The Kangchenjunga: 28,169 Feet

Mount Kangchenjunga in the Himalayas (between Nepal and India) is listed in most geographical surveys as one mountain, although it has five peaks. Its name translates to Five Treasures of Snow. Kangchenjunga was once thought to be the highest mountain in the world. However, the mountain’s height of 28,169 feet, first calculated in 1856, makes it the third tallest. The first climbers to make their way to the top were the British explorers Joe Brown and George Band, who stopped just before the summit as requested by Tashi Namgyai, the Chogyal of Sikkim, who considered it to be a holy, sacred site. Local Lhopo people believed the mountain range hid sacred treasures including salt, gold, turquoise, and precious metals.