"Four-thousanders" and Ascents
See also: List of Alpine Four-thousandersThe Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA) has defined a list of 82 "official" Alpine summits that reach at least 4,000 m (13,123 ft). The list includes not only mountains, but also subpeaks with little prominence that are considered important mountaineering objectives. Below are listed the 22 "four-thousanders" with at least 500 m (1,640 ft) of prominence.
While Mont Blanc was first climbed in 1786, most of the Alpine four-thousanders were climbed during the first half of the 19th century; the ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 marked the end of the golden age of alpinism. Karl Blodig (1859–1956) was among the first to successfully climb all the major 4,000 m peaks. He completed his series of ascents in 1911.
The first British Mont Blanc ascent was in 1788; the first female ascent in 1819. By the mid-1850s Swiss mountaineers had ascended most of the peaks and were eagerly sought as mountain guides. Edward Whymper reached the top of the Matterhorn in 1865 (after seven attempts), and in 1938 the last of the six great north faces of the Alps was climbed with the first ascent of the Eiger Nordwand (north face of the Eiger).
| Name | Height | Range | Name | Height | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mont Blanc | 4,810 m (15,781 ft) | Graian Alps | Dent d'Hérens | 4,171 m (13,684 ft) | Pennine Alps |
| Monte Rosa | 4,634 m (15,203 ft) | Pennine Alps | Jungfrau | 4,158 m (13,642 ft) | Bernese Alps |
| Dom | 4,545 m (14,911 ft) | Pennine Alps | Aiguille Verte | 4,122 m (13,524 ft) | Graian Alps |
| Weisshorn | 4,506 m (14,783 ft) | Pennine Alps | Mönch | 4,107 m (13,474 ft) | Bernese Alps |
| Matterhorn | 4,478 m (14,692 ft) | Pennine Alps | Barre des Écrins | 4,102 m (13,458 ft) | Dauphiné Alps |
| Dent Blanche | 4,357 m (14,295 ft) | Pennine Alps | Schreckhorn | 4,078 m (13,379 ft) | Bernese Alps |
| Grand Combin | 4,314 m (14,154 ft) | Pennine Alps | Ober Gabelhorn | 4,063 m (13,330 ft) | Pennine Alps |
| Finsteraarhorn | 4,273 m (14,019 ft) | Bernese Alps | Gran Paradiso | 4,061 m (13,323 ft) | Graian Alps |
| Grandes Jorasses | 4,208 m (13,806 ft) | Graian Alps | Piz Bernina | 4,049 m (13,284 ft) | Bernina Range |
| Rimpfischhorn | 4,199 m (13,776 ft) | Pennine Alps | Weissmies | 4,017 m (13,179 ft) | Pennine Alps |
| Aletschhorn | 4,193 m (13,757 ft) | Bernese Alps | Lagginhorn | 4,010 m (13,156 ft) | Pennine Alps |
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