The weirdest place on the planet: Where the compass points in one direction and more

In the world of professional climbers, achieving the title of "Explorers Grand Slam" is conquering the greatest achievements in the journey to the North Pole, Antarctica and the 7 highest peaks on the left continent. The land, which certainly has the "roof of the world" Everest, 8,848 meters high.

The pinnacle of adventure spanning all corners of the planet, the Explorers Grand Slam deserves to be the highest honor of all time for an adventurer / mountaineer. This great achievement requires individuals to spend many years of perseverance and training.

The Explorers Grand Slam brings together the essence of a great explorer: More courageous than humans, endurance to break through all the challenges of nature and the will to reach the peak of nothing that can shake the gathering. in an individual . That's why, of the 7.8 billion people on Earth, the number of people who achieve this noble title is less than 100.

Explorers Grand Slam or Adventurers Grand Slam is an extremely challenging adventure challenge, requiring an individual to complete the series of challenges: Climb the fullest 7 peaks of the 7 continents in the world - Go to 2 points furthest Earth on the North Pole and Antarctica (places with strange features such as a compass pointing South / North, temperatures below freezing).

In 1998, the history of world exploration recorded David Hempleman-Adams - British explorer born in 1956 became the first person to complete the Explorers Grand Slam challenge. After this famous feat, David Hempleman-Adams was knighted by the Queen of England (called Sir David Hempleman-Adams).

Among the 69 explorers who have earned the title of Explorers Grand Slam since 1998, the Victor Vescovo - the great American explorer born in 1966 - was the only man in the world who had just finished. Explorers Grand Slam (2017), has just dived with the submersible to more than 5 of the deepest ocean trench on the planet (2019) on the Great Deeps.

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Left: Sir David Hempleman-Adams - Right: Victor Vescovo

There are many other names honored by the Explorers Grand Slam in the world. They come from England, USA, China, India, Japan, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, Iceland .

The feeling of putting Mount Everest under your feet and zooming in from the "roof of the world" to see everything has been an unforgettable moment of life, but still, there are adventurers (male and female) completed the Explorers Grand Slam spectacularly.

Take a look at those 69 great men who went through the extreme challenges of nature to prove: Despite their small stature, the will of man is still higher than nature!

ORDER YOUR FOOTS TO THE 2 MOSTEST POINTS ON EARTH

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Geographic North Pole and Geographic South Pole.

In addition to climbing the seven highest peaks on seven continents, explorers must reach the two furthest points on Earth, the northernmost point (in the Arctic) and the southernmost point (in Antarctica), the title of Explorers Grand Slam will belong to them.

1. Arctic

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The northernmost point on Earth is found at latitude 90 ° North, where all meridians meet (the point where all meridians are) and where all directions are south, and all longitude lines converged there. It is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean between 4,000 m deep water covered by 2-3 m thick continuous sea ice.

Winter temperatures here range from −43 ° C to −34 ° C.

2. Antarctica

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The southernmost point on Earth, found at a latitude of 90 degrees South, lies on the Antarctic continent 1.5 times the size of the United States, twice the size of Australia and 58 times the United Kingdom.

It contains 90% of the world's ice and 70% of the world's fresh water.

This place is 2,835 m above sea level but its ice is also 2,700 m deep.

CONVERSION 7 HIGHEST PEAKS 7 LANDSCAPES

1. Mount Everest - 8,848 m, the highest in Asia

As the highest mountain on Earth and the highest in Asia, Everest is located in the heart of the Himalayas - the highest mountain range on the planet.

Everest has been dubbed the "World's largest open-air planet", because it possesses the toughest challenges of all the remaining peaks of the Earth: Owning the "Death Zone" (Death Zone) Starting at 8,000, it can become a grave for every explorer. At this location, oxygen is the most expensive, expensive item for human lungs and cells. Not to mention the extreme wind speed of up to 161 km / h combined with avalanches, glaciers and snow to the bone, which can kill any climber.

"In the Death Zone, even when wearing oxygen, people still find it difficult to breathe as if running on a treadmill (the fastest speed) but only breathe through a straw." - David Breashears, the first person in American history to conquer Everest more than once said.

On May 29, 1953, history recorded for the first time a group of two explorers, Sir Edmund Hillary (New Zealander, died in 2008) and Tenzing Norgay (Nepalese, died in 1986) successfully conquered the roof. world house ".

2. Mount Kilimanjaro - 5,895 m, the highest in Africa

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As the highest peak in Africa, Kilimanjaro is ranked 4 out of 7 peaks of the Explorers Grand Slam, but considering its independent position, Kilimanjaro is the tallest standing mountain in the world.

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania, in the east of the continent, near the equator and a short distance from the border with Kenya. Climbing Kilimanjaro allows adventurers to experience five distinct climates, from hot and arctic conditions at the foot of the mountain, to cold conditions such as the Arctic at the top of the mountain.

Hans Meyer, a German mountain climber, was the first person in the world to successfully conquer Kilimanjaro in 1889.

3. Denali Peak - 6,193 m, the highest in North America

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Also known as Mount McKinley, Denali is the highest mountain in North America, located in Alaska - the US state, in Denali National Park.

The most striking feature of this continent's highest mountain peak is the world's most severe weather and virtually maintains this challenging state all year round, which is why Denali ranks first in the 7 peaks of the Explorers Grand. Slam.

American climbers Hudson Stock, Harry Karstens, Walter Harper and Robert Tatum successfully conquered Denali on June 7, 1913.

4. Mount Aconcagua - 6,961 m, the highest in South America

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Aconcagua - in the Andes - possesses four elevation records: The highest mountain in South America; Highest in the Western Hemisphere; Highest Southern Hemisphere; The highest in the world outside the Himalayas.

This peak is located in the territory of Argentina near the border with Chile. Although nearly 7000 m high, Aconcagua is considered a fairly safe mountain for climbers in the Explorers Grand Slam because the route is easy to go. However, the lack of oxygen at high altitude can cause problems for amateur climbers.

In 1897, Swiss climber Matthias Zurbriggen was the first person in the world to successfully conquer Aconcagua.

5. Mount Vinson Massif - 4,892 m, the highest in Antarctica

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Of the 7 peaks of the Explorers Grand Slam, Vinson Massif is the coldest mountain peak with the temperature always maintained at minus 68 degrees Celsius.

1200 km from Earth's South Pole, Vinson Massif belongs to the Ellsworth Range near the Antarctic Peninsula and is located in Chilean-controlled territory under the Antarctic Treaty.

In 1966, an American mountaineering team including Barry Corbet, John Evans, William Long and Pete Schoening successfully conquered the bone-chilling peak.

6. Elbrus Peak - 5,641 m, the highest in Europe

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As the highest mountain in Europe (not Mt Blanc as usual), Elbrus is located in the Caucasus Mountains in Russia, near the borders of Georgia and Armenia.

Not only is Europe the tallest, Elbrus is also the highest volcano in Asia and Europe and is among the top 10 most prominent peaks in the world.

A cable car has been built by the Russian government running from the foot of the mountain to an altitude of 3,657 m, making it very much accessible.

In July 1874, British climber, Crauford Grove, and a Swiss guide, Peter Knubel, were the first to successfully conquer Mount Elbrus.

7. Mount Kosciuszko - 2,228 m, the highest in Australia

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Kosciuszko is located in the Snowy Mountains on the border of Australia's New South Wales and Victoria states, near Canberra.

This is the "lightest" low mountain, the easiest to climb in the Explorers Grand Slam, with the climb taking around 7 hours.

It is believed that the indigenous people were the first to climb Mount Kosciuszko, but the first Westerner to reach the summit was a Polish climber, Edmund Strzelecki, in 1840.

After conquering all 7 highest peaks in 7 continents of the world, the explorers must set foot to the two furthest points on Earth, the northernmost point (in the North Pole) and the southernmost point (in Antarctica), the title Explorers Grand Slam will belong to them.