The 14 Highest Mountains in the World

 

Have you ever wondered which are the highest peaks on Earth? It is a question children often ask but it also fascinates adults. When we think about that, the first names that come to mind are Everest and K2. And then? Then, we don’t know.

To make things right and learn the highest points on the planet, here’s a list of the 14 highest mountains in the world!

14. Shishapangma

Height: 8,027 m
Geographic Location: China
First Climb: May 2, 1964, by Hsu Ching, Chang Chun-yen, Wang Fuzhou, Chen San, Cheng Tien-liang, Wu Tsung-yue, Sodnam Doji, Migmar Trashi, Doji, and Yonten.
First Winter Climb: January 14, 2005, by Piotr Morawski and Simone Moro

For years, the mountain was inaccessible due to Chinese restrictions. In 2011, when the restrictions were finally lifted, all records were broken, with only 10 hours needed to get to the top. The feat is attributable to the Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck.

13. Gasherbrum II

Height: 8,035 m
Geographical Location: Pakistan and China
First Climb: July 7, 1956, by Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch, and Hans Willenpart
First Winter Climb: February 2, 2011, by Simone Moro, Denis Urubko, and Cory Richards

This mountain is considered one of the best in the world to start climbing all the “8,000”, or the 14 highest peaks in the world. It’s because it has a traced path that allows you to get almost to the top in a Jeep, thus allowing anyone to climb (and favoring any rescue). In winter, the ice is so solid that the mountain is the safest of the “8,000”.

12. Broad Peak (K3)

Height: 8,047 m
Geographical Location: Pakistan and China
First Climb: June 9, 1957, by Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, and Kurt
First Winter Climb: March 5, 2013, by Maciej Berbeka, Adam Bielecki, Tomasz Kowalski, and Artur Małek

It is called Broad Peak because the summit is very wide. It is a very difficult mountain for climbing, although not very high because the snow is always very soft and the risk of avalanche is very high.

11. Gasherbrum I

Height: 8,080 m
Geographical location: Pakistan and China
First Climb: July 5, 1958, by Andrew Kauffman and Pete Schoening
First Winter Climb: March 9, 2012, by Adam Bielecki and Janusz Gołąb

Gasherbrum means “splendid peak”. It was first named K5 in 1856 by Thomas George Montgomerie when he first spotted the peaks of the Karakorum from more than 200 km away. He actually named five: K1, K2, K3, K4, and K5 where the K stood for Karakoram. Today, K1 is known as Masherbrum, K3 as Broad Peak, K4 as Gasherbrum II, and K5 as Gasherbrum I.

10. Annapurna

Height: 8,091 m
Geographical Location: Nepal
First Climb: June 3, 1950, by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal
First Winter Climb: February 3, 1987, by Jerzy Kukuczka and Artur Hajzer

Every excursion, even the smallest one, starts from the city of Pokhara. A splendid citadel surrounded by green hills that are reflected in a mountain lake. Due to hiking, this city has become very touristy and there are many travel agencies that will help you make a trekking route suitable for you.

9. Nanga Parbat

Height: 8,125m
Geographical Location: Pakistan
First Climb: July 3, 1953, by Hermann Buhl
First Winter Climb: Feb 26, 2016, by Simone Moro, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, and Alex Txiko

The Italian mountaineer Moro conquered the summit of Nanga Parbat in winter, making history. In fact, he is the first-ever to climb the summit in winter. There were other climbers with him, but Moro was the first to plant the tricolor flag. In fact, the climb is recent since it was completed in 2016.

8. Manaslu

Height: 8,156 m
Geographical Location: Nepal
First Climb: May 9, 1956, by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu
First Winter Climb: January 12, 1984, by Maciej Berbeka and Ryszard Gajewski

Although lower than the previous ones, Mount Manaslu is “famous” for its avalanches which took the lives of several climbers over the years. The tragedy that touched everyone’s heart is the one from 1972 when 15 mountaineers died. Unfortunately, this repeated in 2012, when 13 mountaineers died, of which 2 were Italians. No wonder, Manaslu remains the most difficult peak for many climbers and the one that touches the soul with the tragedies it caused.

7. Dhaulagiri

Height: 8,167 m
Geographical Location: Nepal
First Climb: May 13, 1960, by Kurt Diemberger, Peter Diener, Nawang Dorje, Nima Dorje, Ernst Forrer, and Albin Schelbert
First Winer Climb: January 21, 1985 by Andrzej Czok and Jerzy Kukuczka

In 2008, a group of climbers spotted great footprints on these peaks and, in Japan, rumors that they belonged to the Yeti started spreading. Japanese newspapers reported that huge footprints of the Yeti had been found at 4,800 meters on Mount Dhaulagiri. This lead to weeks-long expeditions to find the Yeti, but, as it was expected, it wasn’t found.

6. Cho Oyu

Height: 8,201 m
Geographical Location: Nepal and China
First Climb: October 19, 1954, by Joseph Joechler, Pasang Dawa Lama, and Herbert Tichy
First Winter Climb: February 12, 1985, by Maciej Berbeka and Maciej Pawlikowski

In September 2014, the flag of the Four Moors was placed on the summit. It was the mountaineer Max Caria, a true Sardinian, who managed to conquer the summit of Cho Oyu.

5. Makalu

Height: 8,485 m
Geographical Location: Nepal and China
First Climb: May 15, 1955, by Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray
First Winter Climb: February 9, 2009, by Simone Moro and Denis Urubko

Once again the man of the records, Simone Moro, has marked the history of mountaineering by climbing Makalu, the 5th highest mountain in the world.

4. Lhotse

Height: 8,516 m
Geographical Location: Nepal and China
First Climb: May 18, 1956, by Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss
First Winter Climb: December 31, 1988, by Krzysztof Wielicki

The climb was done using six fields. First, climbing on the Khumbu gravel and then on the northwest side that leads to the summit of Lhotse.

3. Kangchenjunga

Height: 8,586 m
Geographical Location: Nepal and India
First Climb: May 21, 1955, by George Band and Joe Brown
First Winter Climb: January 11, 1986, by Krzysztof Wielicki and Jerzy Kukuczka

Kangchenjunga was considered the highest peak in the world until Everest and K2 were climbed when it was found to be lower than both of them. Since then, Kangchenjunga has become the scene of the exploits of the best mountaineers from around the world even though the mountain is still relatively unknown.

2. K2

Height: 8,611 m
Geographical Location: Pakistan and China
First Climb: July 31, 1954, by Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli
First Winter Climb: the mountain has never been climbed in the winter period

It is called the mountain of the Italians exactly because two Italians were the first to climb it. They also inspired the film “La Montagna degli Italiani” (The Mountain of the Italians).

1. Everest

Height: 8,848 m
Geographical Location: Nepal and China
First Climb: May 29, 1953, by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
First Winter Climb: February 17, 1980, by Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy

Everest is part of the Himalayas chain. Before succeeding in climb it, several attempts were made between the first and second world war. The choice of the side to climb was mandatory since the southern side was closed for political reasons.