World's 10 Most Dangerous Mountains

Take it or leave it, this morbid article on the climbing world’s most dangerous mountains has a few interesting nuggets. Did you know that K2 is thought to have a curse against women? Or that Mt. Washington in New Hampshire is more dangerous, stats-wise, than Denali? Read on for the full scoop, a list of the World’s 10 Most Dangerous Mountains for Climbing. . .

#1. ANNAPURNA, Central Nepal (26,545 ft.)
On this mountain, the 10th highest in the world, about 130 climbers have summited the avalanche-prone peak, but 53 have died trying — making Annapurna’s fatality rate of 41% the highest in the world.

#2. NANGA PARBAT, Kashmir (26,657 ft.)
Known affectionately as the Man Eater, this craggy monster in Kashmir is an enormous ridge of rock and ice. The peak is the ninth highest in the world and its southern side features the tallest mountain face on the planet. Nanga Parbat claimed 31 lives before it was conquered by Austrian Herman Buhl in 1953.

WorldsDangerousMts-nanga.jpg

#3. SIULA GRANDE, Peruvian Andes (20,814 ft.)
In 1985, the duo of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, whose journey was chronicled in the book and film Touching the Void, attempted the western face of Siula Grande: a sheer, vertical ascent that had never been completed. They made it to the summit but Simpson fell during the descent, breaking his leg. Then Yates, lowering the injured Simpson down by rope, lost sight of him over a cliff. After an hour passed, with his position slipping away, and Simpson unable to secure himself, Yates cut the rope. Incredibly, Simpson survived the 100 ft. fall into a crevasse. Over the next three days he subsisted on melted snow and hopped the five miles back to camp, arriving shortly before Yates, assuming Simpson had perished, was due to depart for home.

Commenting on post : World's 10 Most Dangerous Mountains
Posted by Ian - 01/22/2008 10:15 AM

What about Mount Blanc? I thought that was the No. 1 most dangerous peak in the world?

Posted by carl huseby - 09/14/2008 02:00 PM

You have not mentioned The great Trango….. why?

Posted by MountainMule - 10/09/2008 05:07 AM

Mt Cook [ Aorangi ], New Zealand’s highest peak has killed dozens of climbers. It may not rank with the Matterhorn, K2 etc, but its a killer peak.

Posted by Richard - 11/16/2008 04:32 AM

when I lived in Japan we all walked up Fuji at least yearly and each time had a walking stick that got stamped, to show how far you made it. Great fortune to those that make it to the top. I should go walk it again.

Posted by radson - 12/21/2008 06:57 PM

I think this is top ten famous mountains rather than most deadly. What statistical method was used to draw up this list. Most deaths, deaths per attempt, death per summit. The stat for Everest is baloney 9%? maybe back in the 80s but not since the days when 500 people summit a season.

Alluding to what Ian states, i am sure more people die in one season on the mt blanc Massif than a lifetime on Nanga Parbat
Quite a bogus story .

Posted by Laureen Mendelsohn - 01/25/2009 11:05 PM

The deadliest peaks are not necessarily those physical peaks that can be climbed on this earth but instead the deadliest peaks are those that are climbed by overconfident or underexperienced. I suppose if you climb even the least of the rock you take the chance you will not survive. A mountain is nothing more than a mountain. All the more reason to keep climbing and hiking!

Posted by Mazama - 05/09/2009 11:16 PM

Massif du Mont-Blanc is the most dangerous mountain, it has claimed the most lives. Why is it not in the list? Why are Fuji and Mt Washington even mentioned, is this a joke?
Have you ever climbed a mountain?

Posted by Wang - 06/13/2009 11:20 AM

radson, and more people die in car accidents than mountain climbing. What’s your fucking point, pinhead?

Posted by siraj - 06/25/2009 09:56 AM

It’s true that the K2 is the most deadliest peak.
The reason is that the valocity of air is to high and it’s hard to climb on it.Some people say that it’s an evil sprit and only great man can fight it.

Posted by Anderson - 06/30/2009 04:14 AM

There’s a gift shop at the top of Mt. Washington. Real dangerous.

Posted by zohaib - 07/12/2009 10:30 AM

k2 is also in pakistan

Posted by Ali - 07/15/2009 07:41 AM

K2 is by far the most dangerous peak in the world. With the most unpredicatble weather and huge avalanches there is no mountain which comes close to K2. Only the most experienced and skilled climbers in the world have been able to reach the summit and come back to tell the story.

Posted by NY Hiker - 07/19/2009 09:44 PM

To Anderson,,, the gift shop are for the cowards that can’t climb it,so they drive up. Don’t take away from the ppl that brave the mountain.

Posted by Mt Trekker - 07/22/2009 05:33 PM

rofl @ mount Washington being ranking just under Everest and just above Denali. Are you kidding me?! Washington is recommended for experienced “hikers”.

Posted by Brett - 09/04/2009 07:25 PM

The reason Mt. Washington is on here is because of stupid people. Every year some numb nut tries to do it without the proper gear and gets killed when the weather shifts. I’ve seen people on that mountain so unprepared that I knew if they twisted an ankle they’d be dead before someone could reach them. The fact that it has an auto road and summit building makes it worse. Gives people a false sense of security.

Posted by CommonSense - 11/23/2009 02:01 AM

The weather on Mt. Washington can suddenly turn from a sunny day to freezing with ice pelting you in 60mph winds. It’s pushed a lot of people to falls and being cut off from a safe return until it’s too late, even those properly equipped. The natives warned of the mountain, and those who “get it” have a lot of respect. It can kill you quick.

Posted by I know math - 12/04/2009 12:10 PM

Not gonna lie, I agree with a lot of what is said about these top 10 (not Mt Wash though, its a friggin mommy/daddy/little joey tourist mark). However, whats with the math on #1? “…about 130 climbers have summited the avalanche-prone peak, but 53 have died trying — making Annapurna’s fatality rate of 41% the highest in the world.” If 130 have made it, and 53 other people have died trying, that means 183 people have tried, 130 were successful and 53 died. 53/183 = 29%

Posted by Brian - 12/05/2009 07:11 AM

About the maths on No1.The article may be badly written as many climbers can die on the way down!So about 130 may have summited but all did not reach the bottom! This will throw out the percentages.

Posted by Experience - 12/08/2009 09:38 AM

Clearly the main point of discussion here is the credibility of the article. Has anyone here climbed Mt. Washington? Probably not, it seems a lot of people are basing death on elevation and remoteness. The death toll for Mt. Washington is approximately 130+/- people in and around the mountain. No other mountain on this list has weather that comes close to winter conditions on Washington. Can you stroll up it on a sunny day at age 75…yes. Can you be experienced and die in 100 mph winds and avalanches…yes. That is just science. This last part goes out to “I know Math”. I’m glad your 4th grade reasoning skills helped you deduce your answer. If you knew anything about percentages in mountain climbing deaths, they are always based on the ratio of deaths to summits, that is where 41% comes from. You can’t deduce 29% from attempts, you have no clue how many people sat at Base camp or only got to 7,000 M, etc.

Posted by Kailyn - 12/08/2009 08:57 PM

When we had to drive this year from British Columbia all the Way to Ontario for my grandma’s very late funeral (Canada) I saw the Rocky Mountains, and they looked pretty dangerous, but cool

Posted by Tom Murphy - 12/17/2009 03:51 PM

The toughest to climb doesn’t equal most dangerous. Most dangerous is most deaths OR highest percentage of deaths to attempts.

Mt. Washington is listed due to its high number of deaths but, as already mentioned, it takes a fair bit of foolishness to die there. Most of the recent deaths were due to heart attacks. These was a serious case of hypothermia a few years ago (permanent brain damage) but those boys hiked up without any layers in a cold rain.

Posted by scott - 12/31/2009 10:39 AM

Clearly only very few people have the ability to climb the first 5 peaks mentioned .so for jo average who can walk mont blonc (easy) if that person was to even attempt to climb say mount everist un aided would be guaranteed a certain death certificate , work it out for yourselves DUMMIES!!!

Posted by bailey - 02/06/2010 01:59 PM

i got annapurna for every search ive done so it must be the most dangerous !!!!

Posted by Top climbing mountains - 04/10/2010 02:31 AM

Nanga Parbat is much favoured by most climbers, but it were the Germans, who gave it the name, Murder Mountain. The explorer, Albert Frederick Mummery, was the first to venture on this mountain. Daunting and wild, bearing the onslaught of gnawing wind and torrential rain during the monsoons, Nanga Parbat is full of the dangers of the unknown. The Sherpas, localites of the Himalayan region call Nanga Parbat, “the maneater” or the ‘Mountain of the Devil’. No other peak has claimed lives with such sickening regularity and the list of tragedies is heart-wrenching. In the last century, roads have been built in the Karakoram range, but little else has changed in this region.

Posted by karka - 05/23/2010 11:49 AM

annapurna and K2 are the most dangerous… by far.

Posted by Worldwalker - 06/02/2010 12:01 PM

Yes, you have to be an idiot to die on Mt. Washington, but the fact that it’s just a few hours away from some of the largest population centers in the US provides an ample supply of idiots. Watch them starting out on any warm summer day. You’ll see people with nothing but shorts and T-shirts heading into an area which has the worst weather conditions that most city-dwellers will ever encounter. But off they go, in their shorts and T-shirts and sneakers, with no rain gear, no warm clothing, no nothing … in short, one twisted ankle and one storm away from becoming a statistic. And some of them do.

Posted by vadditwice - 06/17/2010 12:11 PM

I think some people are not getting the boint here. Most deaths doesnt eqaul most dangerous. It may just mean it is more accessible than the others. Most dangerous would be the one that has the maximum ratio of deaths to attempts. That is why the himalyan mountains feature here although total no. of deaths might be greater for Mt.Blanc.

Posted by Cristian - 07/22/2010 01:02 PM

You forgot to mention Pico de Orizaba in Mexico,I heard around 60 people died there alone!

Posted by imran - 08/02/2010 02:52 PM

pakistan is the best destination for montaineers in the wrld. seeing is believing.

Posted by Haris - 08/07/2010 04:02 AM

i agree with scot. i heard mount washington holds a race every year…try racing to summit on nanga parbat or k2 or any of the 8000 thsndrs lol…also take into account how many people dare to climb these mountains— compare the ratios between mount blanc mount wahington and any other of the asian 8 thousnaders a very few number of ppl dare to climb the asian big boys out of the total 150 53 died on Anapurna increase the scale to 500 and GOd knws how many more wud have been dead

Posted by Mike - 08/16/2010 09:24 AM

Mt. Washington is no longer the record holder for highest recorded windspeed.
Some place in Australia has topped it in the last 5 or 6 years or so.

Posted by keith douglas - 08/29/2010 09:31 AM

please let us not forget mt. elbrus in russia, it has in excess of 45 deaths per year, i climbed it last year, and conditions there can become almost artic like and very sudden, making it extremly dangerous! it definately deserves a mention!!!!!!!!

Posted by nirajan - 10/08/2010 01:36 AM

it’s good to know about the matterhorn. i didn’t knew about it. beside i think Mt. Annapurna is the dangerous mountain overall due to it’s frequent avalaunche that occurs.

Posted by Vermonter - 10/09/2010 09:00 PM

Sure, Mount Washington is an anthill compared to the other peaks on this list. However, the combination of its accessibility and its tendency towards extreme and unpredictable weather conditions is deadly. I believe the current count is 136, most from hypothermia and falls. It sits at the convergence of three major weather systems in a range with a north-south orientation. “The world’s worst weather” is not an exaggeration- summit conditions in winter often exceed those at McMurdo station and winds are hurricane force more than one out of every 3 days. And speaking of wind, that new world record in Australia was during a tropical cyclone, whereas the wind on Washington was just… wind. And it’s not just dumb tourists who die there, experienced climbers do too (usually in winter or during spring skiing in Tuckerman).

Posted by Aussie'sRule - 10/13/2010 11:07 PM

I reckon Mount Blanc is pretty dangerous i mean 58 people died on it and 10 got lost last year and gods knows how many will happen this year!

Posted by TheColorado54 - 10/29/2010 10:21 PM

For those of you saying mount blanc is the deadliest in the world. by the numbers it’s true yet it isnt as near as dangerous as any of the 8000s such as Annapurna, Nanga Parbat,ect. it has taken the lives of many inexperienced climbers, climbers that would almost certainly perish on the 8000m peaks. i would say alot of the people that summit Blanc still would have trouble with the others. but the numbers should at least put it over Mt. Washington…..cmon.

Posted by king stephenson climber from new hampshire - 11/24/2010 12:01 AM

I summitted mt washington twice by diferrent routes and I have felt the violence of the weather on many new england summits survived a few white outs and let me say this. Mt washington is the everest of new hampshire climbers from our state call it the rock pile.Do not be stupid and go up not prepared this mountain can defeat the strongest climbers in the world so all you out of towners making these comments calling the mountain an anthill you have no idea what you are talking about.Here is the basic rule of mountaineering,Making it to the summit is optional getting down is manditory so when you come to climb our peaks come with respect for them disrespect them and go up not properly equipped and trained you will die here.In the winter the summit buildings are closed no escape if you get caught in a storm you will freeze to death I suggest you read the book,Not without peril if you want to find out how people died on mt washington

Posted by whitemountainsNH - 12/21/2010 06:24 PM

Mt Blanc should be up there but no one can deny the power of weather when it comes to mt washington.The reason why its so dangerous is that its small and not intimidating like a matterhorn or denali so people underestimate New England weather which kills easily. Not Without Peril is a great book. Mt Fuji really? they sell hot noodles at the top cant wait for that hehe.

Posted by mustafa - 12/24/2010 04:31 AM

k2 is by far the most dangerous it has the highest fatality rate in the world iwth its high avalanche chances, and rough and uneven surface. K2 rocks.

Posted by Marc R lamontagne (Mountain) - 12/28/2010 08:14 PM

Even when all the experts agree what the most dangerous mountain is in the world is doesn’t mean they are right. Mount Washington at 6,288 develops its conditions not because of its height but because of the company it keeps. THINK of whats around it and not what it is, its not who u r that makes u scary its whats behind you and all the mountains that surround it makes the weather around there as unpredictable as the dice at a craps table, every move on this mountain is a roll of the dice. Every step you take here can be a memory or your last……………..

Posted by ejl - 01/02/2011 04:32 PM

Actually, Annapurna with a fatality rate of over 40% is far more deadly than K2 on which just over 20% of climbers have died.

Posted by Romulo Rubio - 01/03/2011 06:11 PM

I hiked mount Washington in July and this mountain does deserve respect but I do agree Mount Blanc should be on the list.

Posted by chadly - 01/04/2011 01:10 AM

Neither the article nor the comments mention the north face of the Eiger. To all of you, I suggest reading Jon Krakauer’s Eiger Dreams. Everest has become a farce. Fixed ropes? Fixed ladders? Sherpas short-roping rich tourists to the “Top of the World”?

Posted by matthew - 03/19/2011 08:59 PM

what no Eiger Mordwand or North face?

Posted by tarukun - 04/25/2011 09:27 PM

Mt Tanigawadake, Japan – recorded deaths 1931-2005 – 781
Total deaths for ALL 8,0000m peaks – 637

Posted by Willard - 05/10/2011 11:46 AM

i mistyped “when there HASN’T been sucessful summit”.

Posted by Willard - 05/10/2011 11:50 AM

K2 is deadliest mountain cause on it people die constantly, year after year, and there are lot of years when there has been sucessful summit. Annapurna has higher % but it is because of high number of deaths during first attempts to climb the mountain (same as Nanga Parbat).

Posted by vadditwice - 05/27/2011 01:26 AM

All dimwits out here. Mt Washington or Blanc are dangerous to foolish light headed youngsters who think they can go without any proper precautions and make it to the top with ease. As some one said all of them will certainly perish halfway up the 8000ers. The peaks like Nanga parbat and K2 claims lives of extremely experienced mountaineers. You have to bear in mind you cannot even attempt them without getting a permission from the government. Half the people who try, never come back. Thats what makes it dangerous.

Posted by DARKSKY - 06/20/2011 11:15 AM

I know many mountaineers will agree with me when i say K2 is thee numro uno most dangerous piece of rock in the world bar none !

Posted by Ali - 09/14/2011 02:50 AM

Nanga Parbat is not in Kashmir, its in Pakistan!

Posted by Steve - 10/03/2011 09:31 AM

This list is about how many people have died on mountains. It has nothing to do with experience . I climbed mt Washington last year on oct 30 I am not an experienced climber but I was prepared physically and gear wise. After lionshead the winds picked up to 70 mph , we met near white out conditions after the alpine gardens the windchill was -17 at the top. None of the buildings were open. Many Himalayan climbers train on mt Washington in the winter because the weather conditions are similar. So even though it is relatively small compared to the Asian giants it still kills. And I didn’t see anything about intelligence level on this list. The way I see it most of the deaths on the higher peaks happened because of poor decision making.

Posted by PT-NH - 11/14/2011 12:40 AM

I have climbed MT Washington in winter, It was listed as a good prerequisite to an Everest attempt as was Denali. All you pro climbers calling it an ant hill are most likely thinking of a summer stroll with calm winds and a good eye on the weather. Sure that can be fairly effortless, but to justify this list, try it in winter, be prepared or die.

Posted by Arnab Bhattacharya - 11/23/2011 02:47 AM

Mountain peaks

Posted by Mario - 01/22/2012 07:19 AM

I have CLIMBED MT. Washington several times in the winter and I don’t care who you are its hell. Try going up the Lion head route. NOT tuckerman’s ravine which is a walk up. Lion Head has a Free climb section that is comparable to The hillary step on Everest of course at much lower altitude . I have met many climbers training for Everest on this route . Thats whats funny about morons on here they are couch potatoes who have never climbed the mountain in winter or ever . The route is around 10 miles round trip 5 miles up 5 back . If you can summit this place in the Winter you will have a smile on your face. Just last week another climber died from a 800-ft fall. That was actually on the easier Ravine route. See you get punks on here who see that place and go 6k thats nothing then 5 mins into the climb and they are turning around. True story I was going up solo in the winter via the lion head route and a grown man / climber was being lowered CRYING ! past me. He was saying and I quote “ I didn’t know what to expect” Facing – 50 with 100 mph which is a normal day in the winter then come on here and talk! Many mountains like Rainer WHICH IS a walk up most routes your roped into other climbers even on Everest your clipped to a secure line. MW
your own your own you fall your history , trust me in the winter is a cold lonely place.

Posted by blake - 02/02/2012 01:22 PM

litte kids can climb,or rather walk, up mt fuji with their grandparents. if this mountain is dangerous it comes down to the stupidity of people, not the difficulty of the climb itself. and those people dying in the forrest are mainly suicides

Posted by Umer Saleem - 02/02/2012 05:57 PM

K2 and Nanga Parbat (Pakistan) are the deadliest !

Posted by Brendan Batt - 02/10/2012 11:03 AM

This thread is a joke… I have climbed Denali, Mt Blanc, Elbrus, Aconcagua and many others. Mt Blanc is no mountain compared to Denali. Period. K2 is the most dangerous mountain in the world. 300 have summited and 100 died on their descent. Get real. Denali is top 5, especially if you consider the route. (West Rib or Jap. Colour). I plan to attempt K2 in about 5 years. But to hear Blanc, Fuji, Washington in this conversation with the others is a disgrace to those peaks, the climbers who have climbed them, those who have died trying, and the Great peaks themselves.
Brendan Batt
HILLNBATT.com

Posted by Mia - 02/14/2012 02:37 PM

Mountain climbing is no doubt a rewarding experience despite how demanding it could get (physically).
Authorhouse
Authorhouse

Posted by nano - 02/24/2012 03:40 PM

K2 should probably be considered more dangerous than just about anything, and Denali’s pretty treacherous, from what I hear.
The problem with Mt. Washington, as many have pointed out, is a deadly combo of a.) some of the most rapid weather changes on earth—pleasant ‘n mild to icy-hurricane-force winds, b.) accessibility, as in “Hey! Let’s grab some beah an’ climb Warshington and slide down Tuckaman’s Ravine,” w/o planning for hypothermia (effects of drinking on top of that), and c.) “Ya don’t need no flashlights an’ theah’s a Mickey D’s an’ gift shop on top!” People have made DUMB moves and/or not planned hikes on Washington. It looks like a nice easy lil’ 6000 footer. Most of the time, it is, until it’s not.

Posted by yet another guy - 03/03/2012 03:43 PM

There’s a MT in china called “meili”,so far nobody could reach its top, not even close to. I still remember around 1990,a whole team 17 members dead together, china government is so pissed off, banning climbing this one for ever, because it is no different of killing yourself. It is not just Dangerous, local people so believe that you will get kill 1000% for sure.

Posted by Eric - 03/19/2012 11:01 AM

There is a mountain in the Mei li range of western Yunnan Province in China called Mt. Kawagebo which is about 22,000 ft. high and has never been summitted. The local government has outlawed any attempts to climb it since 2001 on religious grounds, since it’s sacred to the Tibetans, but still, no one ever climbed successfully before 2001 and several people died trying. The first attempt wasn’t until 1987.

Posted by bill - 04/03/2012 12:12 PM

Just want to point out that MT. Washington has claimed another life today…

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