Mountain Record Madness

Climbing is not about competition, but sometimes people do compete at climbing, and the results are often mind-blowing. Here are some of the climbing world’s most impressive records, care to contest them? 

“You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things – to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated.” – Sir Edmund Hillary

The Moniz

In only 43 days, 12-year-old Mike Moniz and his father climbed to the highest point in all 50 states. The list includes Denali, Mounty Whitney and Mount Rainier, as well as Florida’s Britton Hill, 100 metres.

Speedy Seven Summits

Austrian climbers Christian Stangl holds the record for climbing the seven summits, the highest points on each continent, in only 58 hours and 45 minutes. That is a total of 43,316 meters

Denali (North Amer­ica): 16 hours, 45 minutes

Ever­est (Asia): 16 hours, 42 minutes

Mount Vin­son (Antarc­tica): 9 hours, 10 minutes

Kil­i­man­jaro (Africa): 5 hours, 36 minutes

Mount Elbrus (Europe): 5 hours, 18 minutes

Aconcagua (South Amer­ica): 4 hours, 25 minutes

Pun­cak Jaya (Ocea­nia): 49 minutes

Eiger North Face

Dani Arnold climbed the North Face of the Eiger in 2 hours and 28 minutes which beat the previous speed record by Ueli Steck in 2008 by 20 minutes.

Sibling Sherpa

Mingma and Chhang Dawa Sherpa became the first siblings to each climb the 14 eight-thousand-metre peaks.

Everest Again and Again

Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa Mendewa have both climbed Everest 21 times. Apa Sherpa (known as Super Sherpa) climbed Everest every year from 1990 to 2011, only missing 1996 and 2001. Mendewa has the most ascents of the eight-thousanders at 30.

Everest Speed Record

On May 21, 2004, Pemba Dorje Sherpa, 26, set the speed record for Mount Everest. He climbed from the Sagamartha base camp to the summit in only 8 hours and 10 minutes, climbing 1,000 metres per hour.

The Nose

Since 1975, climbers have been timing their ascents of The Nose on El Cap. Rising 1,000 metres, it is no easy task. Considered a feat to climb it in less than 24 hours, the history of speed records is impressive. Teams of two make the fastest time, using a mix of aid and free-climbing. Lynn Hill’s free ascent took 23 hours in 1993, but Tommy Caldwell’s ascent in 2005 holds the record for fastest free-climbing time at 12 hours.

Source: Alpinist, Wikipedia, The Clymb