Majestic mountains around the world 2

 

Majestic mountains around the world that are full of hidden secrets

Story by Karlina Valeiko

 

Mount Kinabalu, Crocker Range, Malaysia (13,435ft/4,095m)©Ake13bk/Shutterstock

Malaysia's tallest mountain, Mount Kinabalu's rocky face is such a mystical sight, it's no wonder there are several legends tied to it. One of the more popular stories usually told to tourists, says that the name translates as Chinese widow. In the story, a Chinese prince survives a sinking ship and is rescued by local people. There, he marries a local woman but, missing family, returns to China. He's banned from ever returning while his Malaysian wife, turned into stone by the spirit of the mountain, continuous to wait for him to return.

 

Teton Range, Wyoming, USA (13,769ft/4,197m)©YegoroV/Shutterstock

A mountain range within the Rocky Mountains, Grand Tetons are an icon of the Cowboy State. Stretching along the Idaho state line from north to south, Grand Tetons are mostly within the national park of the same name in Wyoming. Rising dramatically over Jackson, the Tetons are an unmistakably western sight, largely thanks to a number of western films featuring these grand mountains, from John Wayne's acting debut The Big Trail to a classic of the genre Shane.

 

Mount Rainier, Washington, USA (14,409ft/4,392m)©Diane Fetzner/Shutterstock

There's no arguing that Mount Rainier is of an epic size. With more than 130 trails snaking their way through the forested area around the mountain, there are plenty of opportunities to take in the stunning scenery among the lush trees and fragrant wildflowers. Many don't know it's an active stratovolcano but it hasn't erupted since the late 19th century.

 

Matterhorn, Pennine Alps, Switzerland and Italy (14,692ft/4,478m)©Smit/Shutterstock

Switzerland has some pretty magical mountains, but the jagged peak of the Matterhorn surely wins hands down. The mountain, straddling the border between Switzerland and Italy, overlooks the Swiss town of Zermatt to the northeast and the Italian town of Breuil-Cervinia to the south. The town also gives the mountain its Italian name Cervino. Sometimes even called the Mountain of Mountains, Matterhorn is symbolic of all of the European Alps.

Vinicunca, Andes, Peru (17,100ft/5,212m)©Seumas Christie-Johnston/Shutterstock

This multicolored mountain in the Peruvian Andes is not man-made despite what its perfectly symmetrical layers might make you think. The colorful bands, ranging from pink and red to yellow and green, are the result of sedimentary layers forming from mineral deposits over the years. Interestingly, the colorful bands haven't always been visible. Rapid ice melt revealed the unique colors of the mountains only in the 2010s.

 

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (19,341ft/5,895m)©Prasanth Aravindakshan/Shutterstock

Nicknamed the Roof of Africa, Kilimanjaro is an icon of the African continent. Found in northeastern Tanzania in a national park of the same name, Kilimanjaro is actually a dormant volcano that last erupted some 360,000 years ago. It also has another claim to fame – it's the world's highest single free-standing mountain.

 

Denali, Alaska, USA (20,308ft/6,190m)©valiant.skies/Shutterstock

North America's tallest mountain, many might remember Denali by its previous name Mount McKinley. It was renamed in 2016, after many decades of controversy, to reflect the name long used by the native people. Surrounded by the unspoiled landscapes of the Denali National Park, the Reflection Pond is one of the most gorgeous places to see the mountain as it's mirrored in the perfectly still water.

 

Annapurna Massif, Himalayas, Nepal (26,545ft/8,091m)©Christopher Moswitzer/Shutterstock

Peppered with some of the world's highest mountains, Annapurna Massif is one of the most treacherous areas in the world for mountain climbers. The entire massif and the surrounding area are protected within the Annapurna Conservation Area, the first and largest conservation area in Nepal. The range is named after Annapurna, the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment, as many of the streams cascading down the mountains provide water for agricultural fields and pastures.

Mount Everest, Himalayas, Nepal and Tibet (29,028ft/8,848m)©Papava/Shutterstock

You simply cannot talk about the world's mountains and not mention Mount Everest. The mother of all mountains, it rises so high, you'd need almost 11 Burj Khalifas (the world's tallest building) to match its height. Located right on the border of Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region within China, the first recorded ascent up this incredible mountain was completed by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay as recently as 1953.

Ama Dablam, Himalayas, Nepal (22,349ft/6,812m)©Daniel Prudek/Shutterstock

It's no secret that Mount Everest is the Himalayas' most famous peak, however, this mountain range is home to many other spectacular mountains. One such mountain is Ama Dablam. Sometimes referred to as the Matterhorn of the Himalayas, the name loosely translates as mother's necklace. This is a reference to the hanging glacier, that resembles a dablam, a traditional double-pendant containing pictures of gods worn by Sherpa women.