The Seven Summits. Americans have been in the lead in climbing the highest points of all the continents. Now, Dolly Lefever has been added to the list as the third woman and the first American woman. In the past, there has been a question as to which was actually the highest point on two continents. Some previously gave the honor in Europe to Mont Blanc, but today it is generally accepted that Elbrus in the Caucasus is the highest in Europe. There is less agreement about whether Carstensz Pyramid (4884 meters, 16,024 feet) in Irian Jaya in Oceania (Australasia) or Kosciusko (2228 meters, 7310 feet) in Australia should be the seventh. For that reason, two lists must be given, one with Kosciusko and the other with Carstensz Pyramid. The climbers’ names, nationality and date when the last climb was completed (up to the beginning of the summer of 1994) are given below:

Seven Continents with Kosciusko Seven Continents with Carstensz

1. Dick Bass, USA 4-30-85 1. Pat Morrow*, Canada, 8-5-86

2. Gerry Roach*, USA, 13-12-85 2. Reinhold Messner*, Italy, 12-3-86

3. Pat Morrow*, Canada, 8-5-86 3. Oswald Oelz*, Austria, 3-16-90

4. Gerhard Schmatz*, Germany, 12-2-86 4. Geoff Tabin*, USA, 6-22-90

5. Reinhold Messner*, Italy, 12-3-86 5. Jean-Pierre Franchon, France, 11-27-91

6. Oswald Oelz*, Austria, 4-20-89 6. Gerhard Schmatz*, Germany, 2-23-92

7. Phil Ershler, USA, 25-12-89 7. Ronald Naar, Netherlands, 5-12-92

8. Geoff Tabin*, USA, 6-22-90 8. Skip Horner, USA, 5-12-92

9. Rob Hall, New Zealand, 12-21-90 9. Keith Kerr, UK, 5-15-92

10. Gary Ball, New Zealand 12-21-90 10. Ralf H0ibakk, Norway, 5-24-92

11. Chris Kopczinski*, USA, 5-10-91 11. Junko Tabei* (f). Japan, Sept. ’92

12. Glenn Porzak*, USA, 3-23-92 12. Christine Janin (f), France, 12-25-92

13. Vernon Tejas, USA, 5-12-92 13. Pascal Tournaire, France, 12-25-92

14. Junko Tabei* (f), Japan, Sept. ’92 14. Maurico Purto, Chile, 9-15-93

15. Doug Mantle, USA, 2-16-94 15. Arne Naess, Norway, 1-15-94

16. Dolly Lefever, (f), USA, 3-11-94 16. Todd Burleson, USA, 2-2-94

17. Ramon Portilla, Spain, 3-21-94

18. Gerry Roach*, USA, 5-3-94

19. Chris Kopczinski*, USA, 5-3-94

20. Glenn Porzak*, USA, 5-3-94

In these lists, the names marked with an asterisk (*) have climbed both Kosciusko and Carstensz Pyramid. Rob Hall and Gary Ball made all the climbs in seven months, from May to December in 1990. Gerhard Schmatz took the longest time, 20 years and 18 days. There are other lists which could be compiled: the second highest peak of each continent and the highest point on the world’s seven largest islands, for example. A very interesting and complete article has been published in Desnivel, of May, 1994 on pages 49 to 64.