The 14 highest peaks of the world
Have you ever looked at a mountain and thought, wow, mountains are this beautiful, imposing, fearsome, majestic thing that nature created? Mountains are older than time, they appear out of nowhere and stand proud, invincible; knowing that they dominate the lands that touch the sunlight and that they are feared and adored by the tiny beings that use them as refuge. Mountains are the bones of the giants that fell in combat so long ago. The column of the immense dragon that flew over the world with its breath of fire. Mountains hold an aura of mystery that is so appealing to simple mortals. For them there is neither time nor space, only the world at their feet.
There are many brave people throughout history who have managed, or at least tried, to be the first to reach the highest peaks in the world, to observe creation from the heights of the gods and to feel how insignificant the worldly noise and earthly problems are when you look at the world above the clouds.The eagerness to discover and to be the first in something seem to be two of the great motivations behind the footsteps of these climbers and mountaineers. The reward for so much effort? The natural beauty that can only be appreciated from the heights, the satisfaction of having surpassed the limits of the human being based on effort and hard work and the memory of having lived an adventure designed by Gaia herself, Mother Earth, only for those who are willing to risk everything.
In the world there are only 14 peaks that exceed the famous 8,000 meters above sea level, the largest of the largest. The steep slopes and snowy peaks wait patiently for time, their only enemy, to make a dent in their surface while we marvel at their height and power. We review its characteristics and history in this snowy photo gallery.
Who doesn't know the highest peak on the planet? It is 8,848 meters high and its name comes from the famous Welsh geographer George Everest. It is located in the Himalayas and the first climbers to crown it were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on May 23, 1953. The Tibetan name for Everest is Chomolungma or Qomolangma, which means "Mother of the Universe".
The second highest peak in the world stand at 8,611 meters and is in Tibet and Pakistan. The first ascent of this deadly giant of mountaineering was made by the Italians Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli on July 31, 1954. It is possibly the most difficult mountain to climb. In fact, 25% of those trying to reach the top die trying.
With an unpronounceable name the Kanchenjunga is the third highest peak in the world after Everest and K2. It is 8,586 meters high and is the highest peak in India and the second highest in Nepal. Its name means "the five snow treasures".
This wonder of nature measures 8,516 meters and is the fourth highest peak in the world. Although it is lower, it was not until 18 May 1956 that the Swiss Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss crowned it. Today the Lhotse has five routes on its south side and one on its west side.
It's a mythical peak between the eight-thousand. It is the fifth highest peak on the planet, at 8,463 meters, and borders Nepal and Tibet. To climb to its highest point is not only worth being an expert walker, but requires rock and ice climbing techniques, making it one of the most inaccessible peaks in the world.
Its 8,201 meters of height make it the sixth highest peak among the eight-thousand. The first ascent was made on 19 October 1954 by the Austrians Herbert Tichy and Joseph Joechler together with Sherpa Pasang Dawa Lama. His name means in Tibetan "turquoise goddess".
It was one of the peaks that took the longest to be crowned. Until May 13, 1960, no one had stepped on the summit, located at 8,167 meters above sea level. It is the highest peak of the five that make up the massif of the same name and the only one of the same name that exceeds 8,000 meters. Its name in Sanskrit means "white mountain".
At 8,163 meters and located in Nepal, is the eighth highest peak on the planet. Its name comes from the Sanskrit word "manas" which means "mind". The first to crown the summit were Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu on May 9, 1956.
Image: Ben Tubby
Its name means "naked mountain" and with its 8,125 meters above sea level is the ninth eight thousand of the planet. In the world of mountaineering it is known as "the killer mountain" because of the number of lives it has claimed.
This imposing massif with its highest peak, 8,091 meters above sea level is the tenth highest peak on the planet. In Hinduism, Annapurna is the name of the goddess of food and cooking and her name translates as "goddess of crops".
Stands at a height of 8,068 meters and the Americans Pete Schoening and Andrew Kauffman were the first to reach its peak on July 5, 1958. It is the eleventh highest peak in the world. It is also known as K5 or Hidden Peak.
The twelfth highest peak in the world was initially known as the K3 and is 8,047 meters high. It is located in the Karakorum massif, less than 10 kilometres from the mythical K2.
It has a height of 8,035 meters and is the thirteenth highest peak on the planet. It is located in the Karakorum and was initially known as the K4. In Balti it means "beautiful mountain".
It is also known as the Gosaithan. This ochomil, the last of the 14 that surpass this magical height in all the planet, has a height of 8.027 meters above sea level and its name means in Tibetan "crest on the plain of grass". Gosaithan, the other name by which it is known, means in Hindi "the throne of the gods". It is the only one of the fourteen eight thousand that is located entirely in Tibet, in the Langtang National Park.
