When measuring a mountain’s height from sea level, the most famous mountain in the world, Mount Everest, falls into the tenth position.
The second tallest mountain in the world is K2, known as Qogir Feng or Godwin Austen after its first surveyor. This dangerous mountain is one of the most difficult to climb. Its steepness and frequent avalanches has earned it the nickname ‘Savage Mountain’.
Mount Everest
Mount Everest, known locally as Sagarmatha and to Tibetans as Chomolungma, is a massive mountain that rises above the clouds in the Himalayan Range, straddling the border between Nepal and Tibet. At an estimated height of 29,029 feet (8,848 m), it is the highest peak on Earth.
A pyramid-shaped mountain, Everest has three generally flat planes, each flanked by a ridge that extends up to the summit. Each ridge is characterized by steep gullies called couloirs, which are a challenge for climbers. At such high altitudes, climbers are vulnerable to frostbite on any exposed body part. Exposure to the elements is also a danger, as is the extreme thinness of the air, which can result in dehydration and hypothermia.
At the summit, climbers can expect bitterly cold temperatures, and the ice that forms the mountain’s face is notorious for avalanches, which are powerful, destructive, and frequently deadly. Winds are also common, and the atmosphere is a third as dense at the top as it is at sea level, meaning there’s only about a third of the oxygen available.
Climbers attempting to reach the summit must first pass through the Khumbu glacier, a dangerous area of crevasses and melting snow and ice, then scale the Western Cwm, an enclosed valley that connects Everest to its sister peak, Lhotse. From there, the southeastern ridge of the mountain is the most commonly climbed route to the summit.
The rock formations of Everest include metamorphic schists and gneisses, topped by igneous granites. Some of the rock at lower elevations is sedimentary in origin, remnants of the ancient Tethys Sea that closed as India’s plate pushed beneath Asia.
Though it’s the highest point on Earth, Everest isn’t actually the tallest mountain from base to summit. That distinction belongs to Mauna Kea in Hawaii, which stands at more than 33,000 feet above sea level. Everest is also not the closest peak to outer space—that honor belongs to Chimborazo in Ecuador. However, the world’s highest peak is certainly the most recognizable. This is largely due to the fact that Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, New Zealander and Sherpa, were the first people to reach its summit in 1953.
Mount Dhaulagiri
Located in the Dhaulagiri Himal of western Nepal, Dhaulagiri is one of the world’s 14 highest peaks and part of a group known as the “eight-thousanders.” With an elevation of Its height is 8,167 meters, which is the seventh in the world. Dhaulagiri’s imposing size and daunting features made it a difficult target for mountaineers, and many have paid with their lives to reach its summit.
The first climbers to see the peak of Dhaulagiri were awed by its sheer size and beauty, even though they couldn’t determine its exact height. The Great Trigonometrical Survey of British India, which pegged it as Peak XV in 1856, was not able to measure the height of Dhaulagiri because of a lack of permits to enter Nepal, according to the University of Montana Department of Geography. The surveyors had to rely on a measurement from neighboring Himalayan mountains.
Dhaulagiri’s icy ridges, black rock ribs, and glaciers were intimidating enough, but the peak’s sheer western face of snow and ice was especially frightening. As a result, the first team to attempt Dhaulagiri didn’t have much hope of making it to the top, and most of their members turned around.
This was not the case for the Swiss expedition that reached the summit of Dhaulagiri in 1953, led by Maurice Herzog. He gathered a team of mountaineers that included the likes of Terray, Lachenal, and Rebuffat. The team scouted Dhaulagiri and found that its lower rock face, which extends for seven miles, is a maze of narrow neve terraces and pear-shaped rock ribs.
The ascent of Dhaulagiri was a major milestone in the history of modern mountaineering. The team’s success inspired other expeditions to climb other 8,000-meter peaks in Nepal, such as Annapurna and Manaslu.
Dhaulagiri is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including the snow leopard and Himalayan tahr. It is also a bird-watcher’s paradise, boasting a vast variety of avian species. Its lush forests are also home to a number of wild animals, such as foxes, bats, and monkeys. As a result, Dhaulagiri is a popular destination for nature lovers and adventurers alike.
Mount K2
The second highest mountain on Earth, K2 (also known as Qogir Feng or Mount Godwin Austen) is a spectacular icy peak that rises to 8,611 metres (2,825 ft). It forms part of the Karakoram Range, lying partly in the China-administered enclave of Kashmir in the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang and partly in the Gilgit-Baltistan portion of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The mountain is also known as Chogori, derived from two Balti words, chhogo (big) and ri (mountain), although it appears that this name was invented by Western explorers.
K2 has a reputation for being one of the most challenging and dangerous of all the eight-thousanders. It has the highest fatality rate among them, with around one person who attempts the mountain dying on it for every four that reach the summit. It is a difficult and hazardous climb, not least because of the huge amount of snow and ice that envelops it.
It is also a very remote and inaccessible mountain, which makes it particularly difficult for climbers to plan ahead and prepare properly. In addition, the route to the top is long and difficult, requiring a great deal of skill, endurance, and courage. It features a series of natural hurdles that are incredibly difficult to overcome, including the House Chimney and the Black Pyramid. Finally, the climbers have to pass through the Bottleneck – a dangerous steep gully ridged with columns of glacial ice that are prone to collapsing.
The first successful ascent of K2 was made by a team led by the famous American mountaineer George Bell in 1953. It took him ten days to complete the ascent, although he had to abandon his original goal of reaching Everest’s North Face due to lack of food.
During his expedition, Bell was assisted by a young Pakistani porter, Amir Mehdi, who became crucial to the success of the climb. In 1954, an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio successfully reached the summit via the Abruzzi ridge. The first climbers to summit the mountain were Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, members of the Italian team.
Mount Vinson
The most accessible of the Seven Summits and located in Antarctica, Mount Vinson has one of the highest success rates among climbers. The peak stands at 16,050 feet and dominates the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, near the Ronne Ice Shelf. The peak was named after US Representative Carl Vinson of Georgia, who sponsored legislation to designate Antarctica a U.S. territory and helped fund scientific exploration there.
A climb of Mount Vinson is a great way to see this remote continent and its spectacular ice landscape. The mighty mountain rises dramatically above the surrounding peaks, forming a striking arc of ice and rock. The isolated mountain offers incredible views from its summit, including the neighboring peaks of Shinn and Gardner.
Although a relatively recent discovery, Vinson has become one of the most popular climbs in the world. It is an impressive, rugged mountain that features a number of peaks and glaciers, and it is a popular destination for both climbers and hikers. Climbers will have to be prepared for cold, windy weather and a very high altitude.
Unlike the Himalayas, Antarctica does not have a regular climbing season. Instead, the weather and the ice conditions vary from year to year. Climbers must be willing to brave these unpredictable conditions, and they should be prepared for the possibility of storms, blizzards, and freezing temperatures.
A climb to the top of Mount Vinson is an exciting and challenging adventure. It takes between five and seven days to reach the summit of the peak. The route is steep and rocky, and it requires good fitness and experience. It is also important to remember that the icecaps can be unstable, and there are few places where climbers can retreat to safety.
The climate in Antarctica is extremely harsh, and it can take a long time to acclimatize. It is also important to have the right clothing and gear. The best gear includes a good quality sleeping bag and waterproof boots. Climbers should also bring warm clothes, gloves, and a balaclava.
For a detailed guidebook to Antarctic climbing, check out Mountaineering in the Frozen South by Damien Gildea. This book has excellent advice and is relatively up to date. Another good source of information is the American Alpine Journal, which has many Antarctic / Vinson reports.
