Our summit list of European countries (and others)

July 9th, 2005 - 14:00

We are standing on the east summit of Elbrus, Europe's tallest mountain. The west summit is 5642 meters, we are 21 meters lower. But we still count this summit. After all, we took a long and not standard route, and that route ended at the east summit, while the normal route goes to the west summit.

This is a good example of how arbitrary these successes are. Could we check the tallest mountain in Europe, or not? We decided to do so.

Equally arbitrary is what is considered the high point of a country. In Switzerland we have the Dom (4545 m), but also Dufourspitze (4634 m). The latter is clearly higher, but it is shared between Switzerland and Italy. The Dom is entirely on Swiss ground. You tell me which one to choose (for most Swiss it is the Dom). And for The Netherlands the tallest mountain is overseas, in the Carribean, on the island of Saba. Or do we count Vaalserberg on the border of Netherlands, Belgium and Germany?

And what is a 'country'? Are England, Scotland and Wales separate countries or is the United Kingdom 1 country?

We hope to reach as many high points as possible, mainly in Europe. And for that we use our own, arbitrary, high points list. Another list can be found on Wikipedia.

Below you can find all the European countries in alphabetical (English country names) order. And in the menu above you can also find some summits outside Europe. Green means that one of us or both reached the summit.

Country Highest point Hight
Albania Maja e Korabit 2764 m
Andorra Coma Pedrosa 2942 m
Austria Großglockner 3798 m
Belarus Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 345 m
Belgium Signal de Botrange 694 m
Bosnia and Herzegovina Maglić 2386 m
Bulgaria Musala 2925 m
Croatia Dinara 1831 m
Cyprus Olympos 1952 m
Czech Republic Sněžka 1603 m
Denmark Ejer Baunehøj 171 m
Estonia Suur Munamägi 318 m
Finland Haltiatunturi 1324 m
France Mont Blanc 4809 m
Germany Zugspitze 2962 m
Greece Olympos 2917 m
Hungary Kékes 1014 m
Iceland Hvannadalshnúkur 2110 m
Ireland Carrauntoohil 1041 m
Italy Gran Paradiso 4061 m
Kosovo Velika Rudoka 2658 m
Latvia Gaiziņkalns 312 m
Liechtenstein Grauspitz 2599 m

Country Highest point Hight
Lithuania Aukštojas 294 m
Luxembourg Kneiff or Burgplatz 560 m
Malta Ta' Dmejrek 253 m
Moldova Bălănești 430 m
Monaco Chemin des Révoires 163 m
Montenegro Zla Kolata 2534 m
Netherlands Vaalserberg 322 m
North Macedonia Korab 2764 m
Norway Galdhøpiggen 2469 m
Poland Rysy 2499 m
Portugal Monta do Pico 2351 m
Romania Moldoveanu 2544 m
Russia Elbrus 5642 m
San Marino Monte Titano 749 m
Serbia Midžor 2169 m
Slovakia Gerlachovský štít 2655 m
Slovenia Triglav 2864 m
Spain Pico de Teide 3718 m
Sweden Kebnekaise 2104 m
Switzerland Dufourspitze 4634 m
Ukraine Hoverla 2061 m
United Kingdom Ben Nevis 1345 m
Vatican City Vatican Hill 75 m

Albania: Maja e Korabit (2764 m)

Future project.

Andorra: Coma Pedrosa (2942 m)

Coma Pedrosa

Official name   Pic de Comapedrosa
Other names    
Mountain range   Pyrenees
Summitted   19 June 2003
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Normal route from Arinsal

We did this climb during our road trip to Spain. I can't remember much of it anymore, except for it was a pretty long hike with a steep section at the end. But no technical difficulties. 

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Austria: Großglockner (3798 m)

Coma Pedrosa

Official name   Großglockner
Other names    
Mountain range   Alps
Summitted   1 August 2001
Team   Otto Sluiter & Robert Steenmeijer
Route   Normal route via 'Hofmannsweg'

Back in 2001 the 'Hofmannsweg' was still a viable option. In those days there was the Hoffmanns Hut from which you could descend to the Pasterze glacier, cross it, and then climb up to the 'Adlersruhe', the Erzherzog Johann Hütte at 3454 m.

The next morning at 7 am we left the hut and followed the crowds. First across the glacier, and then over rocky blocks (grade I/II). From here it was more like a scramble to Klein Glockner. From Klein Glockner you need to cross an awkward snow bridge to Großglockner. There are waiting queues on both sides. Around 9 am we reached the summit of Austria.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Belarus: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara (345 m)

Future project.

Belgium: Signal de Botrange (694 m)

Signal de Botrange

Official name   Signal de Botrange
Other names    
Mountain range   High Fens
Summitted   11 September 2004
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Normal route from parking lot (2 minutes)

The highest point in Belgium can be reached by car. It is situated between Eupen and Malmedy, next to the main road. The pole is the official highest point, but they also built an artificial hill, so that one can reach the 700 m mark.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Maglić (2386 m)

Maglic

Official name   Maglić
Other names    
Mountain range   Dinaric Alps
Summitted   16 September 2016
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   From Vučevo plateau above Tjentište

A bumpy dirt road leads from Tjentište up to the Vučevo plateau, where there is a grassy car park. Opposite the car park a well marked trail follows the border of Bosnia and Montenegro till the foot of the mountain. From here there are some iron cables that lead to a col just below the summit. On the summit there is a beautiful Yugoslavian sign. It took us 3 hours from the car park.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Bulgaria: Musala (2925 m)

Future project.

Croatia: Dinara (1831 m)

Dinara

Official name   Dinara
Other names   Sinjal
Mountain range   Dinaric Alps
Summitted   6 September 2021
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Glavas route

We started at 6.30 am and reached the summit at 10. It's an easy walk-up, well marked. We took a slightly different route back down, which eventually joined the main route.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Cyprus: Olympos (1952 m)

Olympos

Official name   Olympos
Other names   Chionistra
Mountain range   Troodos Range
Summitted   1 November 2008
Team   Otto Sluiter
Route   Loop around the mountain

The highest point of Cyprus is a restricted area. It is possible to walk around the Olympos, about 7 kms.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Czech Republic: Sněžka (1603 m)

Sněžka

Official name   Sněžka
Other names   Śnieżka
Mountain range   Giant Mountains
Summitted   10 July 2006
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   From Pec pod Sněžkou via Obří důl

Sněžka means snow cap, but in Summer there is no snow at all. This summit is on the border of Czech Republic and Poland and can be reached from both sides. We took the Obří důl trail, which takes some 3 hours to the summit.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Denmark: Ejer Baunehøj (171 m)

Future project.

Estonia: Suur Munamägi (318 m)

Future project.

Finland: Haltiatunturi (1324 m)

Future project.

France: Mont Blanc (4809 m)

Future project.

Germany: Zugspitze (2962 m)

Zugspitze

Official name   Zugspitze
Other names    
Mountain range   Alps
Summitted   29 July 2001
Team   Otto Sluiter & Robert Steenmeijer
Route   Cable car (haha)

This one was easy. I took the cable car. 😜

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Greece: Olympos (2917 m)

Olympos

Official name   Olympos
Other names    
Mountain range   Alps
Summitted   6 June 2014
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Louki route from Refuge A

The home of the gods. In winter this mountain is covered in snow. We arrived in early June and there was still a lot of snow just below the summit.

From Prionia (1100 m) it's a 2-3 hour walk to Refuge "A", Spilios Agapitos at 2100 m. We knew that there would be snow, so we brought ice axe and crampons. And we decided to not take the normal route via Skala, but the more demanding Louki route. The refuge warden advised us to take the skala route, because nobody had taken the Louki route this season yet, because of the snow condition. But we were confident that we could manage.

At 6, before the rest of the crowds, we left the hut. And after an hour or so we left the normal route. We had to cross several steep ice fields, crampons were needed, before we reached the start of the Louki route, which goes straight up to the main summit Mytikas. It's a straight forward rock scramble. At 10 we found ourselved in the home of the gods. But the gods were not at home, and the good thing was, the crowds had also not yet reached the top.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Hungary: Kékes (1014 m)

Future project.

Iceland: Hvannadalshnúkur (2110 m)

Future project.

Ireland: Carrauntoohil (1041 m)

Future project.

Italy: Gran Paradiso (4061 m)

Gran Paradiso

Official name   Gran Paradiso
Other names    
Mountain range   Alps
Summitted   5 August 2001
Team   Otto Sluiter & Robert Steenmeijer
Route   Normal route from Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele II

The highest point in Italy is somewhere on the Monte Bianco. Not the top of Mont Blanc, because the top is entirely in France. And this is exactly the reason why many Italians consider the Gran Paradiso the high point of Italy, because the top is in Italy.

The route starts in Pont and goes via the Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele II (2732 m). After an early start the next day you need to cross some rocky blocks until you arrive at the snow fields. Most parties rope up here, although technically speaking this is just a snow field, the glacier starts further up the mountain. 5 hours after leaving the hut we reached the summit.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Kosovo: Velika Rudoka (2658 m)

Future project.

Latvia: Gaiziņkalns (312 m)

Future project.

Liechtenstein: Grauspitz (2599 m)

Future project.

Lithuania: Aukštojas (294 m)

Future project.

Luxembourg: Burgplatz (558 m)

Burgplatz

Official name   Burgplatz
Other names   Burrigplatz, Buurgplaatz
Mountain range   Ardennes
Summitted   14 April 2006
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Next to the road

Well, the real high point of Luxembourg is a spot in a field, called Kneiff. This point is 2 meters higher than the official landmark Burgplatz.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Malta: Ta' Dmejrek (253 m)

Future project.

Moldova: Bălănești (430 m)

Future project.

Monaco: Chemin des Révoires (163 m)

Monaco

Official name   Chemin des Révoires
Other names    
Mountain range    
Summitted   3 May 2005
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route    

This high point was hard to find. There are no signs. We just used our GPS and altimeter to establish the highest point in Monaco. Some staircases led to this point.

Montenegro: Zla Kolata (2534 m)

Zla Kolata

Official name   Zla Kolata
Other names   Kolata e Keq, Kolac
Mountain range   Prokletije
Summitted   3 September 2021
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Classical route from Vusanje

In the old days the Bobotov Kuk (2522 m) in Durmitor was the tallest mountain. But Zla Kolata on the Albanian border is really the highest point of Montenegro. We climbed both; Bobotov Kuk in 2016 and Zla Kolata in 2021.

The trailhead for Zla Kolata is in Vusanje (1060 m). From there we took a track up to some pasture. After the pasture we turned southwards and scrambled/walked to the Preslopit Pass (2130 m). From there it was another awkward hike and/or scramble to the Double Pass, just below the summit. Total time to reach the top for us was some 6-7 hours from Vusanje.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Netherlands: Vaalserberg (322 m)

Vaalserberg

Official name   Vaalserberg
Other names    
Mountain range    
Summitted   11 September 2004
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Normal route from car park

Vaalserberg is the highest point in The Netherlands, at least on the European continent. It is also the point where Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

North Macedonia: Korab (2764 m)

Future project.

Norway: Galdhøpiggen (2469 m)

Future project.

We did climb Glittertind (2464 m), which was Norway's high point for a long time. In winter it can still be higher than Galdhøpiggen, due to the snowcap.

Poland: Rysy (2499 m)

Rysy

Official name   Rysy
Other names    
Mountain range   High Tatras
Summitted   8 July 2010
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Normal route from Štrbské Pleso

We climbed Rysy in 2010, from the Slovakian side. In some 3 hours we made it to the main summit, which lies in Slovakia. There were some iron chains to help with the ascent.

The Polish summit is 4 meters lower than, and only 2 minutes away from the main summit. Of course Rysy can also be reached from Polish side.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Portugal: Monta do Pico (2351 m)

Future project.

Romania: Moldoveanu (2544 m)

Future project.

Russia: Elbrus (5642 m)

Elbrus

Official name   Elbrus
Other names    
Mountain range   Caucasus
Summitted   9 July 2005
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   East summit via North Hut

A lot of people think that Mont Blanc is Europe's highest point. But that is not true. Elbrus in the Caucasus is the highest mountain, some 800 meters taller than Mt. Blanc. Frequently high points are located on borders between countries, because mountain ranges are natural borders. But Elbrus is different. It's a volcano, entirely on the Russian side of the Russian/Georgian border. It has 2 summits, the west summit is the higher one and the one that is ususally climbed from the south via the Priut 11 hut.

We decided to take another approach. Because everyone takes the normal route via Priut 11, our assessment was that it would be crowdy. Instead, we took a 4-day trekking to the north side of the mountain. Here is a small, but very quiet, hut on 3700 m., no crowds. The only disadvantage is the altitude, because for the summit push we had to ascend almost 2000 meters in 1 day.

After 1 day of acclimatization, we left the hut at 3.30 in the morning, some 2 hours before sunrise. At 2 pm we reached the East Summit. No one else on the summit. And, as expected, te West Summit was pretty crowded. 4 hours later we were back in the North Hut.

More information can be found on our Elbrus website, but also on Summitpost.

San Marino: Monte Titano (749 m)

Future project.

Serbia: Midžor (2169 m)

Future project.

Slovakia: Gerlachovský štít (2655 m)

Gerlachovský štít

Official name   Gerlachovský štít
Other names   Gerlach
Mountain range   High Tatras
Summitted   11 July 2010
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Martin's Route

There are no trails to the summit of Gerlach. And a guide is compulsary, unless you are member of an UIAA mountaineering club. We are members but we decided to use a guide anyway, because we wanted to take another route than the normal route. Without a guide it would have been impossible to find Martin's route (Martinova cesta).

At 5 in the morning our guide took us with his jeep to Sliezsky Dom, 600 meters higher. From there we hiked the trail in the direction of Litvorové sedlo. At some point we turned left to a couloir, where there was some grade II-III climbing. From there it was only grade I scrambling on the NE-ridge to the top, which we reached around 9 am. The way back we used the normal route via Batizovský Pleso.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Slovenia: Triglav (2864 m)

Triglav

Official name   Triglav
Other names    
Mountain range   Alps
Summitted   15 July 2006
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Tominškova Pot (2006) & Bambergova Pot (2013)

We climbed Triglav on 2 occasions. Both times we started from the Vrata valley.

In 2006 we used the Tominškova Pot (some via ferrata sections) to the Triglavski dom na Kredarici (2515 m), where we spent the night. Because of the beautiful weather we decided to go directly to the top in late afternoon, instead of the next morning.

In 2013 we took another approach. Again starting from Vrata valley we hiked to the Luknja saddle first, a very steep ascent, which took us 2 hours. There the long via ferrata 'Bambergova Pot' starts, all the way to the top. Five hours later we reached the summit. After descending we decided to not stay overnight in Triglavski dom na Kredarici this time, but in a smaller hut 1 hour further: Dom Valentina Staniča pod Triglavom. The next day, after a short hike to a nearby summit, we took the Tominškova Pot back to Vrata valley.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Spain: Pico de Teide (3718 m)

Coma Pedrosa

Official name   Pico de Teide
Other names   Teide
Mountain range    
Summitted   31 October 2002
Team   Otto Sluiter & Marja Beukers
Route   Trail via Montaña Blanca

Teide is the tallest mountain of Spain, but is located on the Canary island of Tenerife. Mulhacén in Sierra Nevada is the tallest mountain on mainland Spain. We climbed both.

There is a cable car almost going to the top, but we took the hiking trail. We parked the car at the trailhead (2480 m) at 6.30 am. The sun was just rising. At 10.30 we reached the top station of the cable car (3555 m). From here it is only some 250 m to the top. But a permit (for a particular timeslot) was required, which could only be obtained in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife. Fortunately we knew this, and had the permits with us. So after the checkpoint we could continue to the top, where we arrived at 11.30. Same way back.

More information can be found on Summitpost.

Sweden: Kebnekaise (2104 m)

Future project.

Switzerland: Dufourspitze (4634 m)

Future project.

Ukraine: Hoverla (2061 m)

Future project.

United Kingdom: Ben Nevis (1345 m)

Ben Nevis

Official name   Ben Nevis
Other names    
Mountain range   Grampian Mountains
Summitted   1980
Team   Otto Sluiter
Route  

During a cycling trip with school friends in Scotland, we also climbed Ben Nevis. Not much I can remember anymore, except for it didn't rain that day.

More information can be found on Summitpost.