Alan Hinkes Annapurna 2002  Alan Hinkes Summits Annapurna I

On May 6th EverestNews.com reported Alan's Summit of Annapurna. Of course, the rest of the world did not have this information. Now the report from Alan Hinkes' main sponsor Berghaus [Nice people].

May 9th, 2002: ALAN HINKES SUCCESSFUL: SUMMIT ON ANNAPURNA

Reports from the Himalaya have confirmed that Alan Hinkes has summitted on Annapurna (8,091m), his latest Challenge 8000 peak, and is getting ever closer to being the first Briton to climb all 14 of the 8,000m peaks in the world.  Alan reached the summit at about 11.30am local time on May 6th and got back down to Camp III a few hours later.

Alan reached base camp in the last week of April, by which time he was already well acclimatized.  He spent the next few days completing the acclimatization process and planning his attempt on the summit.  From base camp, he began to establish advanced stations further up the mountain and by 5th May felt that he was ready to make a bid for the summit.

Although Alan’s base camp was hit by some ferocious storms during one night last week and his mess tent was blown away, conditions on Annapurna have generally been very favourable.  The weather was still good on 5th May and Alan left his highest established position (Camp III) in the first hour of the following day. He made very good progress and by 11.30am was standing on the top of Annapurna, where he took out the photo of his daughter, Fiona, which he always carries with him on Himalayan expeditions, and arranged his summit photograph.  Soon after noon, Alan started making his way back down from the summit, and some hours later was back in Camp III.  Alan will soon be returning from base camp to Kathmandu, and will then fly back to the UK.

Speaking via satellite phone from base camp last night Alan said: “I set off from camp 3 just before midnight on 5th May to do a recce but the weather conditions were really good so I just pushed on ahead to make an attempt on the summit. “As far as I am aware I am the first British man to have summitted Annapurna in 32 years and I even used a new route close to the French route on the north face, which is a great feeling. It’s one of the most amazing mountains I have climbed – the scenery is awesome. I’m exhausted and overwhelmed to have achieved all this so quickly and am looking forward to returning home to rest and especially to see my daughter Fiona.” Alan

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