If you say that Everest isn’t the highest mountain on Earth, you may have several people pulling out their smartphones to help dispute you. They will find the facts, some of which we’ve listed below, and come to the same conclusion.
What “Highest” Means
Altitude measures height above sea level. These mountains can also be measured from a different, more equalized point than altitude.
Scientists have calculated from the center of the planet that Mount Everest in Nepal is around 1.3 miles shorter than Chimborazo. This may sound confusing, but it is accurate nonetheless. We now know that Mount Chimborazo, a stratovolcano in central Ecuador, reaches up further into the atmosphere than Everest.
The reason for this disparity is that the Earth is not perfectly round, but flattens at its equator and there has a diameter 13 miles greater than at its poles. Researchers have determined this with highly precise GPS instruments.
Despite the fact that Everest grows at a measurable 4mm per year, it has not bridged the gap. Its height grows because of the huge moving plates that cover the Earth’s outer shell. The Indian and Asian land masses or plates are pushing together causing the ground between them to raise up as they continually collide. That being said, it will not reach the height of Chimborazo for many human lifetimes — if ever.
If we’re measuring overall total height of a mountain, there is yet another even larger one on the planet. Hawii’s Mauna Kea rises to a height of 33,000 feet, but there’s a catch: It’s mostly underwater.
Climbing the Highest Mountains
Climbing Mount Everest takes rigorous training and a big time commitment. It’s been said to have been first summited by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953. Since then, thousands of people have explored its terrain.
The highest mountain on Earth, Mount Chimborazo, can be less expensive to attempt, and can be climbed in a matter of days. Technically, Chimborazo is an easier climb but can be much more difficult to summit due to its height combined with rapidly changing weather. Fun fact: Even though Chimborazo is located at the equator, it retains snow all year long!
Related article: North America’s 5 Highest Peaks & 5 Beautiful Colorado 14ers
Featured Image from Michael Clarke/Unsplash
