7 (or 8) Summits: The World’s Highest Mountains by Continent
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Written by
Jeff Wallenfeldt
Fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
© ricktravel/stock.adobe.com
Mountaineers can all agree that climbing the Seven Summits, the highest peaks of
each of the world’s continents, is among the supreme accomplishments of their
sport; it is harder to get them to agree on exactly which peaks make up the Seven
Summits. The problem is one of geographical classification and perspective. First,
there is the question of whether Europe is considered part of Asia or constitutes a
continent unto itself. If one accepts the notion of Eurasia as a single continent, there
should really be only six summits. Another question arises regarding Europe: If one
accepts the Urals as the dividing line between Europe and Asia, should the highest
point in Europe be Mont Blanc, which is irrefutably wholly in Europe, or Mount
Elbrus, which, depending on interpretation, only barely manages to escape
classification as an Asian feature? Then there is the question of whether Australia is
classified in isolation or includes Oceania. A pair of climbers formulated the two
most popular schemes. The list of peaks compiled and climbed by American
mountaineer Dick Bass draws the line at Australia proper; the list put together by
Italian mountain climber Reinhold Messner embraces Oceania. Because neither
climber subscribes to the concept of Eurasia or is bothered by the location of Mount
Elbrus, their lists are otherwise identical. Here, then, are the world’s Seven—or
maybe make that Eight—Summits.
