Ballpark Estimate: $70,000 to $100,000 Contrary to popular belief, no one has installed a chairlift to the top of Mt. Everest (elev. 29,035 ft.) in recent years. No matter how accessible people believe this mountain to be, Mount Everest still remains the highest mountain in the world and attempting to climb it is still one of…
Ballpark Estimate: $12,000 to $35,000 (Private and Commercial) Looking for a more exciting way to spend your weekends? Or maybe you’re considering a career change to something rather unique – say a helicopter pilot? Opportunities in this field are plentiful and could include working in the emergency medical service flying victims or life-saving organs to a…
Ballpark Estimate: $89 for a night’s lodging; $529 for an educational trip and membership If you’ve ever been to the White Mountains in New Hampshire, you know that breathtaking view you get as you wind around the narrow highway and see the looming expanse of Mount Washington’s rocky peak. While the mountain’s height (6,288 feet) sets a…
Ballpark Estimate: $2,500 to $8,000 At 19,340 feet, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world, and the highest point in Africa. While there are some difficult and technical climbs on the mountain, the vast majority of those who reach Uhuru Peak have hiked there. It is a rigorous, high altitude hike, but requires…
Ballpark Estimate: $890 to $2,335 and up Unless you live within a stone’s throw of an outdoor climbing area, the easiest and most convenient place to learn how to climb is at an indoor climbing gym. In fact, these days, most outdoor climbers start out in a gym. Many of them get good fast indoors, and…
Ballpark Estimate: $5,500 to $7,000 (lessons and new gear) Hang gliding has come a long way since the 1890s when Germany’s Otto Lilienthal designed, built, and tested his series of gliders. Although he made over 2,000 test flights, his gliding career ended in disaster when, in 1896, he crashed from 56 feet in the air, breaking…
Ballpark Estimate: $850 to $5,000 Aconcagua (elev. 22,840 ft.) is the tallest mountain in the Americas and, outside of Asia, the tallest mountain in the world. Towering 4,000 feet above neighboring peaks in the Argentinian Andes, the “Stone Sentinel” draws climbers from all over the world who log the ascent as a training climb for the…
Ballpark Estimate: $200 to $250 per person for an hour long ride Gliding above the treetops in a basket with blue sky above, spectacular scenery below, and little more than the wind and a pilot to guide you: a ride in a hot air balloon can be an exhilarating experience. Hot air balloon rides are gaining…
Ballpark Estimate: $2,000 to $9,000. The 2,175 mile Appalachian Trail runs from Georgia to Maine and is one of the most challenging long distance hikes in the United States. Less than 25% of all those who set out to complete this trek succeed. Cost isn’t the only factor in determining who succeeds in completing the AT,…
Ballpark Estimate: $8,000 to $13,000 Whether you’re joining a guided expedition or organizing a private climb, ascents of 8,000-meter peaks require a long list of highly specialized gear. We’ve assembled a list of the most essential, high altitude expedition gear, from the top of your head (balaclava and glacier glasses) to the tips of your toes…
Ballpark Estimate: $1,175 to $5,600 (plus airfare to Russia) The Caucasus Mountain Range rises up between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, dividing Europe (to the north) from Asia (to the south). Located in Russia, north of the main Caucasus Range, the two summits of Mt. Elbrus are inside European territory and, at 18,510 feet (5,642…
Ballpark Estimate: $175 to $635 (includes purchase of gear) WARNING! Learning to climb in an indoor gym does not adequately prepare you for outdoor rock climbing. Different gear and a very different and more complicated set of skills are required to climb outdoors. Do not attempt to climb outdoors on your own, even top-roping routes, without…
Ballpark Estimate: $130,000 to $220,000 Climbing the Seven Summits, the highest peak on each of the seven continents, was an idea invented in the early 1980s by Dick Bass, a wealthy, middle-aged businessman and novice climber. He accomplished this feat by hiring, at great expense, a succession of professional mountain guides, and completed his quest in…
Ballpark Estimate: $30,000 to $35,000 The view from the summit of Mount Vinson has been described as other-worldly. You are likely standing under an indescribably bright blue sky, gazing out at thousands of square miles of ice and snow, against the background of a curved horizon. At 16,050 feet (4,892 meters), Vinson Massif is the highest…
Ballpark Estimate: $400 to $1,500 (1st year – used gear); $1,300 to $3,000 (2nd year – new gear) Every four years, the Winter Olympic athletes show us the very best in skiing, skating, bobsled, luge, and more. But one of the most awe inspiring sports has got to be ski jumping. Wearing impossibly long and wide jumping…