Annapurna Attempt. A five-man Italian expedition led by Giacomo Stefani had hoped to climb a new route on Annapurna, the northwest buttress and north face. Early on they decided against the route because it was all exposed rock rather than snow-covered for which they were equipped. They followed the 1950 French route but got no higher than 6200 meters, the site for Camp III, which Pierino Maccarinelli, Severangelo Battaini and Alberto Stefani reached on April 25. After that, snow conditions became dangerous. The climbers were hit but uninjured by a slab avalanche on May 1. With no signs of improving weather, they abandoned the climb on May 4.

Michael J. Cheney, Himalayan Club, and Elizabeth Hawley