Greatest Mountains of the World.

 

The sport of mountain climbing was born in 1760, when a young Genevese scientist, Horace-Benedict de Saussure, offered prize money for the first person to reach the summit of Mount Blanc, Europe’s tallest peak in Switzerland. But long before that time, humans have been climbing mountains for the challenges they pose. Or “because it’s there” as English mountaineer George Mallory famously replied when he was asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest. A few months later he disappeared on the way to the summit in Tibet.

Some of the mountains on this list still provide a great challenge for the professional mountaineer. Others can be visited more easily by foot or cableway offering Striking scenic. But all of them can be appreciated from a safe distance providing magnificent vistas, vibrant spectacular scenery and wildlife viewing.The Swiss Alps

The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps (German: Schweizer Alpen, French: Alpes suisses, Italian: Alpi svizzere, Romansh: Alps svizras), represents a major natural feature of the country and is, alongside with the Swiss Plateau and the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, one of its three main physiographic regions. The Swiss Alps extend over both the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps, encompassing an area sometimes called Central Alps. While the northern ranges from the Bernese Alps to the Appenzell Alps are entirely in Switzerland, the southern ranges from the Mont Blanc massif to the Bernina massif are shared with other countries such as France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein.

The Swiss Alps comprise all the mountains of Switzerland over 2,000 metres above sea level and almost all the highest mountains of the Alps, such as Monte Rosa (4,634 m), the Dom (4,545 m), the Lyskamm(4,527 m), the Weisshorn (4,506 m) and the Matterhorn (4,478 m). The other following major summits can be found in List of mountains of Switzerland.

Mount Everest

At 8,848 meters (29,029 ft), Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth. It is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet. The highest mountain in the world attracts climbers of all levels, from well experienced mountaineers to novice climbers willing to pay substantial sums to professional mountain guides to complete a successful climb. Although other eight-thousanders such as K2 are much more difficult to climb, Mount Everest still has many inherent dangers such as altitude sickness, weather and wind. People who die during the climb are typically left behind and it is not uncommon to find corpses near the standard climbing routes. On May 29, 1953, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealander Edmund Percival Hillary were the first to climb to the summit of Everest.

Mount Kinabalu

With a summit height at 4,095 meters (13,435 ft), Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Borneo. The mountain is known worldwide for its tremendous botanical and biological species biodiversity. Over 600 species of ferns, 326 species of birds, and 100 mammalian species have been identified at Mount Kinabalu and its surrounding. The main peak of the mountain can be climbed easily by a person with a good physical condition, and requires no mountaineering equipment although climbers must be accompanied by guides at all times.Mount Huang

Mount Huang is a mountain range in eastern China also known as Huangshan (“Yellow Mountain”). The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks and views of the clouds from above. Mount Huang is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature, as well as modern photography. The tallest peak in the Huangshan mountain range is the Lotus Peak at 1,864 meters (6,115 ft). In ancient times almost 60,000 stone steps were carved into the side of the mountain. Today there are also cable cars that tourists can use to ride directly from the base to one of the summits.Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains and one North America’s most visited parks. Banff’s mountains exhibit several different shapes that have been influenced by the composition of rock deposits, layers, and their structure. The 3,618 meter (11,870 ft) high Mount Assiniboine has been shaped by glacial erosion that has left a sharp peak. It has been unofficially named the “Matterhorn” of North America. The mountains of the Valley of the Ten Peaks near the crystal clear Moraine Lake are also known for providing scenic vistas.Mount Kailash

Located in Tibet, Mount Kailash is considered as a sacred place in five religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Ayyavazhi and the Bön faith. In Hinduism, it is considered to be the abode of Lord Shiva. Every year, thousands make a pilgrimage to Kailash, following a tradition going back thousands of years. It is believed that moving around Mount Kailash on foot will bring good fortune. Because of these beliefs the mountain is considered off limits to climbers and there have been no recorded attempts to climb the 6,638 meter (21,778 ft) high Mount Kailash. It is the most significant peak in the world that has not seen any known climbing attempts.K2

With a peak elevation of 8,611 meters (28,251 ft), K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest. The mountain is part of the Karakoram range, located on the border between China and Pakistan. K2 is also known as the Savage Mountain due to the difficulty of ascent and one of the highest fatality rate for those who climb it. K2 is notable for its local relief as well as its total height. It stands over 3,000 meters (9,843 ft) above much of the glacial valley bottoms at its base. More extraordinary is the fact that it is a consistently steep pyramid, dropping quickly in almost all directions. An Italian expedition succeeded in ascending to the summit of K2 on July 31, 1954.The Matterhorn

The Matterhorn is a famous mountain and an iconic emblem of the Swiss Alps. The mountain derives its name from the German words Matte, meaning meadow, and Horn, which means peak. With its 4,478 metres (14,692 ft) high summit, lying on the border between Switzerland and Italy, it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps. It is also one of the deadliest peaks in the Alps. From the first time it was climbed in 1865 to 1995, 500 alpinists have died on it. The Matterhorn’s faces are steep, and only small patches of snow and ice cling to them while regular avalanches send the snow down to accumulate on the glaciers at the base of each face.Aoraki Mount Cook

Aoraki Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand, reaching a height of 3,754 metres (12,316 ft). Aoraki means “Cloud Piercer” in the Ngai Tahu dialect of the Maori language. The mountain lies in a national park of the same name which contains 27 other mountains which peak at over 3000 meters. A popular tourist destination, it is also a favorite destination for mountain climbers. It is is a challenging ascent, with frequent storms and very steep snow and ice climbing to reach the peak. The mountain was first climbed successfully in 1894 by three New Zealanders who reached the summit via the north ridge.

Monte Fitz Roy

Monte Fitz Roy is a 3,375 meter (11,073 ft) high mountain on the border between Argentina and Chile. Despite its average height the mountain has a reputation of being extremely difficult to climb because the sheer granite faces present long stretches of arduous technical climbing. In addition, the weather in the area is exceptionally severe and treacherous. The mountain also attracts many tourists and photographers thanks to its otherworldly shape. It was first climbed in 1952 by French alpinists Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone.The Drakensberg

The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to 3,482 metres (11,420 ft) in height. The name is derived from the dutch and means “dragons mountain”. The Amphitheatre is one of the geographical features of the Northern Drakensberg, and is widely regarded as one of the most impressive cliff faces on earth. The Amphitheatre is over 5 kilometers (3 miles) in length and has precipitous cliffs rising approximately 1200 meters (4000 ft) along its entire length.

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji, located on Honshu Island, is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft). An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about 100 kilometres (60 mi) south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji’s exceptionally symmetrical cone, which is snow-capped several months a year, is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers. It is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains” (三霊山 Sanreizan?) along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku; it is a Special Place of Scenic Beauty, a Historic Site, and was added to the World Heritage List as a Cultural Site on June 22, 2013.Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira, is a dormant volcanic mountain in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level.

There are seven official trekking routes by which to ascend and descend Mount Kilimanjaro: Lemosho, Machame, Marangu, Mweka, Rongai, Shira, and Umbwe. Of all the routes, Machame is considered the most scenic, albeit steeper, route. It can be done in six or seven days. The Rongai is the easiest and least scenic of all camping routes. The Marangu is also relatively easy, but this route tends to be very busy, the ascent and descent routes are the same, and accommodation is in shared huts with all other climbers.

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