Climbing to the Top of the World

Just you and the highest peak on every continent. The ‘Seven Summits’ is a challenge made for true juggernauts who think they can rise to the occasion over and over again. The seven summits consist of the highest officially recognized points on each continent which combine for over 142 thousand feet.  As of today, only a couple hundred people have been able to complete the monstrous feat but only one holds the record for climbing all seven peaks in the fastest time. His name? Christian Stangl, an Austrian mountaineer who has been climbing since he was 16, even enduring horrific injuries and even being caught in an avalanche but nothing could keep from continuing to challenge himself with higher and higher climbs.  Christian Stangl climbed all seven peaks in less time than anyone else in history at a time of 58 hours and 45 minutes.

Denali (North America): 16 hours, 45 minutes

Everest (Asia): 16 hours, 42 minutes

Mount Vinson (Antarctica): 9 hours, 10 minutes

Kilimanjaro (Africa): 5 hours, 36 minutes

Mount Elbrus (Europe): 5 hours, 18 minutes

Aconcagua (South America): 4 hours, 25 minutes

Puncak Jaya (Oceania): 49 minutes

He has earned the nickname of Skyrunner by showing exceptionally fast ascents of high mountains. He wasn’t satisfied with just completing the Seven Summits challenge. He then continued to add to his amazing resume and became the first person to climb the three highest mountains on all seven continents, called the ‘Triple Seven Summits’.