Makalu

Mount Makalu is located on the border between Nepal and China. Its peak is measured at 27,824 feet high, and is considered as one of the highest mountains in the world. It has the shape of a four sided pyramid and has two subsidiary peaks, namely Makalu II and Kangchutse. The peak of Mount Makalu was first reached by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy on May 15, 1955.

McKinley

Mount McKinley is located in Alaska. Standing 20,320 feet high, it is the highest mountain peak in North America. Its layout is somewhat vertical and steep, and it is characterized by exremely cold weather. This mountain has two summits: the South and the North. Only 50% of all expeditions to reach its peak were successful. The first mountaineer to make it on top of McKinley was Hudson Stuck on June 7, 1913.

Popocatepetl

Mount Popocatepetl is actually a volcano. It is located in Mexico, 7- kilometers southeast of Mexico City. It is 17,930 feet high, and is the second highest mountain peak in Mexico. This mountain has had 20 major eruptions since the year 1519. On that same year, 1519, the summit of Popocatepetl was first reached by a Spanish group led by Diego De Ordaz.

Kilimanjaro

Although an inactive volcano, Mount Kilimanjaro boasts of having some unique vegetation. It is located in Northeastern Tanzania, is 19,340 feet high, and is considered the highest mountain peak in Africa. This mountain has three volcanic cones: namely Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. Dr. Hans Meyer first stood at Kilimanjaro’s peak on October 5th, 1889

Logan

The current height of Mount Logan as of this writing is 19,859 feet. It is constantly rising in elevation due to strong tectonic activity. It is the highest mountain peak in Canada and is located in the Kluane National Park and Reserve. Mount Logan is also the source of the so called Hubbard and Logan glaciers. Its summit was first reached on June 23, 1925 by a group led by Albert H.MacCarthy.

Rainier

Mount Rainier stands 14,410 feet high, and is located 54 miles southeast of Seattle, Washington. It is the highest mountain peak in the Cascade Range. This mountain has a high topographic prominence, and is a source of numerous glacier networks. Its three summits are called Columbia Crest, Point Success, and Liberty Cap. The first two people who climbed this difficult mountain were Hazard Stevens and P.B. Van Trump in 1870.

Everest

The highest mountain on earth, Mount Everest is located in Nepal, on the border between Sagarmantha Zone, Nepal and China. There are two major climbing routes to the top: the Southeastern Ridge, and the Northeastern ridge. To date, Everest has claimed the lives of 210 mountain climbers. The first man to proudly set foot on the summit of Everest was Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953.

Lhotse

Mount Lhotse is also located in Nepal, and is actually connected to Mount Everest. It stands 27,923 feet high and is the fourth highest mountain on earth. This steep and ice filled mountain has claimed a total of 11 lives as of October 2003. its main summit was first reached on MAy 18, 1956 by Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger.

Kanchenjunga

This mountain is located between Sikkim, India and the Taplejung District of Nepal. It stands 28,208 feet high and is the third largest mountain in the world. It has five peaks, but the easiest route to the highest peak is through a path of glacier and snow. The Kanchenjunga summit was first reached by British mountaineers Joe Brown and George Band on 1955. Many lost their lives while attempting to climb this mountain, including renown female mountaineer Wanda Rutkiewicz (the first woman to reach the peak of K2).

K2: The “Savage Mountain”

K2 is located in the Kashmir region in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. It stands 28,250 feet high. Although K2 is only second to Everest in height, it is considered as one of the most dangerous mountains in the world. According to statistics, for every four people who attempts to climb K2, one of them dies. Having somewhat a pyramid shape, its level of steepness is unmatched anywhere in the world. There were numerous unsuccesful attempts to climb K2 since the early 1900’s, which claimed the lives of many mountaineers. The first two people who reached the K2 summit are Italians: Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni on July 31, 1954.

Annapurna

Annapurna is a series of mountains in the Himalayas region. It stands 26,538 feet and is the 10th highest summit in the world. According to statistics and climbing history, Annapurna is the most dangerous mountain to climb, having a 40% fatality rate. Avalanches are pretty common on the slopes of this mountain, claiming the lives of over 56 mountaineers. Many of the climbers died on the summit itself, either by lack of oxygen, exhaustion, or extreme cold.