5 Most Dangerous Mountain to Climb in the World
Some mountains have the treacherous weather condition with strong storms. While some mountains have cliffs that are impossible to climb. And, there are some mountains with risks of avalanches and rock falls in every single step.
Considering these risk factors and the fatality rate in each mountain, here’s a list of 10 hardest mountains to climb in the world.
Annapurna I – the 10th highest peak in the world tops the list among the hardest mountains to climb. Fascinating and equally dangerous – Annapurna rises to 8,091 meters in the Himalayas.
Unlike Everest, it attracts only those mountaineers that are top on their game. Unfortunately, one-third of them never return.
Annapurna I – the main peak in Annapurna massif has seen only 191 climbers conquer it. The deaths of 72 climbers on this mountain brings death rate to 38%. No other mountains in the world have such a high fatality rate.
Moreover, at such a high altitude in the cold climate, climbers often suffer from medical problems like altitude sickness, pulmonary edema, and more. Inaccessibility and lack of enough local support also play some roles in making Annapurna hardest to climb as compared to other eight-thousands.
K2 offers deadly challenges with its extreme technicality. While around 500 reach the summit of Everest every year, K2 sometimes remain unclimbed an entire year. With a nickname “Mountaineer’s mountain”, only the elite mountaineers attempt to scale this mountain.
The bad weather and avalanches in the K2 mountain can hit upon the climbers any time. The steep slopes make the climb technically difficult. To worsen the expedition, there are sections of rocks that may collapse at any time on climbers.
The bottleneck is an infamous and deadly section on K2. The climbers have to travel across massive ice wall right beneath an overhanging glacier. The seracs are unstable and avalanches can occur at any time.
Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest peak in the world. But, when we look at its technicality, the difficulty level is close to that of mount K2. With the difficulty that the expedition team experience and the increasing fatality rate, mountaineers call Nanga Parbat “The Man Eater.”
The avalanche is the major cause of deaths of most climbers on Nanga Parbat. Other major causes are falls and exposure to cold. Due to the extreme cold, climbers have never summited this mountain in the winter.
The southern face of the mountain is the largest mountain face on this entire earth. Known as, “ Rupal Face”, this southern face of Nanga Parbat rises 15,000 foot tall from its base.
The latest tragedies occurred in June 2017 when two climbers went missing and January 2018 when a Polish climber died in the attempt. At present, the death rate on Nanga Parbat stands at 22 %.
It is not the mountain only that poses threat in Nanga Parbat. The 2013 terrorist attack at Nanga Parbat killed 11 climbers. With all these past events, it’s clear why the climbing world referred this peak as the hardest mountain to climb.
Firstly, Kanchenjunga is too remote. It takes you around two weeks just to reach the Base Camp. So, you are already tired before you begin your climb. Besides these, the major danger lies on the mountain itself. There are many short technical climbs to do on the way. A few times, you have to walk right beneath overhanging glacier and seracs that may tumble down at any time.
So, the avalanche is the major risk factor while trying to ascend this mountain. There are also very steep sections of 45°- 50° which make climbers nervous. Moreover, a steep section above Camp IV has taken lives of so many climbers while trying to return back from the summit. So, descending down from the summit looks more difficult than reaching the summit.
To sum up, the bad weather, avalanche prone areas, and steep climbing slopes all play a major role in making Kanchenjunga one of the most dangerous mountains in the world.
The most dangerous mountains are not always the tallest ones. With the height of only 3,970 meters from the sea-level, it is marked among the hardest mountains to climb in the world. Eiger stands over the small settlement of Scheidegg in the Bernese Alps. As compared to other huge mountains, it looks so small and is easily accessible. But, do not let the size and accessibility of the Eiger fool you- it is one of the most dangerous mountains in the world.
The north face, also known as Nordwand, is a huge wall of shattered limestones. This 1800-meters high wall is the largest north face in the Alps. With the difficulty and hazard it posses, the climbing world calls it “Murderous Wall.” Many climbers have died while attempting to scale the Eiger through the Murderous Wall.
The north face has several technical sections. Due to the melting of snow, there is a high risk of rock falls, ice falls, and avalanches. Many climbers have retraced back from a few hundred meters short of the summit due to rocks and ice falling on them.
10 Essential Items To Bring On Your Next Trek:
Map (with protective case)
Compass
GPS (optional)
Sunscreen
Lip balm
Sunglasses, goggles or glacier glasses
Jacket, vest, pants, gloves, hat (see Clothing)
Headlamp or flashlight (plus spare)
Extra batteries (kept near body when cold)
First-aid kit (see our First-Aid Checklist)
Matches or lighter
Waterproof container
Fire starter (for emergency survival fire)
Knife or multi-tool
Duct tape or other repair items
Extra day supply of food
Energy bars
Water bottles or hydration system (insulated)
Water treatment system
Tent, tarp, bivy or reflective blanket