A mountaineering calendar of the world’s biggest mountains and the optimum time of 12 months at which to climb them, listed month by month
Since I first began climbing, I should have spent hours typing “when is one of the best time to climb…” into search engines like google after which crawling by way of web sites to search out the important thing piece of data I wanted. Solely when I’ve a date in thoughts can I begin to consider the practicalities of truly attempting to climb a mountain (i.e. reserving time without work work, flights, finances, gear and so on).
To resolve this downside as soon as and for all, we’ve got put collectively a mountaineering calendar of the world’s biggest mountains and the optimum time of 12 months at which to climb them. Drawing on Journey Consultants’ expedition calendar, we checklist the world’s main mountains and ranges month by month.
The checklist on our mountaineering calendar isn’t completely inclusive as it could take too lengthy to report each mountain on the planet. Likewise, to keep away from repetition we checklist choose mountains in a variety, contemplating the world’s 100 highest mountains lie throughout the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges.
We now have additionally excluded winter ascents from the checklist as a result of, effectively, in the event you’re that man, you in all probability don’t want a mountaineering calendar.
Lastly, our mountaineering calendar is an evolving mission so please ship us any options and we’ll proceed so as to add mountains and ranges over time.
JANUARY
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aconcagua, Argentina | Seven summits. Highest non-technical mountain on the planet. |
| 1 | Mount Kenya (south-face), Kenya | Seven second summits. Greatest time to climb south face. |
| 1 | Chimborazo, Cotopaxi and Cayambe, Ecuador | Farthest level from Earth’s core. Dry interval with low winds. |
| 1 | Puncak Mandala, Indonesia | Seven second summits. January is dry season in Papua Province. |
| 1 | Mount Tyree, Antarctica | Seven second summits. |
| 6-31 | Vinson Massif, Antarctica | Seven summits. |
| 16-30 | Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia | Seven summits (Messner checklist). Could be climbed year-round however January is dry season in Papua Province. |
Mount Whitney might be climbed anytime in the course of the mountaineering calendar. It’s the highest summit within the contiguous United States (i.e. excluding Hawaii and Alaska) in addition to the best peak within the Sierra Nevada.
It appears to be like intimidating at first sight however the widespread Mount Whitney Path begins at an elevation of two,550m (8,360ft) which means the summit might be reached in only a day (albeit a difficult one).
Most hikers desire to ascend between late Could and October whereas mountaineers desire the months of January and February as they supply an distinctive coaching floor for these trying to achieve expertise in winter circumstances.
FEBRUARY
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antarctic Peninsula voyages, Antarctica | Potential ship-based expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula. |
| 1 | Kilimanjaro, Tanzania | Seven summits. A well-liked month to climb as a result of reasonable circumstances. |
| 1 | Antisana, Ecuador | Ecuador’s 4th highest and most difficult volcano. Greatest time to climb. |
| 14 | Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, Cameroon | West Africa’s highest mountain. |
| 26 | North Pole snowboarding expedition, Arctic | Departs late February (56 days). |
Dreamstime
Two extra peaks to your mountaineering calendar
Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and one of many seven summits. It is usually a year-round trekking mountain. It’s hottest in February however July too is a superb time to go to because the climb might be mixed with safari and wildlife recognizing.
Antisana presents one thing totally different to Ecuador’s three increased and extra widespread volcanos. It requires some technical abilities with a difficult bergschrund close to the summit. Though it’s a year-round mountain, February is the driest and least windy month.
MARCH
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 6-20 | Ojos del Salado expedition, Chile / Argentina | Seven second summits. |
| 25 | First Everest expeditions start, Nepal | Seven summits. Eight-thousanders. Highest mountain on the planet. |
| 27 | Everest base camp treks start, Nepal | Trek to the bottom of the best mountain on the planet. |
Those that journey to mountain-tops are half in love with themselves, and half in love with oblivion.
– Robert Macfarlane
APRIL
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Cook dinner & Southern Alps, New Zealand | New Zealand’s highest mountain. Good time to climb within the Southern Alps. |
| 1 | Canadian Rockies, Canada | Greatest month for winter mountaineering. |
| 1 | Everest expeditions start, Nepal | Seven summits. Eight-thousanders. Highest mountain on the planet. |
| 1 | Everest / Lhotse mixed expeditions start, Nepal | Seven summits, eight-thousanders. 1st & 4th highest mountains on the planet. |
| 1 | First Manaslu expeditions, Nepal | Eight-thousanders. 8th highest mountain on the planet. Pre-monsoon expedition. |
| 1 | First Makalu expeditions, Nepal / China | Eight-thousanders. 5th highest mountain on the planet. Pre-monsoon expedition. |
| 1 | Kanchenjunga expeditions start, Nepal / India | Eight-thousanders. 3rd highest mountain on the planet. |
| 2 | Makes an attempt on Annapurna I normally start, Nepal | Eight-thousanders. 10th highest mountain on the planet. Arguably most harmful eight-thousander. |
| 8 | Lhotse expeditions start, Nepal | Eight-thousanders. 4th highest mountain on the planet. |
| 12 | Ama Dablam expeditions start, Nepal | Uncovered technical Alpinism at altitude. |
| 13 | Shishapangma expeditions start, China | Eight-thousanders. 14th highest mountain on the planet. |
| 14 | Greenland crossing, Greenland | Expeditions start. |
| 15 | Alaska Vary, USA | Climbing season begins. |
| 16 | Dhaulagiri expeditions start, Nepal | Eight-thousanders. 7th highest mountain on the planet. |
| 23 | First Mera Peak expedition, Nepal | Nepal’s highest trekking peak. |
| 23 | First Baruntse expedition, Nepal | 7,000m+ non-technical climbing. |
| 26 | First Island Peak expedition, Nepal | Excellent first Himalayan climb. |
The Everest massif contains Lhotse (centre), the spectacular Nuptse ridge (proper) and Mount Everest itself (left). Lhotse and Everest might be climbed collectively as a part of a “combo climb”. The routes comply with the Khumbu Icefall as much as camp 4 the place they half.
Regardless of the way it appears to be like within the picture above, the Nuptse ridge is the bottom peak at 7,861m (25,791ft) whereas the others are each eight-thousanders and the best and fourth-highest mountains on the planet.
MAY
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central-European Alps, Europe | European Alpine season begins. |
| 1 | Mount Toubkal & Atlas Mountains, Morocco | Climbing season begins. |
| 1 | Sierra Nevada, White Mountains & Cascade Vary, USA | California fourteeners. California climbing season begins. Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in contiguous USA. |
| 1 | Colorado ranges, USA | Colorado fourteeners. Colorado climbing season begins. |
| 1 | Mount Rainier & Cascade Vary, USA | Climbing season begins. |
| 1-31 | Inca Path, Peru | Greatest month for climbing Inca Path and visiting Machu Picchu. |
| 2-31 | Denali expeditions start, USA | Seven summits. Colder in early Could. |
| 13-25 | Everest summit bids, Nepal | Seven summits. Eight-thousanders. Highest mountain on the planet. |
| 14 | Mount Logan expeditions start, Canada | Seven second summits. |
| 15 | Nanga Parbat makes an attempt normally start, Pakistan | Eight-thousanders. 9th highest mountain on the planet. By no means climbed in winter. |
| 16-25 | Lhotse summit bids, Nepal | Eight-thousanders. 4th highest mountain on the planet. |
| 21 | Bolivian Alpine season begins, Bolivia | 6,000m peaks of the Andes. |
| 30 | Mount Gunnbjorn, Greenland | Highest mountain in Greenland. |
In 2024, I climbed Denali in late Could/early June. The climbing season on Denali begins in late April and continues by way of the center of July. Though it’s colder earlier within the season, Could and June are thought of one of the best occasions to climb as they’ll nonetheless provide milder temperatures with fewer crevasses. By late July, the decrease glacier is extra harmful as a result of melting snow bridges over crevasses whereas planes could not be capable of land at base camp.
JUNE
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scandinavian Mountains, Norway / Sweden / Finland | Scandinavian mountaineering season begins. |
| 1-15 | Mount Gunnbjorn, Greenland | Highest mountain in Greenland. |
| 1-30 | Denali expeditions, USA | Seven summits. Most profitable summits in mid-late June. |
| 1-30 | Bolivia Alpine season, Bolivia | 6,000m peaks of the Andes. |
| 10 | Mount Kenya (north-face), Kenya | Greatest time to climb north face. Seven second summits. |
| 11 | Gasherbrum I, II & Broad Peak expeditions start, Pakistan / China | Eight-thousanders. 11th, 12th & 13th highest mountains on the planet. Climbing season within the Karakoram begins. |
| 12 | K2 expeditions start, Pakistan / China | Seven second summits. Eight-thousanders. 2nd highest mountain on the planet. By no means climbed in winter. |
| 15 | Three-thousanders in Japan, Japan | Climbing season begins in Japan. |
The Gasherbrum group of mountains is situated within the Karakoram mountain vary of the Himalayas on the Pakistan-China border.
The group contains three of the 14 eight-thousanders, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II and Broad Peak, in addition to the unclimbed Gasherbrum VI. Close by is the imposing K2, the second-highest mountain on the planet.
The vast majority of expeditions on these mountains start in June with summits happening in late July / early August.
JULY
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mont Blanc and Alpine four-thousanders, France / Switzerland / Italy | Greatest time to climb within the European Alps. Alpine four-thousanders. |
| 1 | Canadian Rockies, Canada | Climbing (dry) season begins. |
| 1 | Kilimanjaro, Tanzania | Seven summits. Climate is cooler and dry – good time for climbing and wildlife recognizing in Tanzania. |
| 1 | Eiger, Switzerland | Nice north faces of the Alps. |
| 1 | Matterhorn, Italy / Switzerland | Alpine four-thousanders. Nice north faces of the Alps. |
| 1 | Chimborazo, Cotopaxi and Cayambe, Ecuador | Farthest level from the Earth’s core. Driest month though chance of sturdy winds. |
| 1 | Bolivia Alpine season, Bolivia | 6,000m peaks of the Andes. |
| 9 | Mount Khuiten and Tavan Bogd vary, Mongolia | Distant mountaineering. |
| 11 | Elbrus expeditions start, Russia | Seven summits. |
| 11 | Dykh-Tau expeditions start, Russia | Seven second summits. |
| 16-31 | Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia | Seven summits (Messner checklist). Could be climbed year-round however July-August is the height season in Indonesia. |
| 23 | Alpamayo, Artesonraju & Peruvian Andes, Peru | Greatest time to climb is in late July / early August. |
It’s a spherical journey. Attending to the summit is non-obligatory, getting down is necessary.
– Ed Viesturs
AUGUST
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mont Blanc and Alpine four-thousanders, France / Switzerland / Italy | Greatest time to climb within the European Alps. Alpine four-thousanders. |
| 1 | Eiger, Switzerland | Nice north faces of the Alps. |
| 1 | Matterhorn, Italy / Switzerland | Alpine four-thousanders. Nice north faces of the Alps. |
| 1 | Elbrus expeditions, Russia | Seven summits. |
| 1 | Dykh-Tau expeditions, Russia | Seven second summits. |
| 1 | Bolivia Alpine season ends, Bolivia | 6,000m peaks of the Andes. |
| 15 | Everest autumn summit season, Nepal | Seven summits. Highest mountain on the planet. |
| 30 | Cho Oyu expedition begins, Nepal / China | Eight-thousanders. 6th highest mountain on the planet. |
Dreamstime
The towering and near-symmetrical pyramidal peak of the Matterhorn is certainly one of Europe’s (and maybe the world’s) most iconic mountains. The summer time months of July and August are no doubt one of the best time to climb.
The formidable North face of the Eiger has made the mountain world well-known, usually due to tragic summit makes an attempt. Often called certainly one of Alpine ‘massive three’ alongside the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc, the Eiger can be greatest approached in July and August.
SEPTEMBER
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Second Manaslu expedition, Nepal | Eight-thousanders. 8th highest mountain on the planet. Put up-monsoon expedition. |
| 1 | Second Makalu expedition, Nepal / China | Eight-thousanders. 5th highest mountain on the planet. |
| 1 | Khan Tengri, Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan | Greatest time to climb within the vary. |
| 14 | Himlung & Saribung, Nepal | Late season mountaineering. |
| 15 | Pamir Mountains, Afghanistan / China / Kyrgyzstan / Tajikistan / Uzbekistan | Greatest time to climb within the vary. |
| 24 | Second Mera Peak expedition, Nepal | Nepal’s highest trekking peak. |
| 24 | Second Baruntse expedition, Nepal | 7,000m+ non-technical climbing. |
OCTOBER
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tian Shan, China, Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan / Uzbekistan | Greatest time to climb within the vary. |
| 1 | Meru Peak’s Shark’s Fin | One of many hardest routes on the planet. First climbed in October 2011. |
| 15 | Ama Dablam, Nepal | Uncovered technical Alpinism at altitude. |
| 21 | Cholatse, Nepal | Uncovered technical Alpinism at altitude. |
NOVEMBER
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patagonia, Argentina / Chile | Climbing season begins. |
| 1 | Monte Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre, Argentina | Ascents normally start in November. |
| 1 | Cordillera Paine, Torres del Paine, Chile | Ascents normally start in November. |
| 1 | Pico de Orizaba and Iztaccihuatl, Mexico | Dry season begins in November by way of to March. Pico de Orizaba is the best mountain in Mexico & the third highest in North America. |
| 1 | Mount Cook dinner & Southern Alps, New Zealand | New Zealand’s highest mountain. Southern Alps climbing season begins. |
| 1 | Antarctic Peninsula voyages, Antarctica | Potential ship-based expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula. |
| 10 | Three Peaks Nepal, Nepal | Three moderate-altitude summits in a single expedition. |
| 16 | South Pole snowboarding expedition, Antarctica | Polar snowboarding expedition (67 days). |
| 23 | Vinson Massif, Antarctica | Seven summits. |
| 24 | Aconcagua expeditions start, Argentina | Seven summits. Climbing season in surrounding Andes vary begins. |
In a chilly and windswept nook of Argentine Patagonia sits Cerro Torre with its terrifying serrated summits. Because it was first (supposedly) climbed in 1959, the mountain has been dogged by controversy due to disputed summit claims, questionable climber ethics and the contentious use of bolts.
Patagonia is known for its tempestuous climate, so even in the course of the summer time months of November, December and January, the circumstances might be torrid.
DECEMBER
| DATE | MOUNTAIN | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Cook dinner & Southern Alps, New Zealand | New Zealand’s highest mountain. Good time to climb in Southern Alps. |
| 1 | Monte Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre, Argentina | Good time to climb. |
| 1 | Cordillera Paine, Torres del Paine, Chile | Good time to climb. |
| 1 | Antisana climbs start, Ecuador | Ecuador’s 4th highest and most difficult volcano. Ecuadorian Alpine season begins. |
| 1 | Pico de Orizaba, Mexico | Greatest month to climb. Highest mountain in Mexico & the third highest in North America. |
| 1 | Antarctic Peninsula voyages, Antarctica | Potential ship-based expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula. |
| 1 | Mount Tyree, Antarctica | Seven second summits. |
| 1 | Aconcagua, Argentina | Seven summits. |
| 4 | Vinson Massif, Antarctica | Seven summits. |
| 15 | Cordillera Central, Colombia | Greatest time to climb in Colombia. |
Mountains will not be truthful or unfair, they’re simply harmful.
– Reinhold Messner
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