Annapurna I was the first eight-thousander to be summited, in 1950.
French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal reached the 8,091-metre summit on 3 June 1950 during the French Annapurna expedition. Their achievement made Annapurna the highest mountain ever climbed at that time, surpassing Nanda Devi's earlier record.
The expedition had initially focused on Dhaulagiri I, but the team abandoned that attempt and turned to Annapurna. Herzog and Lachenal reached the summit, but the descent was disastrous: severe frostbite caused lasting injuries, and teammates helped the climbers return to safety.
Annapurna I is often confused with the Annapurna massif, a larger Himalayan group containing several peaks. It is also not the tallest eight-thousander—that distinction belongs to Mount Everest. Annapurna's historical importance comes from being first, while its steep terrain, avalanches and high fatality risk have made it one of the most dangerous major mountains to climb.