If you were to guess the most dangerous mountain on every continent, you’d probably guess the tallest. In some cases that’s true, but in others, like in Asia, that doesn’t quite stand. Curiosity Dude took a look at the most dangerous mountains on every continent, considering death rate, weather and terrain severity, isolation, and unpredictability.
Based on Curiosity Dude’s assessment, Mont Blanc is the most dangerous mountain in Europe, having over 8,000 recorded lives lost on the slopes. Its extreme popularity often draws in less-experienced hikers, and rockfalls, crevasses, avalanches, sudden weather shifts, and more all contribute to its danger.
Africa’s most dangerous mountain is Mount Kenya, which has killed at least 150 people since 1985. While it starts as a gentle hike through forests, it turns very technical and difficult as you get higher. The weather can turn violent in minutes, and slippery slopes, unstable rock, altitude sickness, storms, and more all make the mountain the most dangerous on the continent.
Asia’s most dangerous mountain is likely the most unexpected on this list. While you’d likely point toward Annapurna or a different 8,000 meter peak, Curiosity Dude points toward Gongga Mountain. There’s been less than 25 successful summits of this mountain, yet it holds between 16–30+ confirmed fatalities. Its fatality ratio ranges from 70-80%.
Oceania’s most dangerous mountain is Puncak Jaya in Indonesia, with multiple recent fatalities occurring mostly on the descent, while Antarctica’s most dangerous is Mount Erebus. Mount Erebus is the southernmost active volcano, and it features hidden crevasses, hurricane winds, toxic gases, volcanic bombs, ground fissures from sub-ice melting.
South America’s most dangerous peak is Siula Grande. While the mountain sees less frequent summit attempts, the death toll has been rising in recent years, featuring remote, avalanche-prone faces. North America‘s most dangerous, according to Curiosity Dude, is Alaska’s Denali, the tallest in the continent. There have been over 100 deaths on the mountain since climbing began, with 96 recorded between 1903–2006.
