Ascending a mountain can go from a simple hike to extreme mountaineering requiring specific skills and equipment. The deadliest mountains can claim the life of even the most experienced climber. Most people believe that Mount Everest is the most deadly climb. The harsh conditions combined with the popularity of the 29,028-foot colossus make it the mountain with the most deaths — 331 as of June 2023. However, Mount Everest is not the deadliest mountain. If you disregard the total deaths and instead look at the ratio of deaths to successful summits, about 1 in 19 climbers succumb to the conditions, which pales in comparison to other mountains. Mount Annapurna in Nepal is considered by most to be the most difficult mountain to climb. As of January 2022, there have been 365 confirmed summits, with 72 deaths — a ratio of 1 in 5. Finally, there’s K2 in Asia, the second highest peak on earth. At 28,251 feet, the mountain has 377 confirmed summits with 91 deaths — a ratio of 1 in 4. Of the 5 highest mountains in the world, K2 is considered the deadliest mountain in the world.
