What are the Seven Summits?
The ‘Seven Summits’ are comprised of the highest mountains on each of the seven continents of the Earth: Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Mount Vinson and Carstensz Pyramid.
Reaching the summit on each of them is regarded as a significant mountaineering achievement and whilst this is no modest undertaking, it remains an eminently achievable challenge for a motivated and talented climber.
Everest – Asia
Mount Everest is Earth’s highest mountain above sea level and is located in the Himalayas on the China–Nepal border.
Its new elevation of 8,848.86m (29,031.7 ft) was most recently established in 2020 by the Nepali and Chinese authorities.
Aconcagua – South America
Aconcagua is a mountain in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes mountain range, in Mendoza Province, Argentina.
It is the highest mountain in the Americas, the highest outside Asia and the highest in both the Southern and the Western Hemispheres with a summit elevation of 6,961 metres (22,838 ft).
It lies 112 kilometres (70 miles) northwest of the provincial capital, the city of Mendoza, about five km from San Juan Province, and 15 km from Argentina’s border with neighbouring Chile.
Denali – North America
Denali, also known as Mount McKinley is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190 m) above sea level.
With a topographic prominence of 20,194 feet (6,155 m) and a topographic isolation of 4,621.1 miles (7,436.9 km), Denali is the third most prominent and third most isolated peak on Earth, after Mount Everest and Aconcagua. Located in the Alaska Range in the interior of the U.S. state of Alaska, Denali is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.
Kilimanjaro – Africa
Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira.
It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world: 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level and about 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) above its plateau base.
Elbrus – Europe
Mount Elbrus is the highest and most prominent peak in Russia and Europe.
It is situated in the western part of the Caucasus; and is the highest peak of the Caucasus Mountains. The dormant volcano rises 5,642m (18,510ft) above sea level, and is the highest stratovolcano in Eurasia, and the tenth-most prominent peak in the world.
The mountain stands in Southern Russia, in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.
Vinson – Antarctica
Mount Vinson is the highest peak in Antarctica, at 4,892 metres (16,050 ft).
Vinson Massif is a large mountain massif in Antarctica that is 21 km (13 mi) long and 13 km (8 mi) wide and lies within the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains.
It overlooks the Ronne Ice Shelf near the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. The massif is located about 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) from the South Pole.
Vinson Massif was discovered in January 1958 by U.S. Navy aircraft. In 1961, the Vinson Massif was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN), after Carl G. Vinson, United States congressman from the state of Georgia, for his support for Antarctic exploration. On November 1, 2006, US-ACAN declared Mount Vinson and Vinson Massif to be separate entities. Vinson Massif lies within the Chilean claim under the Antarctic Treaty System.
Carstensz Pyramid – Oceania
Puncak Jaya or Carstensz Pyramid is the highest mountain in Oceania with an elevation of 4,884 m (16,024 ft).
Located in the Sudirman Range of the western central highlands of Papua Province, Indonesia, in the southwest of Puncak Jaya Regency. The massive, open cut Grasberg gold and copper mine, the world’s largest gold mine, is 4 km west of Puncak Jaya.
The ‘eighth summit’ is the highest peak in Australia proper, Mount Kosciuszko, located 240 miles (390 km) southwest of Sydney in the Snowy Mountains of the Australian Alps in southeastern New South Wales. Situated in Kosciuszko National Park, it rises to an elevation of 7,310 feet (2,228 meters). Many ‘Seven Summit’ climbers also like to top this to leave no argument as to the fact they have reached the highest points in every continent in the World.
