Annapurna III (Nepali: अन्नपूर्ण ३) is a mountain in the Annapurna mountain range located in Nepal, and at 7,555 metres (24,787 ft) tall, it is the 42nd highest mountain in the world and the third highest peak of the Annapurna mountain range (Annapurna Fang is technically taller at 7,647 metres (25,089 ft), but lacks the prominence to be considered a fully independent peak).

Annapurna III
Annapurna III
Highest point
Elevation7,555 m (24,787 ft)[1]
Prominence703 m (2,306 ft)
Parent peakAnnapurna I
Isolation14.04 km (8.72 mi)
ListingList of mountains in Nepal
Coordinates28°35′8″N 83°59′22″E / 28.58556°N 83.98944°E / 28.58556; 83.98944
Geography
Map
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45km
30miles
Nepal
Pakistan
China
Ngadi Chuli South
45
Ngadi Chuli South
Annapurna IV
Annapurna IV
Himalchuli West
Himalchuli West
Annapurna III
Annapurna III
Silver Crag
Silver Crag
Annapurna Fang
Annapurna Fang
Dhaulagiri IV
Dhaulagiri IV
Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan)
Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan)
Dhaulagiri III
Dhaulagiri III
Dhaulagiri II
Dhaulagiri II
Kamet
Kamet
Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi
Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna)
Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna)
Himalchuli (Himal Chuli)
Himalchuli (Himal Chuli)
Annapurna II
Annapurna II
Annapurna I East (Annapurna East Peak)
Annapurna I East (Annapurna East Peak)
Manaslu East
Manaslu East
Annapurna
Annapurna
Nanga Parbat (Diamer)
Nanga Parbat (Diamer)
Manaslu (Kutang)
Manaslu (Kutang)
Dhaulagiri
9
Dhaulagiri
The major peaks (not mountains) above 7,500 m (24,600 ft) height in Himalayas, rank identified in Himalayas alone (not the world).[2] The map may help give context to Annapurna III with more detail and zooming on click through.

Legend:
1:Mount Everest2:Kangchenjunga3:Lhotse4:Yalung Kang, Kanchenjunga West5:Makalu6:Kangchenjunga South7:Kangchenjunga Central8:Cho Oyu9:Dhaulagiri10:Manaslu (Kutang)11:Nanga Parbat (Diamer) 12:Annapurna13:Shishapangma (Shishasbangma, Xixiabangma)14:Manaslu East15:Annapurna East Peak16: Gyachung Kang17:Annapurna II 18:Tenzing Peak (Ngojumba Kang, Ngozumpa Kang, Ngojumba Ri)19:Kangbachen20:Himalchuli (Himal Chuli)21:Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna)22:Nuptse (Nubtse)23:Nanda Devi24:Chomo Lonzo (Chomolonzo, Chomolönzo, Chomo Lönzo, Jomolönzo, Lhamalangcho)25:Namcha Barwa (Namchabarwa)26:Zemu Kang (Zemu Gap Peak)27:Kamet28:Dhaulagiri II29:Ngojumba Kang II30:Dhaulagiri III31:Kumbhakarna Mountain (Mount Kumbhakarna, Jannu)32:Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan) 33:Hillary Peak (Ngojumba Kang III)34:Molamenqing (Phola Gangchen)35:Dhaulagiri IV36:Annapurna Fang37:Silver Crag38:Kangbachen Southwest39:Gangkhar Puensum (Gangkar Punsum)40:Annapurna III41:Himalchuli West42:Annapurna IV43:Kula Kangri44:Liankang Kangri (Gangkhar Puensum North, Liangkang Kangri)45:Ngadi Chuli South

 
Parent rangeAnnapurna Himal
Climbing
First ascent6 May 1961[3]
Easiest routesnow/ice climb

Features

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Located directly south of Manang village, Annapurna III is the easternmost peak within the Annapurna Sanctuary, though not the range itself. To the west, it is connected to the slightly shorter Gangapurna by a col at 6,860 metres (22,510 ft), with a glacial cirque beneath the North and East Faces of these respective mountains emptying out via an icefall to Gangapurna Lake in the Marsyangdi river valley. The southern aspects of Annapurna III are accessible only through steep valleys and are renowned by climbers for their technical difficulty, most famously the spur known as the "Southeast Ridge", which rises steeply from the gorge of the Seti River to connect to the South Ridge proper.

History

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It was first ascended 6 May 1961 by an Indian expedition led by Capt. Mohan Singh Kohli via the Northeast Face.[3] The summit party comprised Mohan Kohli, Sonam Gyatso, and Sonam Girmi.[4] A Japanese Women's expedition led by Junko Tabei succeeded in putting the first women on top on 19 May 1970.[5]

Several teams had attempted to summit Annapurna III via the southeast ridge, with all efforts prior to 2021 ending in failure.[6] The first attempt up this ridge was in 1981 by Nick Colton and Tim Leach who reached about 1000 feet below the peak before turning around. Twice in 2010, Pete Benson, Nick Bullock, and Matt Helliker unsuccessfully attempted the southeast ridge. Their first attempt started at the southeast pillar, and the second attempt started at the east ridge where the team began by flying a helicopter into basecamp to save time.[7] In 2016, David Lama filmed a documentary of his unsuccessful attempt up the southeast ridge along with Hansjörg Auer and Alex Blümel winning the UIAA awarded the Best Climbing Film.[8][9]

The first ascent of the southeast ridge ascent was made on 6th November 2021 by Mykyta Balabanov, Vyacheslav Polezhayko and Mykhailo Fomin. The route was considered one of the unfinished challenges in the Himalayas and is about 2,800-3,000 meters on a vertical face whose crux emerges in the form of a technically demanding chimney shown in the video of the 2016 attempt. It was the second attempt by this Ukrainian expedition, the first one being in 2019. They won a "Special Jury Award" at the 2022 Piolet d'Or for their ascent.[10][11]

References

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  1. ^ Annapurna: Tilicho & Naar-Phu (Map). 1:125,000. Kathmandu: Himalayan Map Pvt. Ltd. 2009. § C4. ISBN 9799993-323074.
  2. ^ "Peak Bagger:Himalaya, Central Nepal Himalaya, Khumbu, Ghurka Himal, Annapurna Himal, Xishapangma Area, Sikkim-Eastern Nepal Himalaya, Western Nepal Himalaya, Assam Himalaya, Punjab Himalaya, Bhutan Himalaya, Garwhal Himalaya, Ganesh Himal". Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b Kohli, Mohan S. (1964). "Annapurna III, 1961". Himalayan Journal. 25. The Himalayan Club. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  4. ^ Kohli, Manmohan singh (16 November 2009). "My extreme moment". Hindustantimes. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  5. ^ Miyazaki, Eiko (1970). "Japanese Women's Annapurna III Expedition, 1970". Himalayan Journal. 30. The Himalayan Club. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Annapurna III Unclimbed: the David Lama, Hansjörg Auer and Alex Blümel climbing documentary". PlanetMountain.com. December 22, 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  7. ^ Griffin, Lindsay (November 25, 2011). "Annapurna III and Kyashar - British attempts". www.thebmc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  8. ^ "ANNAPURNA III – UNCLIMBED SCOOPS UIAA PRIZE – UIAA". May 8, 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  9. ^ Schmoll, Jochen, Annapurna III - Unclimbed (Short, Sport), Hansjörg Auer, Alex Blümel, David Lama, Drehxtrem, Red Bull Media House, retrieved 2021-01-07
  10. ^ Walsh, Anthony (19 October 2022). "Alpinism's Highest Honors Announced: The 2022 Piolets d'Or Recipients". Climbing. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  11. ^ "The Piolets d'Or 2022 list of significant ascents". PlanetMountain. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
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