The world's most dangerous mountains

Eiger

This 3,970-metre peak in the Swiss Alps was first summitted in 1858, but no-one completed the toughest ascent, via the north face, until July 24, 1938. Since 1935 at least 64 climbers have perished on the north face, earning it the nickname Mordwand ("murder wall"). It is a technically difficult climb, with regular rockfall increasing the risk

Annapurna

Fewer people (60) have died trying to conquer Annapurna, which, at 8,091 metres above sea level, is the 10th highest mountain in the world. However, just 157 have been brave enough to attempt to reach the top, giving it the highest fatality-to-summit ratio (38 per cent) of any mountain over 8,000m. The ascent via the south face is considered by some to be the hardest climb of all.

Annapurna was first climbed in 1950, and the first successful attempt via the south face was in 1970. More recently, in 1987, a pair of Poles made the first winter ascent, and in 2007 Slovenian climber Tomaž Humar made the first solo ascent via the south face.

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