4-member Giripremi team to scale “deadly” Mt Annapurna in Himalayan cluster

PUNE Only two Indians have successfully scaled the Annapurna 1 mountain, the 10th highest in the world

PUNE Only two Indians have successfully scaled the Annapurna 1 mountain, the 10th highest in the world. Annapurna 1 is located in Nepal’s Himalaya Annapurna Massif (cluster), home to several mountains 6,000 mts tall, of which Annapurna 1 is the tallest.

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Now four Punekars – Umesh Zirpe, Bhushan Harshe, Dr Sumeet Mandale and Jitnedra Gaware, will attempt to to scale the 8,091metre-tall mountain in an expedition that will start in the third week of March, and expected to end in last week of April.

In 2012, Basanta Singha Roy and Debashis from West Bengal climbed Annapurna 1 successfully.

Annapurna 1 is also considered a deadly mountain, as so far, 61 climbers have lost their lives while scaling its peak.

“Due to its unpredictable weather it is one of the deadliest mountains. Climbing between Camp 2 and Camp 3 is hardest, as most avalanches occur between these two camps,” said Mandale, who has climbed Mt Cho Oyu in Tibet and Mt Kanchenjunga (located on the India Nepal-border).

All four mountaineers represent a well-known mountaineering club in the city, Giripremi.

Before Annapurna, mountaineers from Giripremi have climbed the seven tallest mountains in the world (see box).

“We are experienced mountaineers, and since it is a tricky mountain to climb we did not think of a bigger team. Before heading to base camp to acclimatise we will be climbing Mt Singu Chuli, which is around 6,000 metres tall,” said Umesh Zirpe, president, Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh (AMGM).

Giripremi had planned this expedition in 2020, but it was not possible due to Covid-19.

“Although covid patients are increasing in India, in Nepal the situation is completely under control so we will not have any issues of travelling and once we are in the mountains, there is nothing to worry about,” added Zirpe.

Previous expeditions by Giripremi:

2012: Mt Everest

2013: Mt Lhotse

2014: Mt Makalu

2016: Mt Cho Oyu

2016: Dhaulagiri

2017: Manaslu

2019: Kanchenjunga