The eight seven summits, a group of eight mountains that span across the globe, challenging thousands of individuals each year. Each mountain marking the highest point on each of the worlds continents. From Mount Kilimanjaro and its 5 different vegetation zones in Africa, Mount Kosciuszko a relatively easy day hike in Australia, Denali pulling heavy sleds across vast snow capped glaciers in North America to Mount Everest the highest mountain in the world in Asia. All eight of the seven summits brings its own challenges, stunning views and individuality and summiting all seven is a huge achievement.
First achieved by American businessman Richard Bass on April the 30th 1985. Bass proved that reaching the highest point on each of the seven continents is a mountaineering challenge that can be completed by anyone. It wasn’t just limited to highly skilled mountaineers, but anyone with the right amount of fitness, determination, money and willingness to learn can build the skills to complete all seven. As a result the concept has brought hundreds of people from across the globe to the mountaineering world, helping to promote and grow the industry. So what mountains actually make up the seven summits? And why are their eight seven summits?
MOUNT EVEREST
Continent: Asia
Height: 8,848m
Location: Border of Solukhumbu District, Nepal & Tibet, China
Mountain Range: Himalayas
Cost to climb: US $45,000-$100,000+
Difficulty (Standard Guided Route):
Altitude: Extreme
Technical: Moderate – Hard
Physical: Extreme
Self Sufficiency: Hard
Weather Conditions: Hard
Estimated Average Deaths Per Year: Average 7 deaths per year
Peak climbing season: April-May
First Accent: 29th of May 1953, Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay
Average Duration of expedition: 60 days
ACONCAGUA
Continent: South America
Height: 6,961m
Location: Mendoza, Argentina
Mountain Range: Andes
Cost to climb: US $4000-$8000
Difficulty (Standard Guided Route):
Altitude: Hard
Technical: Easy – Moderate
Physical: Moderate – Hard
Self Sufficiency: Moderate
Weather Conditions: Moderate – Hard
Estimated Average Deaths Per Year: Average 3 deaths per year
Peak climbing season: December – January
First Accent: 14th of January 1897, Matthias Zurbriggen
Average Duration of expedition: 20 days
DENALI
Continent: North America
Height: 6,194m
Location: Denali National Park, Alaska
Mountain Range: Alaska Range
Cost to climb: US $10,000 – $20,000
Difficulty:
Altitude: Moderate – Hard
Technical: Moderate
Physical: Hard – Extreme
Self Sufficiency: Hard – Extreme
Weather Conditions: Hard – Extreme
Estimated Average Deaths Per Year: Average 1 deaths per year
Peak climbing season: May – July
First Accent: June 7th 1913, Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, Waiter Harper, Robert Tatum
Average Duration of expedition: 20 days
MOUNT KILIMANJARO
Continent: Africa
Height: 5,895m
Location: Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania
Mountain Range: The Eastern Rift Mountains
Cost to climb: US $2,500 – $6,000
Difficulty:
Altitude: Moderate
Technical: Easy
Physical: Moderate
Self Sufficiency: Easy
Weather Conditions: Easy – Moderate
Estimated Average Deaths Per Year: Average 7 deaths per year
Peak climbing season: June – August & January – March
First Accent: 6 October 1889, Hans Meyer & Ludwig Purtschellar
Average Duration of expedition: 6 days
MOUNT ELBRUS
Continent: Europe
Height: 5,642m
Location: Elbrus and Upper Baksan Valley, Russia
Mountain Range: Caucasus Mountain Ranges
Cost to climb: US $2,500 – $6,000
Difficulty:
Altitude: Moderate
Technical: Easy – Moderate
Physical: Moderate
Self Sufficiency: Easy – Moderate
Weather Conditions: Moderate
Estimated Average Deaths Per Year: Average 20 deaths per year
Peak climbing season: June – August
First Accent: 1874, Florence Crauford Grove, Frederick Gardner, Horace Walker, Peter Knubel, and Ahiya Sottaiev
Average Duration of expedition: 6 days
VINSON MASSIF
Continent: Antarctica
Height: 4,892m
Location: Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica
Mountain Range: Sentinel Range
Cost to climb: US $40,000 – $50,000
Difficulty:
Altitude: Easy – Moderate
Technical: Easy – Moderate
Physical: Moderate – Hard
Self Sufficiency: Moderate
Weather Conditions: Extreme
Estimated Average Deaths Per Year: Average 0 deaths per year
Peak climbing season: December – January
First Accent: 1966, Nicholas Clinch & party
Average Duration of expedition: 15 days
CARSTENSZ PYRAMID (PUNCAK JAYA)
Continent: Australasia
Height: 4,884m
Location: Papua Province, Indonesia
Mountain Range: Sudirman Range
Cost to climb: US $20,000 – $30,000
Difficulty:
Altitude: Easy – Moderate
Technical: Hard
Physical: Moderate – Hard
Self Sufficiency: Easy
Weather Conditions: Moderate – Hard
Estimated Average Deaths Per Year: Unknown
Peak climbing season: Year Round
First Accent: 1962, Heinrich Harrer, Philip Temple, Russell Kippax and Albertus Huizenga
Average Duration of expedition: 10 days
MOUNT KOSCIUSZKO
Continent: Australia
Height: 2,228m
Location: Snowy Mountains, Australia
Mountain Range: Main Range (Snowy Mountains)
Cost to climb: Free
Difficulty:
Altitude: Easy
Technical: Easy
Physical: Easy
Self Sufficiency: Easy
Weather Conditions: Easy
Estimated Average Deaths Per Year: Average 0 deaths per year
Peak climbing season: Year Round
First Accent: 15th of February 1840, Sir Paweł Edmund Strzelecki
Average Duration of expedition: 1 day
THE EIGHT SEVEN SUMMITS?
You may have noticed that we’ve called it the eight seven summits, why’s that? Because theres a debate between mountaineers whether Australia or Australasia should be considered the seventh continent. Geographically Australia is its own continent and therefore should be the seventh continent, making Mount Kosciusko the seventh summit. However famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner proposes that Carstensz Pyramid located in Indonesia should replace Australia’s Mount Kosciusko and the seventh continent should be Australasia rather than just Australia. Therefore kicking Australia’s Mount Kosciusko (2,228m) off the list being replaced by Indonesia’s Carstensz Pyramid (4,884m). Messner pushed this heavily because Carstensz Pyramid is significantly more difficult and is an expedition in nature whereas Mount Kosciusko is a simple day hike.
Thomas "The Tank" Dade 
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