Who will be the first to summit all 14 8000 meter peaks?

Kind-of just kidding, but interesting nonetheless--seems like the lay press has picked up the story.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/sports/tallest-mountain-summit.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Sports

When I saw this, I was like you have got to be kidding me!

This was accomplished by Reinhold Messner, DECADES AGO! Several others since.

On the humorous side:  The newer generations are into erasing and rewriting history, so they now have goals to be the first and create modern hero's. Go for it youngster! At least its a healthy goal. 

Fred Becky did this in the 70's.

Who doubts Messner or Kukuczka, or Wielicki, did not ensure they did it right? These folks practiced a lifestyle of having nothing to defend. 

That was an interesting article.  The picture of the guy on Manaslu was definitely not a summit. That was obvious.  If that is what some are considering reaching the summit then that is sad.  I still believe that Messner reached all the summits. He has integrity.  I loved his response in the article.  Also props to Viesturs, another honest person with integrity. I don’t think others are dishonest, I just agree with the premise of the article that the definition of the actual summit is being broadened.  The summit is the top and not an area you know is lower than that.

Walt Peterswrote:

That was an interesting article.  The picture of the guy on Manaslu was definitely not a summit. That was obvious.  If that is what some are considering reaching the summit then that is sad.  I still believe that Messner reached all the summits. He has integrity.  I loved his response in the article.  Also props to Viesturs, another honest person with integrity. I don’t think others are dishonest, I just agree with the premise of the article that the definition of the actual summit is being broadened.  The summit is the top and not an area you know is lower than that.

I don't get it. What's the criteria? Do you have to literally stand on it? Be able to touch it? It looks like the summit is 20 trivial and mostly horizontal feet away. Maybe I'm missing something obvious but that wouldn't elicit any criticism from me. Nothing more than a shrug. Sometimes you just can't be bothered. Once you've overcome all difficulties the rest is just splitting hairs far as I'm concerned.

ECD H wrote:

If it's about ticking a list, then the price for your arbitrary motivation is going to the summit. Doesn't matter if you don't actually plant your feet there - just don't say that you did.

I personally call bullshit of the 'it's climbing not summiting' thing - there's better climbing to be had on other routes and other peaks than the trade routes on 8000ers. 

People disparage trade routes too much. The problem with the trade routes is the trade, not the route. If mountains are sacred then the guiding activities are a kind of sacrilege (and I can recognize a guide's need to make a living while at the same time recognizing the spiritual cost of it). Only trade routes I've seen up close are the Owen Spalding, West Ridge of Pigeon and Gouter Route n Mont Blanc. All have something to recommend them, and at the grade they're really hard to beat (except maybe for Mont Blanc, which has that death choss couloir that spoils it). I don't know if you've ever seen the everest summit ridge with all the people and trash photoshopped out, but it looks like a very nice place.

I also somehow doubt there's any bad faith involved in something like that Manaslu summit.

At first I was interested and dug in to the well written article. I really liked that Manaslu 3d thing, excellent! But just a bit afterward I thought, you know what, I really don't give a flying fuck if they did it or not. I mean me, I don't give a fuck. Doesn't make a fritter's difference what I think about it. I don't get a vote. I think this is an 8000m peak issue to be addressed, nor not addressed, by members of the 8000m club. They can claim whatever the hell they want, from my pov it doesn't matter. 

So with that I bailed on the article. Too many angels dancing on the head of a pin, for my taste.

Lot's of peaks have spires and snow on their summit .I've summited Starlight Peak several times ,touched the summit ,but never stood on it or seen anyone else stand on it .Respecting local beliefs about summits has always been part of climbing. Who would brag about climbing  Mt.Kailash ?

Interesting read. I wonder if Ed will go back and finally get all 14?

Bonningtons boys  never stood on the actual summit according to his book. it was a religious / respect/ superstition for the mountain thing.  Always just a few feet away but no one ever doubted that they climbed the mountain.  I feel the only time it matters is if there is a technical summit that you did not reach due to difficulty or danger.  Example, an ice blob in Patagonia that kept people off the top. in a case like that the mountain beat you.  If the technical difficulties are over and its just a matter of standing in a certain spot a few feet away but you don't out of superstition  you still climbed the mountain. 

Has anyone climbed all of the summits of the  ten peaks farthest from the Earth's center ? Only two are not in South America.

It's a personal choice. What other people make of it is up to them.

Personally, I wouldn't have considered I climbed Mt. Meeker without topping off on the final block. Or making the jump on Sunlight. 

But that's just me.