 hour round-trip from C4 to summit and back to C4, the 77 year old Spanish climber decided not to come down to C3, as previously planned. Leaving Camp 4 this morning, Carlos Soria was in C3 by noon and rested there for a couple of hours. He reached C2 at around 1800hrs local time.
The last message from team says that the climbers are in C1. “The team already rest in C1 (5200m). Despite the accumulated tiredness, all are encouraged.”
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| File photo of C1; Source |
Matt Du Puy & Chris Burke
The duo also spent the night in C4 and checked in from C1, a while ago. “Arrived at camp for the night, OK.” (note: GPS data shows that he messaged from C1).
Last night, Matt Du Puy confirmed the team’s success and informed that they are spending the night in C4. “Summit succuss! High winds didn't stop us! Chris and I are crashing camp 4 again. C3 seems too far in this state.”
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| Annapurna upper C4 at 7300m; Source |
Jost Kobusch
The German climber hasn’t communicated directly, but the tracker showed that Jost Kobusch was half way through C2 to C1, few hours back. However, the tracker is not sending any data now; perhaps the battery has drained out completely. We hope that he is already back in BC.
Update 01:-Several climbers have just reached BC, after a tiring descent which consumed as many as 15 hours. Bulgarian Atanas Skatov reached BC around an hour ago. Carlos Soria also arrived there at around 1930hrs. David Klein also checked in to confirm that he and his German climbing partner, Jost Kobusch are resting in BC.
Update 02:- Chris Burke and Matt Du Puy are also back in BC. Seems like all the climber have returned, safe and healthy (except two cases of minor frostbite).
Boyan Petrov’s Summit Report
Boyan Petrov has shared the details of ascent and summit photos with dnevnik.bg. As per Bulgarian climber, together with two Russian climbers Dmitry Sinev and Sasha, he climbed to C2 on April 27th and reached C4 in next two days.
On the night of April 30th, three climbers launched the summit-bid. Russians left the tent at around 2:30am, while Boyan delayed his departure till 03:45am. Nonetheless, an hour into ascent, Boyan moved ahead of fellow climbers.
Continuing the solo ascent in good sunny weather, Boyan says, he reached the base of couloir that leads to summit at around 1200hrs local time. The Bulgarian climber estimated to reach the top within one hour. However, the couloir inclined at 50 degrees was full of deep, drifting snow. It took him two hours to overcome the section.
By the time he reached summit crest, clouds were closing in. Boyan quickly turned left to reach the true summit. “Snow floated everywhere, didn’t have any view towards south (due to clouds), but in north, had some visibility to our BC.”
On descent, he met the Russians still 200 meters below couloir at around 1500hrs. He told the fellow climbers that it was too late to go for summit. By the time, Boyan Petrov returned to C4 (at around 1800hrs), the main summit push party was getting ready for summit-bid. Boyan descended to BC on May 1st in about 7 hours.
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| Boyn Petrov at the summit of Annapurna; Source |
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