“By conquering the 14 world’s tops, I would like to give hope to Korean people suffering from the slumping economy.” – Oh Eun Sun, 2009
A 43-year old South Korean, Oh Eun Sun, reached the summit of her 13th 8,000-meter peak, and is headed to Nepal this fall to attempt to climb Annapurna, the last one on her list!
Very few men have achieved this accomplishment, and Ed Viesturs is the only American to have done so. To boot, he made all of his climbs without supplemental oxygen. Oh Eun Sun would be the first woman to complete this amazing feat! Let’s wish her luck!
Check out this really great interview and learn more about Oh Eun Sun!
For those of you unfamiliar with the 14 8,000-meter peaks, these are the highest points in the world, with Everest being the highest. All are above 8,000 meters, or 26,200 feet. as a basis of comparison, the highest mountain in the continental U.S. is Mt. Whitney in California, which is a “mere” 4,421 meters, or 14,505 feet.
All 14 of the world’s 8,000 meter peaks:
| Mountain | Elevation (meters) | Location | ||
| 1 | Everest | 8,848 | Nepal/Tibet | |
| 2 | K2 | 8,611 | Pakistan/China | |
| 3 | Kangchenjunga | 8,586 | Nepal/India | |
| 4 | Lhotse | 8,516 | Nepal/Tibet | |
| 5 | Makalu | 8,463 | Nepal/Tibet | |
| 6 | Cho Oyu | 8,201 | Nepal/Tibet | |
| 7 | Dhaulagiri | 8,167 | Nepal | |
| 8 | Manaslu | 8,163 | Nepal | |
| 9 | Nanga Parbat | 8,126 | Pakistan | |
| 10 | Annapurna I | 8,091 | Nepal | |
| 11 | Gasherbrum I | 8,068 | Pakistan/China | |
| 12 | Broad Peak | 8,047 | Pakistan/China | |
| 13 | Gasherbrum II | 8,035 | Pakistan/China | |
| 14 | Shishapangma | 8,027 | Tibet |
Update: On April 27, 2010, Oh Eun-Sun became the first woman to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks!