From towering peaks of the Andes and Alps to the treacherous summits of the Himalayas,
today we look at the Most Dangerous Mountains On Earth.
Number 12. Cerro Torre One of the most dangerous mountains among
the Chilean Andes is Cerro Torre , which translates from Spanish to "Hill Tower". This summit
was supposedly first climbed in 1959 by the mountaineers Cesare Maestri and Toni Egger,
but this climb has been the topic of debate for decades. Upon his return, Maestri claimed
to have completed the journey, but evidence of this accomplishment had been lost in an
accident that also claimed the life of Egger. Subsequent climbs never found bolts, pitons,
or other evidence supporting this initial climb. Other lives have been lost attempting
the ascent since then, and the first undisputed climb didn't occur until 1974.
Number 11. Washington Though it may be the tallest mountain in the
Northeast United States, at an elevation of just 6,288 feet New Hampshire's Mt. Washington
has been labeled by many climbers as the most lethal small mountain on the planet. Since
1849, almost 150 people have met their end while attempting to conquer this New England
peak. The majority of these unfortunate demises have been attributed to poor planning as Mt.
Washington is much colder with harsher conditions than much of the Northwest. Among all the
climbers to fall victim to the elements, perhaps the most famous is the late William Buckingham
Curtis. Curtis was highly influential in the establishment of organized sports as an accomplished
competitor, official, administrator, and sports editor, earning him the posthumous nickname
of "the father of American amateur athletics." But in 1900, while attempting to climb Mount
Washington in the middle of a snowstorm, Curtis met his end due to exhaustion.
Number 10. Denali At 20,310 feet above sea level, the Alaskan
summit Denali is the highest mountain in all of North America. Originally dubbed Mt. McKinley
in 1986 by a gold prospector in honor of then-presidential candidate William McKinley, it was renamed
in 2015 to Denali in accordance with the traditions of the locally native Koyukon people. With
4,629 miles separating Denali from the nearest peak, it is also one of the most topographically
isolated mountains in the world. Getting to this summit may prove difficult, but the distance
to reach the foot of the mountain is nothing compared to the climate. With a close proximity
to the Arctic Circle, Denali is consistently entrenched in freezing cold temperatures and
thin air which can lead to a number of health and breathing problems. Climbers who attempt
to scale Denali often must prepare for frostbite, hypothermia, snow blindness, and other difficult
conditions. Sixty percent of climbers who have attempted to scale the mountain have
succeeded. At the same time, 123 climbers have fallen victim to this mountain since
1932.
Number 9. Everest Perhaps the most famous entry on this list,
Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth with a peak elevation of 29,029 feet. Nestled
within the Himalayas between Nepal and China, this popular mountain draws hundreds of mountaineers
annually. But while it may be the world's highest summit above sea level, Mt. Everest
is far from being the most dangerous, or even the most difficult climb. Due to its sheer
height atop the rest of the world, the allure of Everest attracts climbers of all skill
levels. Still, even with its relatively low difficulty compared to other mountains in
this video, Everest has claimed its share of lives. Its believed that more than 300
people attempting to scale the frigid peak have perished to the elements, falling victim
to hazards such as high winds, snowstorms, altitude sickness, and of course, avalanches.
Due to the elevation of Everest, many bodies of the deceased remain on the mountain to
this day.
Number 8. Baintha Brakk Mountaineers are thrillseekers by nature,
often looking to top their last major climb by conquering a more challenging summit. And
few mountains prove more difficult than Pakistan's Baintha Brakk . Nicknamed "The Ogre" for its
craggy, imposing peaks, an astounding 24 years passed between the first and second successful
attempts to scale this foreboding mountain. Despite the notorious complications presented
to climbers by Baintha Brakk , the mountain has a fairly low record of fatalities. Still,
injuries and illnesses are common issues for those trying to topple The Ogre, and in the
years between the mountains two successful climbs, another 20 attempted trips failed
occurred. Climbers Doug Scott and Chris Bonington were the first to reach the peak and return
alive, though not without their share of wounds. Scott broke both of his legs while braving
the hazards of the summit, and Bonington broke two ribs and caught pneumonia for his troubles.
The 23,901-foot-high Baintha Brakk was last climbed in 2012, making it only the third
successful roundtrip up The Ogre.
Number 7. The Matterhorn Not to be confused with the Disneyland ride
it inspired, the real Matterhorn is a treacherous mountain among the Alps, lying on the border
between Italy and Switzerland. This snow-powdered, rocky tower stands at a mighty 14,692 feet
high at its peak and is recognized as one of the highest summits in Europe. Steep and
jagged, the Matterhorn has a very unique shape, believed to have been formed from millions
of years of glacial erosion. As the ice melted in summers past, water would seep into the
bedrock of the mountain, then refreeze in the winter, causing chunks of rock to splinter
from the peak. This subsequently resulted in vast valleys at the base of the mountain
called cirques [serrks]. The silhouette of the Matterhorn has become so iconic that other
similarly shaped mountains are often nicknamed as "The Matterhorn" of their respective regions.
But few of its doppelgangers compare to the danger of the original, as the true Matterhorn
averages a rate of 12 fatalities per year!
Number 6. The Eiger Amid the Bernese Alps rises the 13,015 foot
mountain known simply as The Eiger . Among the twists, turns, crevasses and cliffs of
this peak, the most significant part rock formation of the summit is its northern face.
Since 1935, sixty-four climbers, if not more, have fallen victim while attempting to scale
the face known as Nordwand , or North Wall as it translates from German. Due to the high
mortality rate, it has also earned the grim nickname of Mordwand ...which means "murderous
wall" in the same language. Luckily for tourists hoping to experience the glory of the Eiger
without wanting to risk life and limb, this steep face isn't the only way up the mountain.
In fact, they may not need to climb at all, as a railway tunnel runs through the mountain,
connecting to two internal train stations. The Eigerwand station hasn't been open regularly
since 2016, however visitors can stop at Eismeer station and access viewing windows which have
been carved directly into the rocky surface!
Number 5. Mont Blanc [MAWNT BLAHNK] Blanketed in snow, this French-Italian peak's
name literally translates to "White Mountain" and holds the title of highest mountain amid
the Alps. The first recorded ascent of Mont Blanc [MAWNT BLAHNK] occurred in August of
1786, completed by the mountaineers Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel Paccard . The task was
initiated by a Genevan scientist and explorer named Horace-Benedict de Saussure , who awarded
the two climbers upon their completion, and in doing so, kick-started modern mountaineering
as we know it. Today, the peak draws an average of twenty thousand climbers per year, and
is considered fairly straightforward to the experienced ascendant. However, certain routes
can prove more perilous than others, requiring guides and specialized equipment. On top of
that, all of the routes are lengthy, tiring journeys, at risk of rock-fall and avalanche,
and reaching heights of up to 15,777 feet which may prove troublesome to climbers due
to altitude sickness, a condition that can be fatal if not acclimated to swiftly.
Number 4. Kangchenjunga Until 1852, the Himalayan mountain Kangchenjunga
was believed to be the world's highest mountain. Calculations and measurements issued by Indian
experts cleared this up, though, declaring Mt. Everest the tallest, downgrading this
summit to third place. But that doesn't make this mountain any less dangerous. Though climbing
technology has advanced since it was first ascended in 1955, Kangchenjunga still claims
a whopping fatality rate of more than twenty percent! Prior to the first successful climb,
many mountaineers tried and failed to climb the Himalayan pinnacle, including the infamous
occultist Aleister Crowley . He, and a team of climbers, would reach an estimated elevation
of 21,300 feet before retreating due to hazardous conditions. The final straw came when four
members of the team attempted to abandon the rest of the party and return down the mountain,
only to be crushed by an avalanche. Regardless of his companions claiming that "the demon
of Kangchenjunga was propitiated with the sacrifice," Crowley called it quits and instructed
the team to descend earlier than planned.
Number 3. Nanga Parbat In southern Pakistan, near the famously serene
grasslands known as the Fairy Meadows, is the notoriously dangerous mountain of Nanga
Parbat . Translating from the sanskrit terms for "naked" and "mountain", this treacherous
landform gets its name from the immense vertical relief between its cliff faces and the terrain
surrounding it, making the mountain's form open for all to clearly see. Formed from the
combination of rock and ice, this mountain is an extremely difficult climb with some
of the tallest mountain faces on the planet. That's to say, its steep, sheer sides stretch
as high as 15,090 feet before breaking to a scalable angle. Nanga Parbat gained popularity
among climbers in the 1930s as a premiere option for German mountaineers during a time
when only British climbers had access to Mt. Everest. But it proved especially difficult,
claiming the lives of 31 would-be-ascenders before successfully being climbed in 1953
by Austria's Hermann Buhl [BYOOL].
Number 2. K2 Rising 28,251 feet above sea level, the legendary
K2 along the border of Pakistan and China is a daunting climb attempted by few due to
the dangers, length of ascent, and amount of resources needed to complete. The world's
second highest mountain has proved especially treacherous to female climbers over the years.
The first woman to ever successfully climb K2 was Wanda Rutkiewicz , a famous polish
mountaineer, who toppled the summit in June of 1986. After this accomplishment, the next
five women to attempt the ascent, along with Rutkiewicz herself, perished across a span
of 18 years, either on their return or on a nearby mountain. This established a supposed
"curse" on K2, however this was eventually broken in 2004 by the Spanish climber Edurne
Pasaban . But women aren't the only ones to fall victim to this peak, as around 10 percent
of all who attempt the climb meet an unfortunate end during the journey as storms and avalanches
plague the frigid mountain routes.
Number 1. Annapurna Among the Himalayas in Nepal is the large
massif known as Annapurna . Along the range of this landform, the summit hits an elevation
of 26,545 feet at its highest point. In addition to being the 10th highest mountain in the
world, Annapurna is notorious for a high ratio of fatalities amid its climbers. It boasts
a total of 191 successful ascents, however 63 climbers attempting to scale the mountain
have perished due to its hazards. This gives it a ratio of 34 fatalities for every 100
safe returns, making it easily one of the most dangerous mountains on Earth.