Mountains have an undeniable charm to them, constantly calling and pulling all of us toward them. But as alluring and captivating mountains are, they are also a test and a challenge that not everyone can withstand. Mountains are a symbol of resilience and firm determination, and henceforth they are only conquered by the likes.

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”

T.S. EliotMountain

Here is a list of the Best Mountaineers of all times to fill you with inspiration and charge you with a “go-get-it” attitude.

1. Alberto Iñurrategi

Aalberto Inurrategi
Aalberto Inurrategi

The Basque Spanish mountaineer is a legend to the mountain world, climbing alpine style with few lines and no bottled oxygen. At the sharp age of 33, he had done all the 14, 8000m peaks out of which 12 were with his deceased brother, who died descending Gasherbrum II.

Also, he is the 2nd Spaniard with such an achievement and the 10th person in the world, his career is a tale of bravery and sets him in the room of the best mountaineer of all times.

NationalitySpanish
Born3 November 1968
Career HighlightClimbed all the 14, 8000m with no bottled oxygen
About Aalberto Inurrategi

2. Andrez Bargeil

A mountaineer is well known for skiing down the highest of summits. In 2018 he became the first person to ski down K2 without even removing them once. The title “best mountaineer of all time” is just a speck of light on his personality and talents. Climber, skier, mountaineer, and mountain runner are some of his niches famous around the world.

Andrzej Bargiel
Andrzej Bargeil
NationalityPolish
Born18 April 1988
Career HighlightWon “Snow Leopard” award for climbing 5 highest peaks of the former Soviet Union.
About Andrzej Bargeil

3. Andrew Lock

Andrew Lock
Andrew Lock

An Australian gem to the world of mountaineering was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2011 for the same. Achieving 6 first Australian ascents alongside the first 4 solo ascents he is crowned amongst the best mountaineers of all time. The year 1993 marked his name on the world with his first 8000m summit of K2.

NationalityAustralian
Born26 December 1961
Career Highlight18th Person to summit all the 14, 8000m peaks
About Andrew Lock

4. Conrad Anker

Conrad Anker
Conrad Anker

Conrad is not just a mountaineer but also a rock climber and author. Achieving multiple alpine firsts like Meru, climbing summits from Alaska to Antarctica, and leading North Face Climbing Team for 26 years register his name in the list of best mountaineers of all time. He was also able to find the body of George Mallory on Everest in 1999.

NationalityAmerican
Born27 November 1962
Career HighlightWas awarded Climbing Magzine’s Golden Pitons Life Achievement Award.
About Conrad Anker

Read more: Highest-peaks-in-the-world

5. Silvio Mondinelli

Silvio Mondinelli
Silvio Mondinelli

The Italian mountaineer completed his summit of all the 14, 8000m peaks at the age of 49. Founder of an NGO working for the Nepalese people, the mountaineer is counted among the best mountaineers of all time. 

NationalityItalian
Born24 June 1958
Career Highlight6th person in the world to climb all 14, 8000m peaks without supplementary oxygen.
About Silvio Mondinelli

6. Paul Ramsden

Paul Ramsden
Paul Ramsden

The British mountaineer is not a fan of social media or internet presence but makes his presence known in the mountaineering world by his unmatchable achievements and is often maned amongst the best mountaineers of all time. The first three of his awards were with Mick Fowler and the 4th one was with Nick Bullock all of them for the unclimbed and unclaimed beauties.

NationalityBritish
Born1971
Career HighlightWon France’s Piolet d’Or alpinism accolades 4 times.
About Paul Ramsden

7. Lino Lacedelli

Lino Lacedelli
Lino Lacedelli

The Italian mountaineer was awarded Italy’s highest honor The Knight of the Grand Cross, in 2005. Lino did succeed in mountaineering but was also the writer of Bestselling books on mountaineering. After becoming the first-ever person to reach the summit of K2, he became known internationally mostly because of his 18-hour ascent of the east face of Bonatti-Ghigo.

NationalityItalian
Born4 December 1925
Career HighlightFirst-ever person to reach the summit of K2
About Lino Lacedelli

8. Will Gadd

Will Gadd
Will Gadd

The United Nation’s “Mountain Hero” is famous for his ice ascents to Helmcken Falls and Niagara Falls. Though he is an ice climber and paraglider his achievements and will to explore the unexplored have gotten his name registered among the best mountaineer of all time. 

NationalityCanadian
Born8 March 1967
Career HighlightHeld the Paragliding world distance record, of a 423 km long flight in Zapata. Texas
About Will Gadd

9. Tenzing Norgay

Tenzing Norgay
Tenzing Norgay

The mountaineer along with Sir Edmund was the first one to reach the summit of Everest In 1953. The mountaineer is not only counted among the best mountaineers of all time but is also a bearer of many honors, like being listed as one the top 100 most influential people of the 20th century, receiving the George Medal from Queen Elizabeth II for the Everest, Padma Bushan by the Government of India, and Order of the Star of Nepal from King Tribhuvan of Nepal in 1953.

NationalityNepalese- Indian
Born29 May 1914
Career HighlightFirst-ever person along with Edmund Hillary to summit Everest.
About Tenzing Norgay

10. Robert Jasper

Robert Jasper
Robert Jasper

The mountaineer is known for his solo expeditions and considers himself an “extreme alpinist”. The best mountaineer of all time has completed 17 different routes to the great Eiger so far.

NationalityGerman
Born15 April 1968
Career HighlightClimbed 3 North faces in the alps within record time.
About Robert Jasper

11. Sir Edmund Hillary

Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Hillary

New Zealand’s mountaineer is a person of many talents from an explorer to a philanthropist Sir Edmund is the first-ever person to summit Everest and also reach both the north and south poles. Reserved as the Royal Navigator in New Zealand Air at the time of world war II and is now counted among the best mountaineer of all time.

NationalityNew Zealand
Born20 July 1919
Career HighlightA first-ever person along with Tenzing Norgay to summit Everest.
About Sir Edmund Hillary

Read more: Trekking Quotes For Success


This article covered only 11 legends but there are countless others achieving great heights as you read this article so let’s not forget them. 

Best Mountaineers Of All Times
Best Mountaineers Of All Times

“Success comes to those who have an entire mountain of gold that they continually mine, not those who find one nugget and try to live on it for fifty years.” 

John C. Maxwell

Frequently Asked Questions FAQs For Best Mountaineers Of All Times

Who was the first person to summit Mt. Everest?

Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first-ever people to summit Mt. Everest.

Who was the first person to summit all 14, 8000m peaks?

The first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders was Italian Reinhold Messner, on 16 October 1986.

How many peaks are above the height of 8000m?

14 mountain peaks stand above the height of 8000m.

What is the height of Mt. Everest?

Mt. Everest is 8849m high.

What is the height of Mt. K2?

Mt. K2 is 8611m high

How many 8000m or above peaks are there in India?

Though there are no 8000 m peaks in India except the Kangchenjunga, there are several peaks that are above 7000 m.

How many people have climbed Mt. Everest till now?

As of July 2022, there have been 11,346 ascents by 6098 people. 

In which country Mt. Everest is located?

Mt. Everest is located between Nepal and Tibet, the autonomous region of China.

Where is Mt. K2 located?

K2 is located in the Karakoram Range and lies partly in a Chinese-administered enclave of the Kashmir region and partly in the Gilgit-Baltistan portion of Kashmir under the administration of Pakistan.