Annapurna I became the first 8,000-metre peak successfully climbed, when Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal reached its summit in 1950.
Annapurna I rises to 8,091 metres in the Nepalese Himalayas. The French expedition’s ascent was a landmark in mountaineering because it preceded the first successful climb of Mount Everest by three years.
The descent was extremely difficult. Herzog suffered severe frostbite and later lost several fingers and toes, while Lachenal also sustained serious injuries.
Annapurna is often discussed as a massif rather than a single peak. Annapurna I is the main summit; the surrounding range contains several other named peaks, including Annapurna South and Annapurna III.