James Stone (Clach Liath)

Mountaineering and the Volcanic Seven Summits

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You are here: Home / Top 50 Ultras of the World

Top 50 Ultras of the World

In a blog that I posted in December 2018 here, I wrote about the concept of Ultras as a means of classifying mountains. “Ultra” is shorthand for Ultra high prominence. My blog listed the 10 most prominent mountains in the world. It explained the classification and it listed the names of people who had climbed many of them. This blog goes further and lists the Top 50 Ultras of the World and the names of people who I have found who have climbed at least 10 of them.

Summit of Aiguille du Toule
The author on the summit of Aiguille du Toule with Mont Blanc (the 11th most prominent peak in the world) behind

The table below contains the lists. It is a large table so it might not easily be read on a phone screen. Use of a laptop is likely to be better.

Whilst the list is complete so far as the Top 50 Ultra Prominent Peaks of the World is concerned, it is almost certainly incomplete where it comes to individuals and the mountains individuals have climbed.

In other words, there are almost certainly more people who have climbed 10 or more of the Top 50 Ultra Prominent Peaks of the World. For example, mountaineering is a burgeoning pastime in eastern Asian countries. Whilst activities such as climbing the Seven Summits can be a source of national pride, there does not seem to be the same culture of websites that record worldwide ascents more generally – such as peakbagger.com. Accordingly, there might easily be nationals of China, Japan, South Korea and India who should feature on this list. And, of course, there are those who quite reasonably prefer to keep their activities to themselves.

It is also likely that certain individuals listed have climbed additional mountains to those that are shown.

The Sources

So where does the information on individuals come from? Largely it comes from work that the late Adam Helman started and has since been continued by Andy Martin. In addition, there is quite a lot of information on the internet.

Andy is the custodian of a number of lists as I mentioned in my previous blog. These are available via his website. Over the last couple of years, as a part of my research on the Volcanic Seven Summits, I have come across individuals on the internet who also seem (consciously or otherwise) to be Ultra baggers. Occasionally I make contact with (or am contacted by) people, most of whom are kind enough to respond and provide me with information. When I have obtained information, I have in turn informed Andy.

The table below therefore is a combination of our efforts.

“Leading Nations”

It probably necessarily follows that the “leading” nationalities of the listed individuals are European or from English speaking countries. That will reflect the cultural factor I refer to above and the in-built prejudices in my research.

So the nations that currently feature most are:

  • United States of America with 48
  • United Kingdom with 21
  • Russia with 13
  • Austria with 8
  • Spain with 8

Undoubtedly with further information the balance would shift somewhat. But I suspect that the Americans would keep the lead as “bagging” – whether this be State highpointing, the Colorado 14ers or county highpoints – is very popular in the USA.

Mount Rainier - the 21st most prominent peak in the world
Mount Rainer, USA – the 21st most prominent peak in the world

“Leading Summits”

The Seven Summits challenge is clearly a popular one. The ten most climbed peaks as at the date of this blog reflect this fact:

  • Kilimanjaro – 160 ascents
  • Aconcagua – 152 ascents
  • Elbrus – 150 ascents
  • Denali – 138 ascents
  • Vinson – 118 ascents
  • Mont Blanc – 117
  • Everest – 109 ascents
  • Carstensz – 108 ascents
  • Pico de Orizaba – 102 ascents
  • Ojos del Salado – 75 ascents

It is perhaps a little surprising, given the number of Americans on the list, that Mount Rainier does not make the top 10. Similarly, easier Ultras such as Jebel Toubkal and Pico de Teide do not feature near the top 10.

There are more ascents of K2 than of Yushan. For some of the remote peaks – e.g. Namcha Barwa, Kongur Tagh and Erebus – there are no recorded ascents amongst this list of individuals.

The author on Ojos del Salado - the 44th most prominent Ultra
The author on Ojos del Salado – the 44th most prominent peak in the world

The Table

Here is the table. With all its undoubted omissions, I would be happy to receive corrections via the contact form on this website. I am also happy to receive any other comments.

There is no magic in the order of names where the numbers of peaks climbed are the same. I have little or no information on the dates of ascent of peaks, other than as available on the peakbagger.com website. To try to obtain all of this information would be futile. I also make the point that I have no information about claims of ascents. I take claimants at their word. X’s indicate an ascent.

I have not yet decided what effort I will take to update the list, though I will add details of anyone new or otherwise make corrections if contacted. So, for the moment, the list will be dynamic. You will need to come back to see if any changes are made.

   EverestAconcaguaDenaliKilimanjaroPico Cristobal ColonLoganOrizabaVinsonCarstenszElbrusMont BlancDamavandKlyuchevskya SopkaNanga ParbatMauna KeaPik PobedaChimborazoBogda FengNamcha BarwaKinabaluRainierK2Ras DashenTajumulcoPico BolivarFairweatherYushanStanleyKangchenjungaTirich MirCameroonKenyaGunung KerinciErebusFuji-sanJebel ToubkalCerro CirripoGunung RinjaniCookPico de TeideBoisingCerro San ValentinGunnbjorn FjeldOjos del SaladoGunung SemeruRitacubo BlancoGongga ShanAraratKongur TaghBlackburn
Matthew HoltUK/South Africa36XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Jaime VinalsGuatemala33XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Petter BjørstadNorway31XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Gerry Roach USA30XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MJ KimSouth Korea30XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Geri WinklerAustria30XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Junko Tabei (D)Japan28XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Bob PackardUSA27XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Morgan BattAustralia26XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Rob WoodallUK25XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Gerhard Schmatz (D)Germany25XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ken JonesUSA24XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Doug MantleUSA23XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Michael KelseyUSA22XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
David HartUSA21XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Christian StanglAustria20XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mario TrimeriItaly20XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Eric GilbertsonUSA20XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ronald Naar (D)Netherlands19XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ginge FullenUK19XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sean DisneySouth Africa18XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Waldemar NicleviczBrazil18XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
David HamiltonUK17XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lars HolmeNorway17XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Khoo Swee ChiowSingapore17XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Dagmar WabnigAustria17XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Gary PfistererUSA16XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Harry KikstraNetherlands16XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lyngve SkredeNorway16XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Pete EllisUK16XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mandy RamsdenSouth Africa16XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Javier Botella de MagliaSpain15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mark AitkenUK15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Matthew GilbertsonUSA15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ludmila KorobeshkoRussia15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Richard BirrerUSA15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ramon PortillaSpain15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Greg SlaydenUSA15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
John KleinUSA15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mikhail RodionovRussia15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Vern TejasUSA15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Petter KragsetNorway15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Bruno BaschungSwitzerland15XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Adam Helman (D)USA14XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Reinhold MessnerItaly14XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Andres KaruEstonia14XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Vaughan de la HarpeSouth Africa14XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Diego WelligSwitzerland14XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Per Fredrik OstmanSweden14XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Serge MassadCanada14XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Alexander AbramovRussia13XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Wilco van RooijenNetherlands13XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ed ViestursUSA13XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ronald OliverUSA13XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Graham IllingUK13XXXXXXXXXXXX
Stipe BožićCroatia13XXXXXXXXXXXXX
John BiggarUK13XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ginette Harrison (D)UK12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Ricardo TorresMexico12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Vladimir DoroninRussia12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Igor PovalinRussia12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Kurt WedbergUSA12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Ralf DujmovitsGermany12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Karen JonesUSA12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Caroline (Kay) LeClaireUSA12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Sylvia AlferyAustria12XXXXXXXXXXXX
David RoskelleyUSA12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Mark HorrellUK12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Vassily VorobievRussia12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Igor CherkasinRussia12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Bernard VoyerCanada12XXXXXXXXXXX
Takayasu SembaJapan12XXXXXXXXXXXX
Richard CareyUSA12XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Josep PujanteSpain11XXXXXXXXXXX
Scott WoolumsUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Walter LasererAustria11XXXXXXXXXXX
Bo ParfetUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Mauricio PurtoChile11XXXXXXXXXXX
Wally BergUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Phinella HendersonUK11XXXXXXXXXXX
Georgia BriscoeUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Christine Boscoff (D)USA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Robert KayUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Brandon BargoUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Reid LarsonUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Andrey GundarevKazakhstan11XXXXXXXXXXX
Daniel BullAustralia11XXXXXXXXXXX
Gabriel VitiUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Naim LogicBosnia11XXXXXXXXXXX
Chung Kin ManHong Kong China11XXXXXXXXXXX
João GarciaPortugal11XXXXXXXXXXX
Bernard FrancoisFrance11XXXXXXXXXXX
Rudy von SnickBelgium11XXXXXXXXXXX
Robert SmithUK11XXXXXXXXXXX
Satyarup SiddhantaIndia11XXXXXXXXXXX
Theodore (Ted) FairhurstCanada11XXXXXXXXXXX
Albert BoschSpain11XXXXXXXXXXX
Jon HerringUK11XXXXXXXXXXX
Crina PopescuRomania11XXXXXXXXXXX
Sharon CrawfordUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Thomas KnobAustria11XXXXXXXXXXX
Richard McLellanUK11XXXXXXXXXXX
Duane GillilandUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Klaas KoehneGermany11XXXXXXXXXXX
Andrew HughesUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
Robert GropelAustralia11XXXXXXXXXXX
Rolfe OostraAustralia11XXXXXXXXXXX
Radek Jaroš
Czech Republic11XXXXXXXXXXX
Niels ToftDenmark11XXXXXXXXXXX
Travis GreimanUSA11XXXXXXXXXXX
James StoneUK10XXXXXXXXXX
Rob MilneUK10XXXXXXXXXX
David KeatonUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Louis BowenUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Phil ErschlerUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Francois-Guy ThiviergeCanada10XXXXXXXXXX
Lee FarmerUK10XXXXXXXXXX
Park Young-Seok (D)South Korea10XXXXXXXXXX
Nasuh MahrukiTurkey10XXXXXXXXXX
Randall (Randy) PeetersUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Chris BirrerUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Robert LinkUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Pere Rodés MuñozSpain10XXXXXXXXXX
Helmut LinzbichlerAustria10XXXXXXXXXX
Chris KopczynskiUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Jake NortonUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Oliver KlemmGermany10XXXXXXXXXX
Shelley RogersUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Guy CotterNew Zealand10XXXXXXXXXX
Mihail TurovskiiRussia10XXXXXXXXXX
Olga RumyantsevaRussia10XXXXXXXXXX
Viktor BobokRussia10XXXXXXXXXX
Vitaliy SimonovichRussia10XXXXXXXXXX
Sergei DmitrievRussia10XXXXXXXXXX
Vanessa O'BrienUSA/UK10XXXXXXXXXX
Vyacheslav AdrovRussia10XXXXXXXXXX
Tim RalphUK10XXXXXXXXXX
Charley MaceUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Peter HamorSlovakia10XXXXXXXXXX
Colin O'BradyUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Liang JhangChina10XXXXXXXXXX
Katie SarahAustralia10XXXXXXXXXX
Leszek CichyPoland10XXXXXXXXXX
Joxe Ramon AgirreSpain10XXXXXXXXXX
Noel HannaUK10XXXXXXXXXX
Nikos MigitsisGreece10XXXXXXXXXX
Katrina FollowsUK10XXXXXXXXXX
Karla WheelockMexico10XXXXXXXXXX
Vladislav LachkarevRussia10XXXXXXXXXX
Herbert HellmuthGermany10XXXXXXXXXX
Andreas (Andy) HolzerAustria10XXXXXXXXXX
Malli Mastan Babu (D)India10XXXXXXXXXX
Carlos Soria FontánSpain10XXXXXXXXXX
Israfil AshurlyAzerbaijan10XXXXXXXXXX
Arthur MarsdenSouth Africa10XXXXXXXXXX
Frits VrijlandtNetherlands10XXXXXXXXXX
John StarbuckUK10XXXXXXXXXX
Rafael VillegasSpain10XXXXXXXXXX
Michel WaechterCanada10XXXXXXXXXX
Blandonn SmithUSA10XXXXXXXXXX
Roxanne VogelUSA10XXXXXXXXXXXX
Jorge EgocheagaSpain10XXXXXXXXXX
Constantin LacatusuRomania10XXXXXXXX
Oleg MezentsevRussia10XXXXXXXXXX
Valentyn SypavinUkraine10XXXXXXXXXX

Does any of this matter?

Quite possibly not. The motivations for mountaineering and publicity for one’s endeavours are disparate. But it might provide some inspiration at some point in the future for a social scientist looking at leisure fashion or man’s (and it is mainly men, only around 12% in the list are women) desire to tick off lists. Discuss.

Map showing the location of the top 50 most prominent peaks in the world
World Top 50 by prominence

Welcome

Thank you for taking the trouble to read this blog.  You can find out more about me by clicking on the “About Me” tab above.

The blog started out just as a mix of mountain climbing and other travel reports interspersed with a few random musings prompted by a trip that I made to Mexico and South America in November and December 2014.  You can find details of that trip using the Tags and the Archive below.

It has since developed into a bit of a resource on the Volcanic Seven Summits or the V7S.  For this the best place to start is probably here.  Comments are welcome!

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Recent posts

  • Volcanic Seven Summits: Defining the Continents
  • Entering the Marilyn Hall of Fame
  • Deception in Antarctica?
  • Will you Dare to Reach?
  • So just how much does it cost to climb the Volcanic Seven Summits?

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