Live Your Best Lives
Article reprinted from: BM Banma, authorized
"The Seven Summits" is a mountaineering challenge to scale the highest peaks on all seven continents, a feat only a few hundred climbers have accomplished in the past 25 years. Each peak offers unique characteristics and varying degrees of difficulty, ranging from basic hikes to exploring the Death Zone. So, let's mentally rehearse the thrilling journey, starting from easy to difficult.
Mount Kilimanjaro is the easiest of the Seven Summits. Thanks to its low altitude and stable weather, it is possible to reach the summit on foot with only basic equipment such as a sleeping bag, hiking shoes, and a warm jacket.
The temperature at the summit usually stays in the teens and twenties, occasionally dropping below freezing. If you're in good health and well-prepared, there's a 90% chance of reaching the summit. However, since most climbers are ordinary tourists and lack preparation, many fail, resulting in a final success rate of only 50%. The mountain isn't as difficult as it appears.
Tips:
Location: Tanzania, Africa
Elevation: 19,340 feet (5,895 meters)
Time required: 5 days; Success rate: 50%-90%
Mount Elbrus is similar to Kilimanjaro, but it's only suitable for climbing in the summer, when the snowline is lower, making the slopes even more enjoyable. Basic equipment is required, including hiking boots, crampons, and an ice axe.
Elbrus is located in a remote area of Russia, close to the border with Georgia, and most people come here specifically for mountaineering. Therefore, most climbers come well prepared.
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Location: Russia, Europe
Elevation: 18,510 feet (5,640 meters)
Time required: 5 days; Success rate: 80%
Mount Aconcagua, the world's highest peak outside of Asia, rising to 23,000 feet (nearly 7,000 meters), offers climbers a high-altitude, professional mountain adventure without the dangerous slopes or technical climbs.
Most people require specialized training to reach the summit. Many climbers, due to their lack of experience, mistakenly believe that Aconcagua's difficulty is similar to Kilimanjaro's. In reality, climbing Aconcagua requires preparation for long, heavy climbs at high altitudes, sometimes subject to storms. Consequently, 70% of climbers fail to reach the summit.
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Location: Argentina, South America
Elevation: 22,841 feet (6,962 meters)
Time required: 18 days; Success rate: 30%-70%
Unlike other peaks, there are no porters or guides on Denali. Climbers need to carry up to 150 pounds (68 kilograms) of gear, hauled on sleds in the coldest place on Earth, making it one of the greatest physical challenges in the world, certainly in the Western Hemisphere.
Denali rises over 20,000 feet (6,100 meters), and the effects of low Arctic pressure and its extreme distance from the equator add thousands of feet of altitude to the human sense of altitude. Some climbers who are comfortable climbing above 5,000 meters may find themselves breathless and experiencing symptoms of altitude sickness at 4,000 meters.
The exceptionally high altitude, inclement weather, temperatures frequently dropping below -40 degrees Fahrenheit, and a latitude just two degrees below the Arctic Circle expose climbers to constant and harsh conditions. Rigorous screening and mandatory training prevented many unprepared climbers from reaching the summit. Of the well-trained and physically fit expedition members, only half managed to reach the summit.
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Location: Alaska, North America
Elevation: 20,237 feet (6,168 meters)
Time required: 25 days; Success rate: 50%
Puncak Jaya, the shortest of the Seven Summits, is challenging both in terms of climbing skills and the climb itself. These skills include rock climbing, speed climbing, and vertical ascent. Some less adventurous climbers opt for a helicopter ride to the 14,000-foot (4,267-meter) summit, which takes only a few hours. The full climb can take a week through muddy rainforests and swamps to reach camp.
Due to the safety concerns posed by the nearby gold mines, there are only two ways to reach the summit safely: pay the high national climbing permit fee and hire a helicopter to fly over the gold mines, or stay as far away from the gold mines as possible during the trek. The cost of jungle hiking used to be much lower than helicopters, but now it is also subject to tolls demanded by local indigenous peoples, making it less economical.
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Location: Indonesia, Oceania
Elevation: 16,023 feet (4,884 meters)
Time required: 15 days; Success rate: 99%
Mount Vinson is very similar to Denali, except that it is colder. Vinson is 4,000 feet lower than Denali, and requires less acclimatization time, which means shorter expeditions and lighter supplies and gear.
Mount Vinson is located in Antarctica, and the high cost of transportation is a major problem. The success rate of this mountain is very high because anyone willing to make such an effort will do their best to ensure that they are in peak condition. Many of them are experienced veterans, and some have even successfully climbed Mount Everest.
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Location: Antarctica
Elevation: 16,067 feet (4,897 meters)
Duration: 15 days; Success rate: 99%
Mount Everest combines the challenges of all seven peaks: it's over a mile (approximately 1,600 meters) higher than Aconcagua, with temperatures consistently below freezing, requiring exceptional climbing skills. Success on other peaks depends heavily on a climber's preparation. However, on Everest, even the strongest and most experienced climbers can face death due to extreme altitude and fatigue.
An expedition to Mount Everest takes more than two months, challenging the climber's willpower. Before the 1990s, the mortality rate among climbers was around 30%. Technological advancements and increased awareness of altitude sickness have significantly reduced this rate.
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Location: Nepal, Asia
Elevation: 29,028 feet (8,848 meters)
Time required: 70 days; Success rate: 20%
