Pune's Giripremi team to climb Mt Annapurna in March-April 2020

Pune-based mountaineering and adventure group, Giripremi, which is on the quest to climb all 14 8,000-meters mountain in the world, will climb its eighth 8,000-meters mountain in March-April 2020.

A team of four mountaineers led by Umesh Zirpe will climb Mt Annapurna (8,091 meters), the tenth highest mountain in the world in March- April 2020.

The climbing team of the expedition consists of Ashish Mane (Summitter of five 8,000-meters mountains including Mt Everest), Bhushan Harshe (Mt Everest and Mt Kangchenjunga
Summitter) and Jitendra Gaware (Mt Kangchenjunga Summitter).

Umesh Zirpe, the leader of Giripremi’s 8,000-meters mountain expeditions, will lead the Mt Annapurna I Expedition 2020. It is his eighth consecutive expedition as a leader. Zirpe said, "After the enormous success of Mt Everest in 2012, we had been constantly asked by people, what next? After Mt Everest expedition, Giripremi envisioned to climb all 14 8,000-meters mountain in the world. We are already halfway there. Our teams reached the summit of seven 8,000-meters mountain in the last seven years including Mt Everest (the world’s highest mountain) in 2012, Mt Lhotse (the world’s fourth-highest mountain) in 2013, Mt Makalu (the world’s fifth highest mountain) in 2014, Mt Cho Oyu (the world’s sixth-highest mountain) and Mt Dhaulagiri (the world’s seventh highest mountain) in 2016, Mt Manaslu (the world’s eighth highest mountain) in 2017 and Mt Kangchenjunga (the world’s third-highest mountain) in 2019."

"Now we have planned an expedition on Mt. Annapurna I (the world’s tenth highest mountain) located in Nepal. The mountain stands tall with a height of 8,091 meters and is known as one of the toughest mountains to climb across the globe. Giripremi’s three experienced and skilled climbers will climb Mt Annapurna I in March- April 2020," he added.

Giripremi founder-president Ushaprabha Page said, "Eight-thousand-meters mountains expeditions are arduous and posses several challenges in front of the climbers. However, Giripemi’s mountaineers are trained, skilled and experienced to negotiate such challenges and climb the mountain successfully. Our mountaineers are doing it astoundingly in every expedition. I am confident that they will continue this trend in Mt Annapurna I Expedition 2020."

Page also stressed on the fund-raising part of the expedition. She said that Giripremi is the only organization in the country which organizes 8,000-meters expeditions continuously. These expeditions need huge funds, and raising it is a daunting task. Mt Annapurna I Expedition 2020 has a budget of Rs 60 lakh. Page urged people to support the expedition by donating money for the expedition.

Mt Annapurna I is located in Nepal Himalaya’s Annapurna massif. This massif is home to several tall mountains. It has 16 6,000-metres and above mountains, 13 7,000-metres and above mountains and Mt Annapurna I is a solitary 8,000-metres mountain with a height of 8,091 meters. Annapurna Massif is 55 kilometres long, surrounded by Gandki and Marshyangadi glaciers. Long ridges, avalanche-prone areas are characteristic of the massif, which makes climbing extremely difficult.

To date, around 200 to 250 climbers have reached the summit of Mt Annapurna I successfully. The data shows that till March 2012, 191 climbers had summitted the mountain. Whereas, 52 climbers lost their lives while ascending the mountain and nine lost the lives in descending. Mt Annapurna I has caused 34 deaths for every 100 climbs. It is the fatal 8,000-meters mountain out 14. However, Mt Annapurna I is the first 8,000-metres mountain to be climbed successfully.

On June 3, 1950, French climbers Morris Herzog and Lois Lachenal made it to the summit of Mt Annapurna I. There are several climbing routes, Giripremi team will be climbing from North West ridge.