Solo New Route on Annapurna South

The Slovakian Dodo Kopold has soloed the southeast side of 7,219-meter Annapurna South (Annapurna Dakshin) in a 40-hour continuous push. Kopold had traveled to Nepal to attempt the south face of Annapurna with Martin Minarik and Elisabeth Revol, but conditions were too snowy for a safe ascent. 

Instead, Kopold soloed the steep southeast ridge of a 7,100-meter sub-summit of Annapurna South. He traversed a ridge to the west to reach the main summit, and then returned to the saddle and descended steep snow and ice slopes to the south. Kopold carried only a 40-meter 6mm rope, eight pitons, eight ice screws, 10 quickdraws, three energy bars, some dried meat, and a stove for water. He said the 2,300-meter climb’s grade was “something like VI/6 5+ M5 ABO.” 

Several expeditions had attempted a line on the “south face” of Annapurna South, and a Russian team completed the line in winter in the mid-1990s. However, the Russian line appears to have been far to the west of Kopold’s ascent, possibly more on the western aspect of the main peak than the south. 

Date of Ascent: April 2009 

Sources: Dodo Kopold, American Alpine Journal

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