What are the highest mountains? The highest peaks of the world on all continents. Geographic coordinates of Puncak Jaya

There are 14 mountain peaks in the world that are over 8,000 meters high. Climbing such mountains is not for cowards. Currently, only 30 experienced climbers have managed to climb all 14 peaks. Why do people dream of conquering these mountains if such an ascent can be fatal? Probably to prove something to themselves... No one can argue with the fact that these giants cannot help but fascinate. And today we have prepared for you a selection of the most incredible mountains in the world in terms of height.

Located in Nepal

Height: 8848 meters

It has 2 peaks: southern (8760 meters) and northern (8848 meters).

The mountain is very beautiful, shaped like a triangular pyramid.

Everest is the highest mountain peak in the world, part of the Mahalangur Himal mountain range.

More than 250 people have died while attempting to climb Everest. Most deaths were associated with falls from heights, avalanches, ice collapses, and various health problems due to exposure to high altitude environments. Today, climbing along the main route no longer presents such problems as in the last century. However, at high altitudes, climbers face a lack of oxygen, strong winds and low temperatures (below 60 degrees). In order to conquer Everest, you need to be not only brave and resilient, but also a wealthy person. You need to spend at least $8,000 on this matter.

Located in the Himalayas, on the border of China and Pakistan

Height: 8614 meters

The second highest mountain in the world. Chogori is considered one of the most difficult mountain peaks to climb; it was first conquered in 1954. The mortality rate is 25%.

Located in the Himalayas, on the border between China and Nepal, 3 km from Everest

Height: 8516 meters

They were able to conquer this mountain in 1956.

Lhotse has 3 peaks, each of them reaches a height of over 8 kilometers.

Located in the Himalayas, on the border of Nepal and China, 12 kilometers from Everest

Height: 8485 meters

The second name is the Black Giant.

This mountain is very difficult to climb; its slopes are too steep. Only a third of the expeditions were usually successful. Several dozen people died.

Located on the border of Nepal and China

Height: 8201 meters

It is considered not the most difficult to climb, but, nevertheless, 39 climbers died.

Located in the Nepalese part of the Himalayas

Height: 8167 meters

Dhaulagiri is translated from the local language as “white mountain”.

Almost its entire area is covered with glaciers and snow. It is considered one of the most difficult mountain peaks to climb.

They were able to conquer it for the first time in 1960. More than 60 climbers died on it.

Located in Nepal, part of the Mansiri Himal mountain range

Height: 8156 meters

It was first conquered by a Japanese expedition in 1956.

Located in Pakistan

Height: 8125 meters

Second name: Nanga Parbata - Diamir (translated as “Mountain of the Gods”).

It was first conquered in 1953.

In terms of mortality among climbers, it ranks third after Everest and K-2. This mountain is also called the “killer”.

Located in Nepal

Height: 8091 meters

The first Himalayan eight-thousander, which was conquered in 1950.

The mountain has 9 peaks, one of which is “Machapuchare”. No one has yet managed to climb it.

Local residents consider this peak to be the abode of Lord Shiva. Therefore, climbing it is prohibited.

The highest of the 9 peaks is called Annapurna. About 40% of climbers who tried to climb it remain lying on its slopes.

Height: 8080 meters

First ascent: 1958.

The highest peak of the Gasherbrum mountain range, the second highest in the Karakoram and the eleventh highest among the world's eight-thousanders.

On July 5, 1958, members of the American expedition Peter Schöning and Andrew Kaufman made the first ascent to the summit along the southeastern ridge.

Located in Kashmir, Pakistan-controlled Northern Territories bordering China, Baltoro Muztagh, Karakoram, 8 km from Mount Chogori

Height: 8051 meters

The peak belongs to the Baltoro Muztag mountain range and the multi-peak Gasherbrum mountain range. It includes 2 peaks whose height exceeds 8 km.

In 1957, an Austrian expedition made its first ascent.

Located in Pakistan-controlled Northern Territories on the border with China, Baltoro Muztagh, Karakoram

Height: 8035 meters

The elegantly contoured peak, with sheer cliffs and eternal snow, belongs to the Baltoro Muztagh mountain range. It is part of the Gasherbrum mountain range. The first ascent was made by Australians in 1956.

Located in China, Langtang, Himalayas

Height: 8027 meters

Part of the Langtang mountain range. It consists of three peaks, two of which are more than 8 km. The first ascent occurred in 1964. Over 50 years, 21 people have died while attempting to climb, although it is considered the easiest among eight-thousanders.

Evgeny Marushevsky

freelancer, constantly traveling around the world

Many people will confidently point out the tallest mountain in the world. However, what about the second highest mountain after Everest?

Here we present three points of view on which mountain is considered the second.

All mountains are in the Himalayas.

If there is a place in the world worthy of being called the Hall of the Mountain Kings, it is here.

Michael Palin

This is how the famous actor and traveler spoke about Karakorum. It is here that the second highest mountain in the world is located, if you count from sea level - Chogori or K2.

Situated on the border of China and Pakistan, it is located in the state of Kashmir and belongs to the Karakoram mountain range. Its other names: Dapsang, Godwin-Austin.

It is noteworthy that regarding K-2 there was a long debate about which mountain system it belongs to. Since the Himalayas and Karakoram practically consist of one chain of mountains. As a result, a conference of scientists who gathered on this occasion decided to classify Mount Chogori as Karakoram.

The height of the mountain is 8611 meters above sea level. This is only 237 meters lower than Everest. But if the highest mountain in the world could be conquered even by disabled people wearing prosthetics and elderly climbers, then Chogori is one of the most difficult systems for climbers.

Peak name

The second name of Mount Chogori is K2. The letter K stands for Karakoram. Contrary to popular belief, numbering has nothing to do with the height of the top. This is simply how the European explorer outlined the mountains right in front of him:

• K1 - Marchebroom,
• K2 - Chogori,
• K3 - Broad Peak,
• K5 - Garshebrum I,
• K4 - Garshebrum II.

Of all the names, only K2 stuck.

By the way, on Soviet maps until 1960 the mountain was named after Godwin Osten. Further name - Chogori.

Interestingly, the Pakistani government charges climbers about $900 to climb Mount K2.

Chogori - killer mountain

For the first time I encounter a mountain that cannot be climbed from any direction. Everest was a walk compared to K2.

Reinhold Messner

Why was Chogori called the killer mountain? Because it doesn’t allow everyone to its summit. According to statistics, every fourth climber who dares to climb a dangerous mountain does not return home.

To date, Mount Chogori has been climbed only 300 times, of which about 70 attempts were the last for climbers. In terms of the level of danger among the “eight-thousanders,” that is, mountains with a height of 8000 m or more, K2 ranks second after the notorious Annapurna. The summit mortality rate is about 25%.

Why such a high mortality rate?

The characteristics of the human body are such that when climbing to a height of more than 6000 meters, the body goes into survival mode. Sleep and rest, although they will not restore strength, will preserve their remains and serve as energy savings.

If climbing a mountain depended only on a person, then it would still be possible to understand the failed attempts at rock climbing. But at such a high altitude, a lot depends on the speed of the wind, accidental falls into crevasses or frostbite, an avalanche, or simply diseases caused by a lack of oxygen.

At an altitude of more than 6000 m, the oxygen content is less than 1/3 of the permissible value without risk to human health. And the temperature conditions on the mountain are harsh: -50 °C with warm air from Tibet! If it is not there, you have to be content with -60 °C.

The icy surface of the mountain, the unpredictable climate, and the most technically difficult terrain for climbers lead to the fact that the mountain takes every fourth daredevil.

A history of ups and downs

The first attempt to conquer Chogori was made in 1902. Six Europeans, led by E. Eckenstein and A. Crowley, risked climbing to a height of 6525 m.

The first expedition was not successful. Stormy weather prevented their plans from coming true. However, thanks to this attempt, it was possible to collect the most important information about the state of the Godwin-Austen glacier, which served as a reliable foundation for a chain of further ascents.

Seven years later, there will be a second attempt to climb the unconquered Chogori by an expedition led by the Duke of Abruzzi. But it will also end unsuccessfully.

Progress began in 1938, when the Americans set a record of 7925 m, and the following year - 8382. The tragic death of members of the expedition, including Dudley Wolf, forced the climbers to turn back.

Victory in the conquest of Chogori

The first successful ascent became possible only in 1954. Only a quarter of a century after the first attempt. The first climbers to conquer Chogori were Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achile Compagnoni. From Camp 9 they continued their ascent when, just 150 meters from the summit, they ran out of oxygen. Then, no matter what, the Italians continued their journey and were the first to reach K2.

The first solo climber to conquer Chogori without oxygen was Messner Reingold.

The first woman to climb K2 was Wanda Rutkiewicz (1986). If we take into account the ascent of Chogori without oxygen cylinders, then the first woman was Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner.

Russian climbers conquered the second highest mountain in the world in 1997. And in 2007, the Russians made an incredibly difficult climb up the western slope of the mountain, which no one had ever climbed before.

The second highest mountain in the world in the ranking of mountain systems

If we compare mountain systems with each other, we get the following table of the highest mountains:

After Everest, which has a height of 8448 m, the second highest mountain that does not belong to the Himalayan mountain range system is Communism Peak in the Pamirs, its height is 7495 m.

Brief history of Ismail Somoni peak

In the USSR it was considered the highest mountain. Location of Peak Communism - Tajikistan. Today the mountain bears the name of Ismail Somoni.

The peak of communism was discovered in 1920 and was mistakenly considered Peak Garmo. However, during the research, inconsistencies in height were found, so the mountain was renamed Stalin Peak.

The first ascent to Stalin Peak (former name) was made by Evgeny Abalakov together with the Pamir expedition. Among female climbers, the first was Lyudmila Agranovskaya.

And in 1986, the first winter ascent of the mountain was made.

The second highest mountain in the world: comparison between continents

The second highest mountain is in South America - Aconcagua. It is also the highest mountain in the southern and western hemispheres.

Aconcagua is located in the Andes mountain range. Its height is 6962 m.

Climbing Mount Aconcagua is not difficult. Most often, climbers climb the northern slope. On other sides of the mountain the climb will be more difficult.

The first person to conquer the six-thousander Aconcagua was an Englishman. His name was Edward Fitzgerald. He climbed the mountain with an expedition in 1897.

Everest (Qomolungma) 8848 meters

Coordinates: 27°59’ N. latitude, 86°55’ e. d.

The highest mountain in the world is Everest (Chomolungma). This mountain consists of two peaks: the southern one, lying on the border of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region, with an altitude of 8760 meters, and the northern one, located in China, with a height of 8848 meters. The shape of the mountain is a triangular pyramid, with a steeper southern slope. Due to the fact that firn and snow are not retained on the southern side, the slope and ribs are bare. The summit itself is covered almost entirely by sediments. At night, the air temperature at the top of the mountain drops to -60 °C, and wind speeds can reach 200 km/h. Partially, this mountain became part of Sagarmatha, a national park in Nepal.

Chogori (K2) 8614 meters

Coordinates: 35052′ s. latitude, 76°30′ e. d.

The peak in the east is 8230 meters, and in the south - 8132 m. Chogori is the second highest mountain after Everest and the northernmost eight-thousander in the whole world. This mountain peak is located in Kashmir, the northern territories of which, on the border with China, are controlled by Pakistan. The mountain is also part of the Karakoram massif, which is located from the Himalayas to the west. Sometimes Chogori is called: Karakorum 2, Godwin-Austen, Dapsang.

8598 meters

Coordinates: 27042′ s. sh., 88009′ e. d.

Mount Kanchenjunga is located in the Himalayas, or rather on the border of Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim, of which it is partly a national park. The name of this mountain range can be translated as “five treasures of the great snows.” And the mountain is named so because it consists of five peaks: the main (8586 m), southern (8491 m), middle (8478 m), western (8505 m) and Kangbachen peak (7902 m). Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was considered the highest mountain peak in the world. However, after performing some calculations, it became known that Everest was still much higher and Kanchenjunga became the third highest mountain in the world.

8516 meters

Coordinates: 27058′ s. sh., 86056′ e. d.

Lhotse is considered the fourth highest mountain, which has three peaks: main (8516 m), middle (8414 m) and eastern (8383 m). It was called “Southern Mountain” and is located on the border of China and Nepal, at a distance of 3 km from Everest in a southern direction. Like Everest, it is partially included in Nepal's Sagarmatha National Park.

Makalu 8481 meters

Coordinates: 27053′ s. sh., 87005′ e. d.

Makalu is the fifth peak of the world, the massif of which is expressed by the main (8400 m) and southeastern (8010 m) peaks. The mountain is located 22 kilometers from Everest in an easterly direction, in the Khumbu region. The western, eastern, southwestern and northeastern ridges extend from this mountain peak, on which the Chomo Lonzo massif with a height of 7804 meters is located. A distinctive feature of the area is powerful glaciations.

8201 meters

Coordinates: 28006′ s. sh., 86040′ e. d.

Chl-Oyu has two peaks: Ngoyumba Ri-1, whose height is 7806 meters, and Ngoyumba Ri-2, which reaches a height of 7646 meters. Cho Oyu is located on the Nepal-China border in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The peak of the mountain became part of the Everest mountain range and became part of the Sagarmatha National Park. Cho Oyu is the easiest eight-thousander in the world.

8167 meters

Coordinates: 28042′ s. sh., 83030′ e. d.

Dhaulagiri closes the list of the highest mountains in the world. The location of the multi-peaked mountain is Nepal. In total, this mountain range has 11 peaks, of which the highest is Dhaulagiri I - 8167 m, and the lowest is Gurya Himal - 7193 m. If you translate the name of the mountain from Sanskrit, you get the phrase “White Mountain”. The roof-shaped shape and thick snow and ice cover are the distinctive features of Dhaulagiri.

The most dangerous mountains (Killer Mountains) Video

The process of formation of mountains on Earth lasts millions of years. They arise from collisions of huge tectonic plates that make up the earth's crust.

Today we will get acquainted with the highest mountains on 6 continents and see how they look against the backdrop of the highest mountain peaks in the world - the “eight thousand meters”, whose height above sea level exceeds 8,000 meters.

How many continents are there on Earth? It is sometimes believed that Europe and Asia are 2 different continents, although they are one continent:

Before we start talking about the tallest mountains on the 6 continents, let's take a look at the overall chart of the tallest peaks on Earth.

"Eight-thousanders" is the common name for the 14 highest mountain peaks in the world, whose height above sea level exceeds 8,000 meters. They are all in Asia. Conquering all 14 "eight-thousanders" of the planet - conquering the "Crown of the Earth" - is a great achievement in high-altitude mountaineering. As of July 2012, only 30 climbers managed to do this. (Clickable, 2010×810 px):

North America - Mount McKinley, 6,194 m

This is the highest double-peaked mountain in North America, named after the 25th President of the United States. Located in Alaska.

Indigenous peoples called this peak “Denali,” which means “great,” and during the period of Russian colonization of Alaska it was simply called Big Mountain.

Mount McKinley as seen from Denali National Park:

The first ascent of the main summit of McKinley took place on June 7, 1913. There are 5 large glaciers on the slopes of the mountain.

South America - Mount Aconcagua, 6,962 m

This is the highest point of the American continent, South America, as well as the western and southern hemispheres. They belong to the longest mountain range in the world - the Andes.

The mountain is located in Argentina and means "Stone Guardian" in the Quechua language. Aconcagua is the largest extinct volcano on our planet.

In mountaineering, Aconcagua is considered a technically easy mountain if you climb along the northern slope.

The first recorded ascent of the mountain was in 1897.

Europe – Mount Elbrus, 5,642 m

This stratovolcano in the Caucasus is the highest peak in Russia. Considering that the border between Europe and Asia is ambiguous, Elbrus is often also called the highest European mountain peak. (Clickable, 2500×663 px):

Elbrus is a two-headed volcano with a saddle. The Western peak has a height of 5,642 m, the Eastern - 5,621 m. The last eruption dates back to 50 AD...

In those days, the eruptions of Elbrus were probably similar to the eruptions of modern Vesuvius, but were more powerful. From the craters of the volcano at the beginning of the eruption, powerful clouds of vapors and gases, saturated with black ash, rose many kilometers upward, covering the entire sky, turning day into night. The earth shook from powerful tremors.

Nowadays, both peaks of Elbrus are covered with eternal snow and ice. On the slopes of Elbrus, 23 glaciers diverge in different directions. The average speed of glacier movement is about 0.5 meters per day.

The first successful ascent to one of the peaks of Elbrus was made in 1829. The average annual death toll during climbing on Elbrus is 15-30 people. (Clickable, 1650×630 px):

Everest (Chomolungma) is the top of our world! The first highest eight-thousander and the highest mountain on Earth.

The mountain is located in the Himalayas in the Mahalangur Himal range, with the Southern peak (8760 m) lying on the border of Nepal, and the Northern (main) peak (8848 m) located in China.

Everest has the shape of a triangular pyramid. At the top of Chomolungma there are strong winds blowing at speeds of up to 200 km/h, and the air temperature at night drops to -60 Celsius.

The first ascent to the top of Everest took place in 1953. From the first ascent to the summit until 2011, more than 200 people died on the slopes of Everest. Now the climb to the top takes about 2 months - with acclimatization and setting up camps.

View from space:

Climbing Everest is not only extremely dangerous, but also expensive: the cost of climbing in specialized groups is up to 65 thousand US dollars, and the climbing permit alone, issued by the Nepalese government, costs 10 thousand dollars

Australia and Oceania - Mount Puncak Jaya, 4884 m

The highest peak of Australia and Oceania, which is located on the island of New Guinea. It is located on the Australian Plate and is the highest mountain in the world located on an island.

The mountain was discovered in 1623 by Dutch explorer Jan Carstens, who saw a glacier on the summit from afar. Therefore, the mountain is sometimes called the Carstens Pyramid.

The first ascent of Puncak Jaya took place only in 1962. The name of the mountain roughly translates from Indonesian as “Victory Peak.”

These are the highest mountains in Antarctica. The existence of the mountain range became known only in 1957. Since the mountains were discovered by American aircraft, they were subsequently named Vinson Massif, in honor of the famous American politician Carl Vinson.

View of Vinson Massif from space:

It is the highest point in Africa, a huge dormant volcano with two well-defined peaks in northeastern Tanzania. The mountain has no documented eruptions, but local legends speak of volcanic activity 150-200 years ago.

The higher one is the peak of Kibo, an almost regular cone with powerful glaciation.

The name comes from the Swahili language and supposedly means "mountain that sparkles."

The snow cap that has covered the mountaintop for 11,000 years since the last Ice Age is rapidly melting. Over the past 100 years, the volume of snow and ice has decreased by more than 80%. It is believed that this is not caused by a change in temperature, but by a reduction in snowfall.

The highest peak in Africa was first conquered by German explorer Hans Meyer in 1889.

Not everyone can travel around the world in search of the highest mountain in the world, but it is quite possible to take a virtual trip.

The highest mountains in the world

How far will a person have to travel to reach the highest point on our planet? Which mountains are recognized as the highest on Earth? Who conquered them first and what difficulties await them on the way to the top? You might also be interested in learning about the longest mountains in the world.

Makalu

Height: 8485 m.
A country: China/Nepal
Mountain system: Himalayas

Our rating opens with the Tibetan “Black Giant” Makalu - one of the five highest “eight-thousanders”. Europeans learned about this snowy beauty back in the middle of the 19th century, but the first expedition to its peak was launched only a hundred years later. This is because in those years the hearts of brave climbers were captivated by its closest neighbor, Everest, and the peak of Makalu remained “in the shadow” of this giant and was “defeated” only in 1955. The legendary ascent was made by the French under the leadership of Jean Franco.

Lhotse

Height: 8516 m.
A country: China/Nepal
Mountain system: Himalayas

There are not so many points on the map of our planet that have surpassed the 8-kilometer mark in height. Mount Lhotse is one of them. Its last peak (Lhotse Middle) was conquered by climbers only in 2001. The first to set foot on this pointed rocky peak were members of a Russian expedition led by V. Kozlov and N. Cherny. The main peak was conquered in 1956 by a group of Swiss climbers while climbing neighboring Everest. But the eastern wall of Lhotse remains unconquered to this day.

Kanchenjunga

Height: 8568 m.
A country: India/Nepal
Mountain system: Himalayas

The third highest point on our planet is located on the Kanchenjunga mountain range, which, in turn, belongs to the Himalaya system. Kanchenjunga has five peaks, hence the name, which translated from Tibetan means “Five Treasures of the Great Snows.” The highest is Main Kanchenjunga (8568 m). However, three more of them rightfully bear the proud title of eight-thousander: Yalong-Kang (8505), South (8491) and Central (8478).

The first attempt to conquer the wayward peak was made in 1905, but was unsuccessful. Having gone three quarters of the way, the group led by Aleister Crowley turned back. Only in 1955 the Englishmen Joe Brown and George Bend were able to reach the main peak.

There is a legend among the local population that Mount Kanchenjunga is a woman, and therefore hates in advance all girls who set foot on its slope. Only one woman has been to its summit, Englishwoman Ginette Harrison, who climbed in 1998.

Chogori

Height: 8611 m.
A country: China/Pakistan
Mountain system: Karakoram

The second highest mountain in the world after Everest also belongs to the Himalaya mountain range. Chogori, known among mountaineers as K-2, lies on the northern border of Pakistan and China. The letter “K” means “Karakorum”, and “2” is the serial number of the peak, which was assigned to it by the traveler Colonel Montgomery in 1856.

According to statistics, every fourth person who dares to conquer the top of Chogori is doomed to death. That’s why this peak has another name – killer mountain. The legendary Russian climber Pyotr Kuznetsov found his final refuge on its slopes.

The highest mountain is Everest

Height: 8848 m.
A country: Nepal/PRC
Mountain system: Himalayas

The highest mountain peak in the world is Chomolungma, better known to us as Everest. It is located in perhaps the most “philosophical” part of the earth - in Tibet. This majestic snow-capped pyramid has amazed many generations of travelers, and even now, when the summit of Everest has been conquered several times, it inspires thousands of brave climbers to pack their things and set off on a long journey to the top full of deadly dangers.

Everest, one of the most beautiful places in the world, is part of the Himalaya mountain system. The mountain is located between Nepal and China, but its peak is still located in China, in the Tibet Autonomous Region. According to various sources, the height of Everest ranges from 8844 to 8852 meters.

This data is constantly changing. In the spring of 2010, Chinese residents officially recorded the highest mountain at 8848 meters. And in 2016, scientists “proved” that the summit of Everest is actually 4 meters lower than its stated height. By the way, it has already been proven that Chomolungma grows annually by about five millimeters due to the movement of lithospheric plates, at the junction of which Everest is located.

The tallest mountain on the planet has quite a few names. The people of Tibet call Everest the “Mother of the gods of the earth” (“Divine (qomo) mother (ma) of life (lung)” - Chomolungma). But the Nepalese call it Sagarmatha. It means "Forehead of Heaven" or "Mother of the Gods." Well, the name “Everest” was given to the mountain by the British in honor of George Everest, who headed the geodetic survey of British India in 1830-1843. A few years after the scientist’s death, in 1856, his successor Andrew Waugh proposed giving the mountain the name Everest. By the way, it was he who presented data from a study of the heights of “Peak XV” and confirmed that this is probably the highest peak in the whole world.

History of climbing Everest

The first time a person climbed the highest mountain was on May 29, 1953. The pioneers of Everest were New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpas (Sherpas are one of the peoples of Nepal) Tenzing Norgay. They passed through the South Col along the route that the Swiss had explored shortly before. The conquerors took oxygen equipment with them on their trek. The team itself consisted of 30 people. In May 1982, 11 climbers from the Soviet Union climbed this “roof of the world.” They climbed the southwestern slope, which had previously been considered impassable. The Ukrainians Mikhail Turkevich and Sergei Bershov especially distinguished themselves during the expedition - they were the first in history to climb Everest at night.

Well, in 2001, an amazing feat was accomplished - a blind American named Eric Weihenmayer climbed the mountain. Before this ascent, he had already visited all the highest peaks of all seven continents, and he had also visited the highest mountains of Russia. In this way, the man wanted to prove that all the tasks that seem unattainable to people are actually achievable. Another Everest record was set on May 14, 2005. Test pilot Didier Delsalle of Eurocopter became the first in the world to successfully land a helicopter on a mountain peak.

Three years later, the oldest man climbed to the top of Chomolungma. He became 76-year-old Nepalese Bahadur Sherkhan.

Two years later, the youngest person appeared on the peak of Everest, 13-year-old American citizen Jordan Romero, who conquered the peak with his father. Previously, this record was assigned to a 15-year-old boy.

Another unusual ascent was made by a group of Nepalese. 20 people went on a risky expedition to collect waste that climbers leave on the slopes. They collected approximately 1,800 kilograms of garbage.

The dangers of Everest

Every year about 500 people try to reach the top of Everest. They are not afraid that at night the air temperature there can drop to -600 C, and the wind literally knocks them off their feet - its gust speed reaches 200 meters per second. However, according to some estimates, about 5 thousand climbers have already climbed the highest mountain. Each rise takes approximately 2 months. At this time, the period of acclimatization and installation of camps begins. By the way, during such a hike, travelers lose weight by an average of 10-15 kilograms.

And one more difficulty, although insignificant compared to the previous ones. States on whose territory the approaches to the mountain are located request a large sum of money for the right to climb to the top of Everest. The authorities also establish the order of departures for mountaineering companies. You will have to pay the least amount for climbing Chomolungma from Tibet. Well, it’s better to try to conquer the peak in spring and autumn, since the monsoons are not so active at this time.

Travel companies quote different prices for a trip to the mountain from Nepal: on average from 20 to 60 thousand dollars. On the Chinese side, this can be done cheaper: you will have to spend about 4.6 thousand dollars per person. It is worth adding that these funds are used to purchase an ascent attempt, but do not at all guarantee a successful result.

How much does it cost to conquer Everest?

Experts say that the success of the expedition depends on the weather and the team’s equipment. Before climbing Everest, you must undergo acclimatization. The most difficult thing, experienced people say, is the last three hundred meters of the way to the top. Climbers call them the “dead zone” or “the longest mile on Earth.” In this area you need to go through a very smooth and steep rocky slope, which is covered with snow. But the main obstacle is not the slippery surface, but the rarefied air, which literally overshadows the climber’s consciousness.

Pay for a dream

Thousands of climbers have tried to climb Everest. Some paid for this with their lives. From the time the peak was discovered until today, more than two hundred people have died during expeditions. According to some reports, this most often happened due to lack of oxygen. Sometimes people died in avalanches, on descents or ascents, due to heart failure or frostbite.

The dead climbers who are found are buried by the people of Nepal. They sincerely follow age-old traditions and do everything so that the souls of steeplejacks find peace. According to beliefs, if a special solemn ceremony is not held to “save the souls of the dead,” then the dead climbers will not find peace and will wander on the “roof of the world.” And local climbers set off to the top of the highest mountain only with talismans and rituals, so as not to meet the spirits of Chomolungma.

The Dark Side of Everest

According to Nepalese Buddhist and professional guide Pemba Dorja, in May 2004, on his journey to the top of Everest, he took with him a medallion with the image of the Dalai Lama and an amulet from a Buddhist monastery. The man climbed to the peak in a record 8 hours and 10 minutes. And in the “dead zone”, which is located at an altitude of 8 kilometers above sea level, he met the shadows of people who extended their hands and asked for food. The Nepalese is sure that if he had not had the amulets, he would not have returned alive.

Alternative record holders

In 2016, scientists shocked the public with the news that Everest was no longer the highest point on the planet. The earth, according to them, has the shape of a geoid - a figure flattened at the poles and convex at the equator. This means that if you measure the height of a mountain from the center of the earth, then the mountain ranges located along the equator will have an a priori advantage in height. Of course, such messages only caused the surveyors to laugh loudly. But – for the sake of interest – we present below data on the “new record holders”.

Chimborazo

Height: 6384 m.
A country: Ecuador
Mountain system: Andes

Having measured the height of Everest from the center of the Earth and compared the data obtained with the height of the extinct volcano Chimborazo, scientists found that the latter “bypasses” the Tibetan giant by 4 meters. However, the fact that the top of Chimborazo is the most distant point from the center of the Earth was discovered back in 1998.

Mauna Kea

Height: 4205 / 10203 m.
A country: USA
Mountain system: –

The Mauna Kea volcano protrudes 4.2 kilometers above the surface of the Pacific Ocean - an impressive figure. But this, as they say, is only a small part of the iceberg. Most of its base is hidden under water, and the total height of the mountain is 10,203 meters. Therefore, if we take into account solely the distance from the foot to the top, and not the height of the mountain above sea level, then Mauna Kea can safely be considered the highest mountain in the world.
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