CLIMBING WAY TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS
There are few things on Earth as intimidating and equally fascinating as mountains. From small, but perfectly formed peaks to grand monoliths rising tall into the sky, mountains come in all shapes and sizes. Women move mountains is the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day on December 11. Women play a key role in environmental protection and social and economic development in mountain areas. They are often the primary managers of mountain resources, guardians of biodiversity, keepers of traditional knowledge, custodians of local culture and experts in traditional medicine. Increasing climate variability, coupled with a lack of investment in mountain agriculture and rural development, has often pushed men to migrate elsewhere in search of alternative livelihoods. Women have therefore taken on many tasks formerly done by men, yet mountain women are often invisible due to a lack of decisionmaking power and unequal access to resources.
MOUNT EVEREST, HIMALAYAS, NEPAL AND TIBET (29,028FT/8,848M)
You simply cannot talk about the world’s mountains and not mention Mount Everest. The mother of all mountains, it rises so high, you’d need almost 11 Burj Khalifas (the world’s tallest building) to match its height. Located right on the border of Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region within China, the first recorded ascent up this incredible mountain was completed by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay as recently as 1953.
THREE SISTERS, BLUE MOUNTAINS, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA (3,024FT/922M)
Tangles of native bushland, waterfalls, forested valleys, cliffs and caves – the scenery in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area is nothing short of spectacular. The area’s most famous landmark is the Three Sisters. According to an Aboriginal legend, the towering rocks represent three sisters – Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo – who were turned to stone for protection.
MOUNT SINAI, EGYPT (7,496FT/2,285M)
Traditionally known as Jabal Musa, Mount Sinai is one of the Earth’s most mysterious mountains. An otherworldly Mars-like landscape, the mountain is located in the Sinai Peninsula and is thought to be the biblical Mount Sinai. One of the most sacred locations in the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions, this is the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments in the Bible.
KIRKJUFELL, ICELAND (1,519FT/463M)
We’ve all heard of Everest and Fuji, and while these peaks are mesmerising in their own ways, Kirkjufell in Iceland is altogether more ethereal. The gorgeous mountain can be found on the island’s western coastline, an area defined by crystalline fjords, geothermal pools and dynamic waterfalls. And while it might be the smallest on our list, it’s the most photographed peak in all of Iceland due to its incredible beauty and the Northern Lights that often dance in the night sky above.
EL CAPITAN, CALIFORNIA, USA (3,000FT/914M)
The grande dame of Yosemite National Park (along with Half Dome to the east), El Capitan rises proudly from the western side of the Yosemite Valley. Its granite face appears near vertical – a result of glacial action that shaped many of the mountains within the national park. El Capitan, meaning the captain, is indeed a fitting name for the monolith.
TABLE MOUNTAIN, SOUTH AFRICA (3,558FT/1,084M)
Watching over the South African city of Cape Town, there’s no doubt Table Mountain is one of the most famous in the world. Known for its distinctive shape, as the name suggests, it’s actually one of the planet’s oldest peaks at more than 200 million years old. The first recorded ascent also happened a while back – Portuguese explorer António de Saldanha conquered it in the early 16th century.
