The Hardest Mountain To Climb In The World: The Third One Is Also The Deadliest
Mountains, for me, have always been the manifestation of the great universal force. Also, all my life, I have seen my father going on long treks. His experience during the Annapurna Base Camp Trek is something that will stay with me forever.
Further, growing up, battling with obesity and oodles of health issues, I could not be a trekker like my father. However, that did not diminish my love for the mountains.
The hardest mountains to climb, especially, have always created a sense of intrigue for me. Also, that day, I was watching the second season of the BBC’s Extreme Podcast.
I was impressed by how Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, the host and historian, narrated the story of the newlywed couple, Cecilie Skog and Rolf Bae, as they climbed K2.
Now, seldom will you find a couple planning their honeymoon by climbing the K2. So, their story was one-of-a-kind, and you must also watch it if you feel this unavoidable pull toward mountains.
In fact, I was so mesmerized by the podcast and the way it stirred all my memories related to mountain climbing that I decided to write this Dream and Travel Guide on the hardest mountain to climb in the world.
What Is The Hardest Mountain To Climb In The World? Know The Challenges
Let’s know about the hardest mountain to climb in the world and what the challenges are. Some serious adventure awaits you here!
1. K2: The Savage Mountain
- Height: 8,611 Meters
- Location: Karakoram Range, On the Border of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan and Xinjiang, China
- First Conquered: 31st July, 1954 by Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni
- Death Rate: Above 20%
- Average Time to Summit: 60 Days
- Best Time for Trekking: June-August
K2 or Mount Godwin Austen is the hardest mountain to climb in the world. It was kind of a shocker for me when, in 2024, the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department confirmed issuing 175 permits to climb the peak.
Now, a lot has changed, and climbing K2 is more commercialized these days. However, the mountain could not be conquered in the winter season before 2021. During the summer itself, the temperature in the mountain remains around -60 degrees C.
What Makes K2 The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects
The table below explains the challenges and technical aspects of the K2 climb.
| Challenges of K2 Climbing | Technical Skills Required |
|---|---|
| • Vertical ascents • Steep rock faces • Exposed ridges • Glacial hazards • High altitude creates a “Death Zone” for climbers. • High winds and low temperatures | • Ice and rock climbing • Mental and physical resilience training • Acclimatization |
2. Mount Everest: The Highest Mountain Peak In The World
- Height: 8,849 Meters
- Location: Mahalangur Himal Sub-Range, The Himalayas, Nepal-China Border
- First Conquered: 29th May, 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
- Death Rate: 1%
- Average Time to Summit: Over 40 Days
- Best Time: March to May
Mount Everest is the crown jewel in trekking adventures in Nepal. Also, despite the Everest helicopter tours you can take these days, the allure of conquering the peak is something else altogether.
Yes, you will notice a lot of commercialization as you trek to the Everest Base Camp or want to conquer the highest peak.
Furthermore, Nepal is now stricter with its permit rules, requiring climbers first to prove their proficiency by completing treks to 7,000-meter peaks.
Also, Nepal’s Department of Tourism has confirmed that it has issued permits to climb the Mount Everest to 402 climbers from 53 countries. Moreover, these climbers include 74 women.
What Makes Mount Everest The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects
Despite not being as hard as the K2 climb, the Mount Everest expedition still shows some challenges.
| Challenges of Climbing Mount Everest | Technical Skills Required |
|---|---|
| • Thin air • Death Zone above 8000 Meters • Volatile weather, including snowstorms, avalanches, and freezing air • Queues near the death zone in the peak climbing season • Frostbite and exhaustion | • Acclimatization • Rock climbing and ice climbing skills • Core strength • Mental resilience training |
3. Annapurna I: The Deadliest Mountain To Climb
- Height: 8,091 Meters
- Location: The Annapurna Mountain Range, Gandaki Province, Nepal
- First Conquered: 3rd June, 1950 by Louis Lachenal and Maurice Herzog
- Death Rate: Over 30%
- Average Time to Summit: 40-50 Days
- Best Time: March to May and September to November
Govid Kharol, a person with a disability and the founder of the Bindaas Foundation, is now basking in the glory of summiting the Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
He has created history as a part of “India’s Largest Inclusive Himalayan Expedition.”
With him proving “Inability is not disability,” even the deadliest mountain to climb can seem easy for you.
However, there is a reason why the fatality rate in the Annapurna I trek is very high. Let’s find out the reasons.
What Makes Annapurna I The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects
The table below explains the challenges and technical aspects of climbing Annapurna I.
| Challenges for Annapurna I Trek | Technical Skills Required |
|---|---|
| • Altitude sickness • Harsh weather with high risks of sudden storms • Highest fatality rate • Unstable glacial terrain • Fewer established terrains • High dependency on technical and unstable routes | • Technical skills in rock and ice climbing • Mental and physical endurance training |
4. Lhotse: The Fourth-Highest Mountain In The World
- Height: 8,516 Meters
- Location: Solukhumbu District, Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal
- First Conquered: 18th May, 1956 by Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger
- Death Rate: 2.7%
- Average Time to Summit: 54-60 Days
- Best Time: March to May and September to November
May 29, 2024 was a glorious day for the mountaineering enthusiasts in India as Satyadeep Gupta became the first person to complete climbing the Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse twice in the same season.
However, climbing Lhotse is not as easy as Satyadeep made it look like.
What Makes Lhotse The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects
Here are the challenges and technical skill requirements for climbing Mount Lhotse.
| Challenges of Climbing Mount Lhotse | Technical Skills Required |
|---|---|
| • Crevasses • High altitude sickness • Extreme weather conditions | • Physical and mental training to conquer one of the highest peaks of the world • Skills to navigate crevasses and icy slopes |
5. Makalu: The Fifth-Highest Peak In The World
- Height: 8,485 Meters
- Location: Mahalangur Himalayas, China and Nepal Border
- First Conquered: 15th May, 1955 by Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray
- Death Rate: 10-15%
- Average Time to Summit: 6-8 Weeks
- Best Time for Makalu Climbing: April to May and September to November
We have great news coming from the Makalu front as celebrated completed climbing the Makalu Peak for the eighth time in this season.
However, the fifth-highest peak in the world poses some serious challenges for the climbers.
What Makes Makalu The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects?
| Challenges for Climbing Makalu | Technical Skills Required for Climbing Makalu |
|---|---|
| • Pyramid shape • A high and steep climb • Icy slopes • Avalanches | • Rock and ice climbing • Advanced mountaineering skills |
6. Mont Blanc: The Hardest Mountain To Climb In Europe
- Height: 4,805.59 Meters
- Location: The Alps, The Franco-Italian Border
- First Conquered: 8th August 1786 by Dr. Michel-Gabriel Paccard and Jacques Balmat
- Death Rate: 0.15%
- Average Time to Summit: 3 Days
- Best Time to Climb: June to September
There may be debates about which country Mont Blanc is in, France or Italy. There is no doubt that it is one of the hardest mountains to climb in the world.
Also, my friend, a mountaineering expert in France has mentioned that Mont Blanc has already claimed closed to 9000 lives.
What Makes Mont Blanc The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects
Mont Blanc is the hardest mountain to climb in Europe despite being much shorter in height compared to the Mount Everest.
| Challenges for Climbing Mont Blanc | Technical Skills Required |
|---|---|
| • Risks of falling rocks and avalanches on the mountain slopes • Weather conditions are very volatile, causing sudden storms and high winds. • High traffic in the peak season causes congestion and boosts the risk of accidents. | • Familiarity with ice axes • Experience in glacier travel • Knowledge about Alpine navigation |
7. Nanda Devi: The Highest Mountain That Is Entirely Located In India
- Height: 7,817 Meters
- Location: Chamoli District, Uttarakhand
- First Conquered: 29th August, 1936
- Death Rate: 22%
- Average Time to Summit: 30-35 Days
- Best Time for Nanda Devi Climb: May to June and September to October
Nanda Devi, as a mountain peak, has been strategically important for India and China’s diplomatic relationship.
In 1965, the CIA and India launched a nuclear-powered surveillance at Nanda Devi to monitor the nuclear activities of China.
Further, Nanda Devi is the hardest mountain to climb in India.
In this context, you must know that you cannot climb the main peak of Nanda Devi due to religious sentiments and environment protection measures with the peak located within the Nanda Devi National Park.
You can climb Nanda Devi East. However, you need a special permission for the same.
What Makes Nanda Devi The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects
| Challenges to Climb Nanda Devi | Technical Skills Required |
|---|---|
| • Getting the permit • Unpredictable topographical patterns • Technical terrain | • Ability to manage altitude sickness • Training in using ice axes, ropes, and other gear • Technical guidance on certain terrains |
8. Mt. Nuptse
- Height: 7,861 Meters
- Location: Khumbu Region, Mahalangur Himal, The Himalayas, Nepal
- First Conquered: 16th May, 1961
- Death Rate: No Specific Information Available
- Average Time to Summit: 42 Days
- Best Time to Climb Mt. Nuptse: March to May and September to December
You cannot ignore the appeal of Mt. Nuptse if you consider the best treks in Nepal. It is a formidable neighbor of Mount Everest.
Meaning the “West Peak” in English, Mt. Nuptse is crucial for the local geography.
What Makes Mt. Nuptse The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects
Many mountaineers find climbing Mt. Nuptse more challenging than conquering Mount Everest. The table below explains all the reasons.
| Challenges for Climbing Mt. Nuptse | Technical Skills Required |
|---|---|
| • Technical terrains • Harsh and volatile weather conditions • Altitude sickness | • Glacier travel • Ice climbing • High-altitude mountaineering |
9. Mount Denali: The Tallest Mountain With The Base To Peak On Land
- Height: 5,500 m
- Location: Alaska
- First Conquered: 7th June, 1913 by Robert Tatum, Walter Harper, Harry Karstens, and Hudson Stuck
- Death Rate: Less than 1%
- Average Time to Summit: 2-4 Weeks
- Best Time to Climb: May to June
Formerly known as Mount McKinley, Mount Denali is the hardest mountain to climb in North America.
Recently, this gigantic peak has been in the news with Donald Trumph signing the executive order of changing the name of Mount Denali to Mount McKinley again.
However, Mount McKinley has always been a popular trekking destination. However, what are the challenges behind climbing the mountain?
Let’s find out!
What Makes Mount McKinley The Hardest Mountain To Climb? Challenges And Technical Aspects
Mount McKinley is beautiful but brutal, and here are the challenges you need to overcome during a climb.
| Challenges of Climbing Mount McKinley | Technical Skill Required |
|---|---|
| • Awful weather conditions • Thin air • Isolation | • Advanced rope work • Glacier travel • Snow climbing |
So, are you ready to conquer the hardest mountain to climb? Which one is on your list now?
