The highest peaks on the map. The biggest mountain in the world

The program of climbing the highest peaks of all continents has an abbreviated name, which can also be called a brand - "Seven Peaks". In English, which is understandable to the whole world - “Seven Summits”. This is one of the climbing collections, the implementation of which is an incentive to set goals in life for hundreds of citizens of different countries. The vast majority of those who climb Everest, one way or another, set as their goal the implementation of this program. Since the rest of the peaks are easier and cheaper than reaching the highest point of the Earth. It is very prestigious to become the first "seven peaker" in your country, in your state, to become the first woman in the country, the oldest, the youngest, the fastest.

Climbing all seven peaks is very expensive. Even the most economical option in total will approach 100 thousand dollars, not including the cost of equipment and preparation for expeditions. In reality, the optimal cost of the entire program is around $150,000.

It is clear that such expenses are available only to a very few of the climbers. When it comes to personal funds. However, a minority of those who hunt for the "Seven Peaks" spend their money exclusively. Most are supported by sponsors, governments, or travel for charitable fundraising programs. The legislation, relatively speaking, of the “Anglo-Saxon” countries allows deducting donations for the needs of a number of organizations from the taxable base. These are medical institutions, funds to help veterans of military conflicts, the disabled, etc. By collecting donations for them, the climber “unfastens” a little on his travels. Along with the fact that more money is printed in these countries than in others, this leads to the fact that half of the list of “seven tops” are citizens of the USA, Great Britain and Canada and Australia that joined them.

The Seven Peaks program was born in the first half of the 80s, when the first signs appeared that it could be done. The whole history of its occurrence is described in our article.

Recall that, according to encyclopedias: "mainland" (from seasoned - strong, large), this is the Russian analogue of the European word "continent" (from Latin continens - singular). Continents are large massifs of the earth's crust, most of the surface of which protrudes above the level of the oceans in the form of land. Islands do not belong to continents and continents.

From a scientific point of view, the objects of the Seven Peaks program are highly controversial. Firstly, the prevailing opinion among scientists is that Eurasia is one continent and its division into Europe and Asia is cultural, but not geographical. We are actively against it. If Elbrus is deprived of the status of the highest peak of the continent, the number of foreign climbers will decrease significantly. Although the status of the highest point in Europe for the Caucasian peak is very controversial. From the point of view of Soviet geographers, the border of the parts of the world runs along the Kuma-Manych depression, while Elbrus moves away to Asia. An even greater diversity of views on whether to consider the Carstensz Pyramid as Australia's highest point. From any of the scientific theories, the western part of the island of New Guinea does not belong to the "Green Continent". These are all amusing disputes and arguments, which have practically nothing to do with practical life.

So, the 7 highest peaks of the continents are:

1. Everest (Chomolungma or Chomolungma), 8848 m. Asia.
2. Aconcagua, 6962 m. South America.
3. Denali (old name - McKinley), 6194 m. North America.
4. Kilimanjaro, 5895 m. Africa.
5. Elbrus, 5642 m. Europe.
6. Vinson massif, 4897 m. Antarctica.
7. Pyramid Carstensz (Punchak Jaya), 4884 m. Australia. Peak Kosciuszko (Kosciuszko), 2228 m. Australia.

So, scientific debate on this topic is best left to those who are paid money for it. We love the magical (divine, as they say) number "Seven", not "Six" (considered diabolical). It doesn't matter that there are eight vertices! And based on this we build our story. So, what mountains are included in the list of the highest peaks of the continents?

Everest (8848 m) - the highest peak in Asia, the continent of Eurasia and the highest peak of the planet Earth (if you count from the level of the ocean), also the highest in the Northern Hemisphere of our planet. The mountain is located on the border of Nepal and Tibet (China). Numerous height measurements showed different results even with modern methods. Therefore, the specified height is conditional, it was accepted as a result of coordination, so as not to escalate passions.

Climbing Everest requires careful preparation, about two months of life in expeditionary conditions and overcoming the problems associated with being in the so-called "death zone", at an altitude above 8000 meters. However, in modern conditions, it can be stated that with the right organization and a sufficient degree of luck, every physically healthy person can climb Mount Everest. Recently, ascents are made mainly in the spring, during the so-called weather windows. This usually happens on the 20th of May. At the same time, the routes from the south and from the north are completely preliminarily hung with railing ropes.

Climbing Everest, which 30-40 years ago meant joining a group of climbing elites, has become a commercial undertaking. Sports expeditions have become a rarity, most of the routes (all but two) are not repeated. The 7 Summits Club prefers to conduct expeditions from the North side. Here, a permit is much cheaper, it is possible to drive a car to the base camp and there are much fewer objective dangers (ice collapses and avalanches). Western firms prefer the southern route. First of all, fearing the unpredictability of the Chinese authorities, who can close the area for minor reasons, without any compensation to the organizers. They may not give a visa to individual participants, for political reasons. But there is another point, in the South at a higher price, the profits of the organizers are much higher than in the North.

*******

Aconcagua (6962 m) - the highest peak of the part of the world America and the continent of South America, also the main one in the southern hemisphere of the planet. The mountain is located in Argentina, a large and colorful country. Climbing Aconcagua is a real high-altitude ascent, which is carried out, so to speak, under the conditions of a lightweight expedition (the duration of the trip is only 20 days). Separate cargo transportation at the bottom of the route facilitates the ascent, as well as the availability of certain amenities at the base camp. There are no technical difficulties on the classic route, however, there are plenty of physical ones. First of all, this is the height, the reaction to which is often unpredictable even among experienced athletes. Strong winds are considered the main obstacle, which are associated with the openness of the territory to air masses from the oceans.

Every year, about 3,000 climbers attempt to climb Aconcagua. They climb two gorges from two base camps. However, the routes at the top are the same. Success reaches about half of the participants. This is due to the lack of readiness of climbers. And partly with the attitude of local guides, who are not inclined to take risks and are ready to turn the whole group or individual participants at any opportunity. So we highly recommend joining a group led by visiting, Russian-speaking guides. Better - from our company ...

Aconcagua climbing programs are getting more expensive from year to year due to the policies of local authorities. So don't delay.

*******

Denali (6194 m) - the highest peak of the mainland of North America. Located in the USA, in the state of Alaska, near the Arctic Circle. A typical ascent takes approximately three weeks, of which two weeks is hard work in the glacier zone, in conditions close to extreme. Participants are required to use purely mountaineering skills to a greater extent than on other peaks of the "seven". At the same time, all goods must be carried independently, including recycled waste. And when organizing a trip to Denali, you will have to solve a puzzle with obtaining an official permit and an American visa. All this is not at all difficult if you start in time.

In recent years, the number of climbers who aim to climb Denali has stabilized at around 1,500 per year. A season is considered successful when the percentage of "climbing" is above 50%. Most of the ascents are made in June - the first half of July. In the middle of summer, due to the state of the glacier, flights on airplanes become dangerous and stop by the beginning of August.

The American authorities issue permission to organize commercial programs only to a few companies and only with an American “registration”. For us, this means the need to use American guides under an agreement with one of the local companies. Let's face it, agreeing on all the details of interaction with them was not a smooth process. The difference in the mentality of our two mountaineering schools is very significant, but now mutual understanding has already been achieved and the problems are in the past.

*******

Kilimanjaro (5895 m) is the highest peak of the African continent and part of the world. The mountain is located in Tanzania, not far from the border with Kenya and from the equator. It is considered the highest single-standing peak in the world. The local National Park strictly regulates climbing and allocates a limited number of days for expeditions, an average of a week. At the same time, one of the goals is to ensure maximum employment for the local population working in the service of groups. Therefore, for one climber there are two or even more employees of the host companies.

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in the equatorial climate zone. The temperature difference between seasons is minimal. Practically climbing can be done all year round.

Due to the limited time, the ascent is carried out without sufficient acclimatization, which complicates the task of reaching the summit for an unprepared person. And these are the vast majority. Therefore, the ascent to the highest point can be done by no more than one third of the visitors. At the same time, almost all representatives of our country reach the top. What affects here: the power of salt or greed (money paid)?

In any case, a trip to Kilimanjaro is an exciting adventure, getting to know the amazing nature of Africa and its people is simply amazing. This is the best way to fall in love with the "black continent", which many are wary of. And, of course, we consider it obligatory to include in the program the so-called "safaris", excursions in national parks.

*******

Elbrus (5642 m) is the highest peak in Europe. The mountain is located in Russia, a little north of the Main Caucasian Range and, accordingly, from the border with Georgia. Climbing in favorable conditions requires only elementary climbing skills and is available to all physically healthy people. However, the load will still be serious, and the effect of height will make itself felt. The recommended time for the Elbrus climbing program is 9 days.

There is a fairly developed infrastructure that provides relatively comfortable living conditions for all days, except for the day of ascent.

Elbrus is still a territory of freedom. In this regard, only Kosciuszko can compare with him. Attempts to introduce payments do not meet with understanding from the majority of climbers.

There are no general statistics on Elbrus. An approximate estimate of the number of climbers is 25-30 thousand per year. The vast majority rises in July and August.

Programs of the Club 7 Peaks on Elbrus

*******

The Vinson Massif (4897 m) is the highest peak of the part of the world and the mainland of Antarctica. The mountain is located on an amazing icy continent, which so far belongs to all mankind. However, in the region of the very top, the absolute owner is the ALE (Antarctic Logistic Expedition) company, which determines the “rules of the game” here. But even the simplest calculations, how long the ascent will last, they are not able to do, the real schedule of "flights" is dictated by unpredictable weather.

Since the cost of an expedition to the Vinson Massif is very significant, only serious people get to its foot. And, as a rule, they successfully ascend, having overcome the terrible cold and wind.

It is important to dress properly. But this is also checked.

*******

And the highest point of the part of the world and the continent of Australia, coupled with the colossal area of ​​Oceania, is represented by two options: the Karstensz Pyramid and Mount Kosciuszko.

Pyramid Karstensz, she, in the Indonesian way, Punchak Jaya (4884-5 m, on some maps even 5030 m) is the highest peak in Australia and Oceania. Located on the island of New Guinea. The most politically problematic mountain of the Seven Peaks, which had been simply closed to the public for 10 years before. It is a rocky ridge of considerable length, located above the humid tropical jungle. Climbing and descending requires skills in working with climbing equipment, with a rope. However, as part of a group and under the guidance of experienced instructors, overcoming difficult rocky areas is quite possible for any person.

The helicopter version has also existed for quite a long time, in which the base camp is reached by a rotorcraft. However, there are pitfalls here as well. Bad weather is a daily occurrence here, every flight is in danger of being disrupted.

The process of formation of mountains on Earth takes millions of years. They arise from the collision 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-thousanders", whose height above sea level exceeds 8,000 meters.

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

Before we start talking about the highest mountains on 6 continents, let's take a look at the general diagram of the highest 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. The conquest of all 14 "eight-thousanders" of the planet - the conquest of the "Crown of the Earth" - is a great achievement in high-altitude mountaineering. As of July 2012, only 30 climbers have managed to do this.

North America - Mount McKinley, 6,194 m

This is the highest two-headed 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 in the Quechua language means "Stone Guardian". Aconcagua is the largest extinct volcano on our planet.

In mountaineering, Aconcagua is considered technically an easy mountain if you climb 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, often Elbrus is also called the highest European mountain peak.

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

In those days, the eruptions of Elbrus probably resembled 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 up, covering the entire sky, turning day into night. The earth shook from powerful tremors.

Today, 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 glaciers 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 number of deaths while climbing Elbrus is 15-30 people.

Asia - Mount Everest, 8,848 m

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

The mountain is located in the Himalayas in the Mahalangur-Himal range, and the southern peak (8760 m) lies on the border of Nepal, and the northern (main) peak (8848 m) is located in China.

Everest has the shape of a trihedral pyramid. At the top of the 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 summit of Everest took place in 1953. Since the first ascent to the summit until 2011, more than 200 people have 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 issued by the government of Nepal alone costs 10 thousand dollars

Australia and Oceania - Mount Punchak Jaya, 4884 m

The highest peak in 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 the Dutch explorer Jan Carstens, who saw from afar into the glacier at the top. Therefore, sometimes the mountain is called the Pyramid of Carstens.

The first ascent of Puncak Jaya took place only in 1962. The name of the mountain from the Indonesian language is translated approximately as "Victory Peak".

Antarctica - Windson Massif, 4,892 m

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 later named the Vinson Massif, after the famous American politician Carl Vinson.

View of the Vinson Massif from space:

Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro, 5,895 m

This is the highest point in Africa, a huge dormant volcano with two well-defined peaks in the northeast of Tanzania. The mountain has had 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 melting fast. 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 the amount of snowfall.

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

All cat sleeping positions

Mount Chomolungma (Everest, Sagarmatha) rises above Asia at 8,848 meters above sea level and is the highest mountain on the planet. This peak is considered to be a delightfully beautiful, and at the same time, a tragic place in the world. The rocky silhouette of the legendary mountain tends to attract brave conquerors who strive to be on top at the cost of superhuman efforts, and even their own lives. The mountain is located on the border of China with Nepal and belongs to the Himalayas.

The composition of the top of Everest is almost completely present sedimentary deposits, which previously covered the bottom of the ancient ocean. Modern scientists discover finds of fossils of shells and marine animals on Everest, which testifies in favor of a theory proving the location of this area in ancient times below sea level.

What does Chomolungma look like?

The shape of Everest resembles a trihedral pyramid. All three of its slopes are characterized by the presence of extremely steep slopes. Two slopes are completely covered with glaciers, while the southern one is steep to such an extent that neither snow nor ice is able to stay on it. For this reason, he is always naked. The slopes are connected to each other by means of almost straight ridges that stretch towards the west, southeast and south.

The climate of Mount Everest

At the top of Mount Everest, a rather inhospitable climate rages. The wind speed can reach up to 80 meters per second or more. Very often there are storms and strong winds. The air temperature can drop to -60 degrees Celsius. In summer, it is a little warmer at the top of the mountain - an average of -19 degrees in July. Above 0 degrees Celsius, the air temperature does not rise there. Not a single person without special equipment will simply survive there.

Plant and animal world of Everest

Due to the harsh climate at the top of the highest mountain, the diversity of flora and fauna is very scarce. The plant world includes bunches of grass, small shrubs, lichens, moss, conifers.

The animal kingdom includes jumping spiders, grasshoppers, flies, and some birds such as alpine jackdaws and mountain ducks.

Every year on Earth, the number of places that civilization has not yet managed to spoil is decreasing. The Everest region is also considered a pleasant exception. The route to Mount Chomolungma acts as a very beautiful and breathtaking territory. The peculiarity of the region is that Everest is obscured from the Nepalese side by two high mountains - Nuptse and Lhotse, respectively, in order to have good visibility of the highest peak, it is necessary to overcome a long distance, conquer the slopes of the Kala Pattar or Gokyo Ri mountains, and only then enjoy the view of the top of the world.

Mount Everest (Chomolungma) video

Interesting facts about the summit of Mount Everest:

Climbing to the top of Everest takes an average of 40 days.

There are 18 fixed routes to reach your goal of visiting the top of the World.

The youngest conqueror was a boy of 13 years old, and the oldest was a man of 80 years old.

Mount Everest grows by several millimeters every year.

The cost of climbing Mount Everest alone will be about $30,000, and with the services of agencies and guides, the cost rises to $60,000-90,000.

If you liked this material, share it with your friends on social networks. Thank you!

There are many highest peaks on the planet Earth. People conquer them, sing, study with interest where the highest mountains are. One of these places is called Everest - this is the highest mountain in the world, known not only for its height, but also for numerous ascents in attempts to conquer it, hundreds of lost lives and an interesting history of research. In addition to it, there are 13 more mountains that have exceeded the mark of 8000 meters.

The highest mountains

The list of the largest mountains on the planet Earth includes 117 names. Most of the highest peaks, which are more than 7200 meters, fell into it. Most of them are located in Asia, in the Himalayas - a chain stretching from India to Bhutan. The rating is opened by the highest peak of the earth - Everest. The highest mountains on earth also belong to the Himalayan eight-thousanders: Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Karakorum, Lhotse, Makalu, Manaslu, Nangaparbat, Chogori. Let's pay attention to those mountains that are located on other continents of the world:

• In the first place - Everest (Chomolungma), 8848 meters. It is located in the central Himalayas.
• The American mountain Aconcagua from Argentina takes the second place and reaches 6961 m.
• Mount McKinley, 6168 m, is located in Alaska.
• Africa's famous Kilimanjaro ranks fourth with its 5891.8 meters.
• Popular with climbers, Elbrus is located in the Greater Caucasus. Height - 5642 m. Its first conquest in the Caucasus Mountains dates back to 1829.
• Vinson, whose height is 4897 meters. This is the highest peak in Antarctica.
• Mont Blanc is the largest peak in Europe. Reaches 4810 m.
• Kosciuszko is a mountain that Australia can boast of. Height - 2228 meters.
• Pyramid of Carstens (4884 m). It belongs to the highest peaks of Australia and Oceania.

The highest peak in the world

Any heights on land are usually measured from sea level, which determines which mountains are the highest. Since its position is constantly changing, a constant long-term average is taken as the basis. It does not depend on water fluctuations, tides, ebbs and vapors, therefore it is an accurate mark. The mark above this level is considered vertically from the mountain, the position of which is determined to the average level of the surface. So it was revealed that the largest points of the earth reach almost 9 thousand meters.

What is the name of

The highest mountain in the world is part of the Himalayan mountain belt, located on the Mahalangur-Himal mountain range and is known under the names: Chomolungma, Everest, Sagarmatha, Chomo-Kankar. The first name was given to the mountain by the inhabitants of Tibet. It means Goddess of Peace or Divine Mother. The second name - Everest appeared since 1856. The mountain is named after Sir George Everest, who was the first to conquer it. The European name was preceded by the local name Chomo-Kankar or Queen of the Snow White. Sagarmatha is a Nepalese word which means Mother of the Gods.

Where is

The Himalayas have collected in their chain the highest mountains of the world. This is Everest, which is located on the border of Nepal with the border of China. In Nepal there is a smaller peak, in China - the highest. Everest is the crown of the main ridge of the entire chain. Around the base of the mountain is the national park of the country of Nepal - Sagarmatha. In the same region there is a base camp from where you can start climbing. The nearest settlement, where the base for climbers is located, is also located on Nepalese territory. This is the village of Lukla.

What height

There are two highest points on Chomolungma: the southern one, the peak of which reaches 8760 meters from sea level, and the northern one, which is the main one, reaching 8848 meters. From the southern slopes and from the eastern side, the mountain is sheer cliffs that are not even covered with snow. The northern slopes reach 8393 meters. Because of these three sides, Everest has the shape of a triangle. From the ground to its highest point, the mountain stretched up three and a half kilometers.

Climbing history

Although the mountain is characterized by harsh natural conditions, the temperature exceeds -60 degrees and the strongest wind is constantly blowing, climbers regularly try to conquer Chomolungma, one of the most difficult peaks. The history of ascents began in 1921, but the mountain did not give up right away. The first to reach the top was an Englishman, after whom the mountain bears one of its names. This is dated 1953. Since then, another 4,000 people have climbed. Every year, 400 people storm Chomolungma. Of the total number of climbers, 11% died and continues to die.

The highest peak in the world

Long before Everest became the answer to the question, what is the name of the largest mountain in the world, it was the extinct volcano Chimborazo from the mountain ranges of the Ecuadorian Andes. The top of the volcano is at the farthest distance from the center of the Earth. According to the navigation satellite system, with which measurements were made in 2016, the volcano reaches a height of 6384 meters from the center of the Earth. Based on this indicator, Everest loses three meters to him and takes second place. The length of the Himalayan peak is 6381 meters.

Which mountain is the highest

High mountains are also located in Hawaii. There is a mountain called Mauna Kea, which means white. The visible segment reaches 4205 meters above sea level, but most of it is in the ocean. Scientists believe that if you count from the foot, located deep under water, then the Hawaiian Mauna Kea leads among all and reaches a total height of 10203 m. In addition to the record length, the mountain is famous for being the most convenient point for astronomical observations.

Video