The so-called seven summits are the highest mountains on each of the earth's seven continents.
The first to climb all of the seven summits was Dick Bass, owner of the Snowbird ski resort near Salt Lake City. It is no longer a novel experience, a company named Mountain Madness now offers a vacation package, for $97,000, which offers you the chance to climb all seven. You have to have previous serious mountain climbing experience, however, and the $97,000 doesn't guarantee that you won't die trying.
As of 1999, seven hundred people had climbed Mount Everest. Over one hundred fifty have died attempting it. Five hundred people have died trying to climb the Matterhorn, which is not even the highest peak in Europe. People still die trying to climb Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.
Mt. Everest / Asia - 29,028 feet
Mt. Aconcagua / South America - 22,834 feet
Mt. McKinley / North America - 20,320 feet
Mt. Kilimanjaro / Africa - 19,340 feet
Mt. Elbrus / Europe - 18,520 feet
Mt. Vinson / Antarctica - 16,864 feet
Mt. Kosciuzsko / Australia - 7,316 feet