Seven Second Summits
Encyclopedia
The Seven Second Summits are the second highest mountains of each of the seven continent
s. All of these mountain peaks are separate peaks rather than a sub-peak of the continents' high point. As of May 2011 no climber has completed the Seven Second Summits.
The main ridge of the Greater Caucasus
range is generally considered to form the boundary between Europe and Asia. In that case, Mount Elbrus
(5642 m (18,510 ft)) situated some 10 km north of the continental divide, is the highest mountain in Europe. Excluding the Caucasus Mountains
, Mont Blanc
(4808 m (15,774 ft)) would be Europe's highest mountain.
The Australian continent
is defined as comprising the mainland of Australia and proximate islands on the same continental shelf
, including Tasmania
and New Guinea
. In the convention of the seven continents, one of the continents is the region of Australasia
, which includes for example the mountainous islands of New Zealand
. For both the geological and conventional continent, New Guinea's Carstensz Pyramid (4884 m (16,024 ft)) is the highest summit. When considering a continent as a continuous landmass surrounded by oceans, mainland Australia would be its own continent, with Mount Kosciuszko
(2228 m (7,310 ft)) as its highest summit.
list created by Richard Bass
, who chose the highest mountain of mainland Australia, Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m), to represent the Australian continent's highest summit. Reinhold Messner
proposed another list (the Messner or Carstensz list) replacing Mount Kosciuszko with Western New Guinea's Carstensz Pyramid, which is part of Indonesia (4,884 m).
Following the Bass list, Mount Townsend
is the second highest summit (2,209 m) in Australia
. According to the Messner list, Puncak Mandala
(4,760 m) on New Guinea is the second tallest of the Australian continent. Heights of mountain peaks in West Papua are poorly established, and Puncak Trikora
has been listed as the second highest summit on the island, but SRTM-data do support a higher elevation for Mandala.
Both lists count Mount Elbrus
as the highest peak in Europe. This makes Dykh-Tau
(5,205 m), located in Russia
, the second highest summit in Europe. Those who consider Mont Blanc
to be the highest mountain in Europe would consider Monte Rosa
(4,634 m), located in Switzerland
, to be the second highest summit.
Territory claimed by Chile and the U.K. However, most nations do not recognize Antarctic territorial claims.
† Territory claimed by India
wrote in Into Thin Air
that it would be a bigger challenge to climb the second-highest peak of each continent instead of the highest. Paradoxically, this is true for almost every continent.
In Asia K2
(8,611 m) demands greater technical climbing skills than Everest
(8,848 m), while altitude-related factors such as the thinness of the atmosphere, high winds and low temperatures remain much the same.
The summit of Mount Kenya
(5,199 m) is a rock climb, while Mount Kilimanjaro
(5,895 m) can be ascended without any technical difficulty.
In North America, some sources consider Mount Logan
a more difficult climb than Denali
, although the climbing and outdoor recreation website Summitpost considers Logan no more difficult than Denali, because it is neither technical nor steep.http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150624/logan-massif.html.
In South America Ojos del Salado
involves a short scramble while Aconcagua
is just a walk.
In Europe Dykh-Tau
is a considerably harder climb than Mount Elbrus
.
In Australasia, the continent's Second Summit on the Bass list, Mount Townsend
, is more challenging than Mount Kosciuszko
, but still just a walk-up. The normal route on the highest peak of the Messner list, Carstensz Pyramid, is technically difficult (UIAA grade V+), but with respect to the approach route, arguably the more significant problem in climbing the New Guinea peaks, Puncak Mandala
is extremely challenging, with perhaps only two successful approaches (and climbs) reported.
In Antarctica, Mount Vinson presents little difficulty beyond normal challenges of Antarctica (the guiding company Adventure Peaks rates the ascent at PD/AD on the Alpine scale), but Mount Tyree
requires technical climbing and it has been climbed by a total of seven people since its discovery.
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
s. All of these mountain peaks are separate peaks rather than a sub-peak of the continents' high point. As of May 2011 no climber has completed the Seven Second Summits.
Seven Second Summits definitions
The definition of continent is a matter of some dispute among mountaineers seeking to complete this challenge.The main ridge of the Greater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus , sometimes translated as "Caucasus Major", "Big Caucasus" or "Large Caucasus") is the major mountain range of the Caucasus Mountains....
range is generally considered to form the boundary between Europe and Asia. In that case, Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus is an inactive volcano located in the western Caucasus mountain range, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia. Mt. Elbrus's peak is the highest in the Caucasus, in Russia...
(5642 m (18,510 ft)) situated some 10 km north of the continental divide, is the highest mountain in Europe. Excluding the Caucasus Mountains
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains is a mountain system in Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region .The Caucasus Mountains includes:* the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and* the Lesser Caucasus Mountains....
, Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
(4808 m (15,774 ft)) would be Europe's highest mountain.
The Australian continent
Australia (continent)
Australia is the world's smallest continent, comprising the mainland of Australia and proximate islands including Tasmania, New Guinea, the Aru Islands and Raja Ampat Islands...
is defined as comprising the mainland of Australia and proximate islands on the same continental shelf
Continental shelf
The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain. Much of the shelf was exposed during glacial periods, but is now submerged under relatively shallow seas and gulfs, and was similarly submerged during other interglacial periods. The continental margin,...
, including Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. In the convention of the seven continents, one of the continents is the region of Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
, which includes for example the mountainous islands of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. For both the geological and conventional continent, New Guinea's Carstensz Pyramid (4884 m (16,024 ft)) is the highest summit. When considering a continent as a continuous landmass surrounded by oceans, mainland Australia would be its own continent, with Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko is a mountain located in the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park. With a height of 2,228 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Australia...
(2228 m (7,310 ft)) as its highest summit.
The Bass and Messner list
The Second Seven Summits list follows the Seven SummitsSeven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first postulated as such and achieved on April 30, 1985 by Richard Bass .-Definition:...
list created by Richard Bass
Richard Bass
Richard "Dick" Bass is the owner of Snowbird Ski Resort in Utah and the first man to climb the "Seven Summits," the tallest mountain on each continent. There is no relation with the Bass Family of Fort Worth, Texas.-Early life:...
, who chose the highest mountain of mainland Australia, Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m), to represent the Australian continent's highest summit. Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner is an Italian mountaineer and explorer from Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol "whose astonishing feats on Everest and on peaks throughout the world have earned him the status of the greatest climber in history." He is renowned for making the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without...
proposed another list (the Messner or Carstensz list) replacing Mount Kosciuszko with Western New Guinea's Carstensz Pyramid, which is part of Indonesia (4,884 m).
Following the Bass list, Mount Townsend
Mount Townsend
Mount Townsend is the second highest peak of mainland Australia. Located in Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains , Mount Townsend is north of Australia's highest mainland peak, Mount Kosciuszko....
is the second highest summit (2,209 m) in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. According to the Messner list, Puncak Mandala
Puncak Mandala
Puncak Mandala , is a mountain located in Papua, Indonesia. Following Mount Carstensz 350 km to the east, Mandala is the second highest freestanding mountain of Oceania, Australasia, New Guinea and Indonesia.-Further reading:* at GunungBagging.com...
(4,760 m) on New Guinea is the second tallest of the Australian continent. Heights of mountain peaks in West Papua are poorly established, and Puncak Trikora
Puncak Trikora
Puncak Trikora, until 1963 Wilhelmina Peak, is a 4730 or high mountain in the Papua province of Indonesia on New Guinea. It lies in the eastern part of the Sudirman Range of the Maoke Mountains. Behind Puncak Jaya at , it is either the second or third highest mountain on the island of New Guinea...
has been listed as the second highest summit on the island, but SRTM-data do support a higher elevation for Mandala.
Both lists count Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus is an inactive volcano located in the western Caucasus mountain range, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia. Mt. Elbrus's peak is the highest in the Caucasus, in Russia...
as the highest peak in Europe. This makes Dykh-Tau
Dykh-Tau
Dykh-Tau or Dykhtau , is a mountain located in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia; its peak stands about north of the border with Georgia.The mountain is the second highest of the Caucasus Mountains, after Mount Elbrus.-Access:...
(5,205 m), located in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the second highest summit in Europe. Those who consider Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
to be the highest mountain in Europe would consider Monte Rosa
Monte Rosa
The Monte Rosa Massif is a mountain massif located in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps. It is located between Switzerland and Italy...
(4,634 m), located in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, to be the second highest summit.
| Bass | Messner | Summit | Elevation m | Elevation ft | Continent | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X | X | Mount Kenya Mount Kenya Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi... |
5,199 | 17,057 | Africa Africa Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area... |
Kenya Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east... |
| X | X | Mount Tyree Mount Tyree Mount Tyree is the second highest mountain of Antarctica located 13 kilometres northwest of Vinson Massif , the highest peak on the continent.... |
4,852 | 15,919 | Antarctica | N/A Antarctic Treaty System The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System or ATS, regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth's only continent without a native human population. For the purposes of the treaty system, Antarctica is defined as all of the land... * |
| X | Puncak Mandala Puncak Mandala Puncak Mandala , is a mountain located in Papua, Indonesia. Following Mount Carstensz 350 km to the east, Mandala is the second highest freestanding mountain of Oceania, Australasia, New Guinea and Indonesia.-Further reading:* at GunungBagging.com... |
4,760 | 15,617 | Australasia Australasia Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes... |
Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
|
| X | Mount Townsend Mount Townsend Mount Townsend is the second highest peak of mainland Australia. Located in Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains , Mount Townsend is north of Australia's highest mainland peak, Mount Kosciuszko.... |
2,209 | 7,247 | Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
|
| X | X | K2 K2 K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest... |
8,611 | 28,251 | Asia Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population... |
Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan... , China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... † |
| X | X | Dykh-Tau Dykh-Tau Dykh-Tau or Dykhtau , is a mountain located in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia; its peak stands about north of the border with Georgia.The mountain is the second highest of the Caucasus Mountains, after Mount Elbrus.-Access:... |
5,205 | 17,076 | Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
| X | X | Mount Logan Mount Logan Mount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America, after Mount McKinley . The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada . Mount Logan is located within Kluane National Park and... |
5,959 | 19,550 | North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... |
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
| X | X | Ojos del Salado Ojos del Salado Nevado Ojos del Salado is a massive stratovolcano in the Andes on the Argentina-Chile border and the highest volcano in the world at . It is also the second highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere and the highest in Chile... |
6,893 | 22,614 | South America South America South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east... |
Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... , Chile Chile Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far... |
Territory claimed by Chile and the U.K. However, most nations do not recognize Antarctic territorial claims.
† Territory claimed by India
Difficulty versus Seven Summits
Alpinism author Jon KrakauerJon Krakauer
Jon Krakauer is an American writer and mountaineer, primarily known for his writing about the outdoors and mountain-climbing...
wrote in Into Thin Air
Into Thin Air
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster is a 1997 bestselling non-fiction book written by Jon Krakauer. It details the author's presence at Mount Everest during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster when eight climbers were killed and several others were stranded by a 'rogue storm'...
that it would be a bigger challenge to climb the second-highest peak of each continent instead of the highest. Paradoxically, this is true for almost every continent.
In Asia K2
K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
(8,611 m) demands greater technical climbing skills than Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
(8,848 m), while altitude-related factors such as the thinness of the atmosphere, high winds and low temperatures remain much the same.
The summit of Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
(5,199 m) is a rock climb, while Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
(5,895 m) can be ascended without any technical difficulty.
In North America, some sources consider Mount Logan
Mount Logan
Mount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America, after Mount McKinley . The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada . Mount Logan is located within Kluane National Park and...
a more difficult climb than Denali
Mount McKinley
Mount McKinley or Denali in Alaska, United States is the highest mountain peak in North America and the United States, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.- Geology and features :Mount McKinley is a granitic pluton...
, although the climbing and outdoor recreation website Summitpost considers Logan no more difficult than Denali, because it is neither technical nor steep.http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150624/logan-massif.html.
In South America Ojos del Salado
Ojos del Salado
Nevado Ojos del Salado is a massive stratovolcano in the Andes on the Argentina-Chile border and the highest volcano in the world at . It is also the second highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere and the highest in Chile...
involves a short scramble while Aconcagua
Aconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
is just a walk.
In Europe Dykh-Tau
Dykh-Tau
Dykh-Tau or Dykhtau , is a mountain located in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia; its peak stands about north of the border with Georgia.The mountain is the second highest of the Caucasus Mountains, after Mount Elbrus.-Access:...
is a considerably harder climb than Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus is an inactive volcano located in the western Caucasus mountain range, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia. Mt. Elbrus's peak is the highest in the Caucasus, in Russia...
.
In Australasia, the continent's Second Summit on the Bass list, Mount Townsend
Mount Townsend
Mount Townsend is the second highest peak of mainland Australia. Located in Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains , Mount Townsend is north of Australia's highest mainland peak, Mount Kosciuszko....
, is more challenging than Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko is a mountain located in the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park. With a height of 2,228 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Australia...
, but still just a walk-up. The normal route on the highest peak of the Messner list, Carstensz Pyramid, is technically difficult (UIAA grade V+), but with respect to the approach route, arguably the more significant problem in climbing the New Guinea peaks, Puncak Mandala
Puncak Mandala
Puncak Mandala , is a mountain located in Papua, Indonesia. Following Mount Carstensz 350 km to the east, Mandala is the second highest freestanding mountain of Oceania, Australasia, New Guinea and Indonesia.-Further reading:* at GunungBagging.com...
is extremely challenging, with perhaps only two successful approaches (and climbs) reported.
In Antarctica, Mount Vinson presents little difficulty beyond normal challenges of Antarctica (the guiding company Adventure Peaks rates the ascent at PD/AD on the Alpine scale), but Mount Tyree
Mount Tyree
Mount Tyree is the second highest mountain of Antarctica located 13 kilometres northwest of Vinson Massif , the highest peak on the continent....
requires technical climbing and it has been climbed by a total of seven people since its discovery.
See also
- Seven SummitsSeven SummitsThe Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first postulated as such and achieved on April 30, 1985 by Richard Bass .-Definition:...
- Volcanic Seven SummitsVolcanic Seven SummitsThe Volcanic Seven Summits are the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents, just as the Seven Summits are the highest peaks on each of the seven continents...
- Three Poles ChallengeThree Poles ChallengeThe Three Poles is an adventurer’s challenge to reach all three of the North Pole, the South Pole, and Mount Everest.The Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge was the first in recorded history to accomplish this challenge in 1994. Kagge reached the North Pole on May 8 1990 with Børge Ousland; the South...
- Explorers Grand SlamExplorers Grand SlamThe Explorers Grand Slam or Adventurers Grand Slam is an adventurers challenge to reach the North Pole, the South Pole and all of the Seven Summits....
, also known as The Adventurers Grand Slam - Eight-thousanderEight-thousanderThe eight-thousanders are the fourteen independent mountains on Earth that are more than high above sea level. They are all located in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges in Asia....
- Territorial claims of Antarctica
- Kashmir conflictKashmir conflictThe Kashmir conflict is a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region, the northwesternmost region of South Asia....