Antarctica, The Highest Summits of the Continents

Publication Year: 1987.

The Highest Summits of the Continents. In trying to calculate which are the highest summits of each of the continents, one must first figure whether Australia should be taken as a continent by itself or whether the islands of the Pacific should be included in Australasia. The highest summit of Australia is Kosciusko (2230 meters, 7318 feet). The highest point in Australasia is Carstensz Pyramid (given both as 5030 meters, 16,503 feet and 4884 meters, 16,023 feet) on the island of New Guinea. If the islands are excluded, clearly Dick Bass was the first to climb all the highest points. If the islands are included, Canadian Pat Morrow was the first. He made the following ascents: McKinley, June 9, 1977; Aconcagua, February 9, 1981; Everest, October 7, 1982; Elbrus, July 25, 1983 and July, 1986; Kilimanjaro, August 17, 1983; Vinson Massif, November 19, 1985; and Carstensz Pyramid, May 7, 1986. Reinhold Messner is the second to complete the list which has Australasia in it: Carstensz Pyramid, 1971; Aconcagua, 1974, McKinley, 1976; Kilimanjaro, 1978; Everest, 1978; Elbrus, 1983; Vinson Massif, November, 1986.