Mount Everest may be the most famous mountain in the world, but it’s not actually the highest point on Earth.
That title belongs to Chimborazo, a stratovolcano located in central Ecuador.
Rising 20,548 ft above sea level, Chimborazo is nearly 9,000 ft shorter than Everest, but it benefits from a unique natural phenomenon.
The Earth is not a perfect sphere, but rather an Oblate Spheroid, meaning it’s slightly flatter at the poles and plumper at the equator due to gravity and centripetal force.
This causes points around the equator to be further from the center of the Earth than points further north or south.
As Chimborazo is close to the equator, it benefits from this bulge, making it the highest point on Earth when measured from the Earth’s center.
While Everest holds the title for the tallest mountain when measured from sea level, it falls short in terms of its distance from the Earth’s center.
Everest is approximately 3,965.5 miles away, whereas Chimborazo is 3,966.8 miles away, according to extremely accurate GPS measurements taken at their respective summits.
In fact, if we consider the total height of a mountain, including the submerged portion, Mauna Kea in Hawaii takes the crown.
Standing at over 33,000 ft tall, most of Mauna Kea’s height is underwater.
However, in terms of difficulty and prestige, Everest still reigns supreme among mountaineers.
If you’ve always dreamt of climbing a significant mountain but don’t have the time or resources for an Everest expedition, Chimborazo offers a more attainable goal.
It can be climbed in a single day or night and provides a rewarding experience for those with a passion for mountaineering.
Plan your journey to Ecuador and conquer the highest point on Earth – Chimborazo..
