Eric Gilbertson (climber)

Eric Gilbertson

Gilbertson on the summit of K2 in 2022
Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	1986 (age 37–38) Berea, Kentucky
Website	Official website Instagram Peakbagger account
Climbing career
Known for	Climbing 143 Country Highpoints as of September 2024 First along with twin brother Matthew to climb the highest points of all North American countries Fifth finisher of the Canadian highpoints Third American to receive Snow Leopard award First along with Andreas Frydensberg to climb the highest points in each of the "-Stan" countries Surveys in the Washington State area First ascents in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Greenland, and Central Asia
First ascents	Alpomish

Eric Gilbertson (born 1986) is an American mountaineer, explorer, peakbagger, and engineer.

Gilbertson and his twin brother Matthew are country highpointers, aiming to reach the summit of the highest mountain in every country in the world.

Life

Gilbertson was born in Berea, Kentucky. Often, his family took trips to the Smoky Mountains and the White Mountains for peakbagging challenges, which inspired the country highpoints project.

He and his twin brother Matthew attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), from which they graduated in 2014 with PhDs in mechanical engineering. Gilbertson currently teaches mechanical engineering at Seattle University in Seattle, Washington.

Gilbertson is also a seven time finisher of the Boston Marathon.

Climbing career

Gilbertson began his climbing career with summiting the highest mountain in each U.S. state, starting in 1996 on Clingmans Dome in Tennessee, and finishing in February 2012 on Guadalupe Peak, Texas. Often, more challenging state highpoints such as Denali in Alaska were climbed through the MIT Outing Club (MITOC), MIT's outdoor club, from which Gilbertson learned the foundations of winter hiking and mountaineering.

Gilbertson commonly climbed with his brother Matthew. They did other challenges, including a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, climbing the hundred highest mountains in New England, and a 3,000 mile bike tour from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Great Falls, Montana.

Gilbertson also pursued the Canadian Provincial and Territorial Highpoints, beginning in July 2011 on White Hill, Nova Scotia, and finishing in June 2019 on Mt. Caubvick (Mont D'Iberville), the dual highpoint of Newfoundland & Labrador and Quebec. This made Gilbertson the fifth person in history to complete this list, along with American Jack Bennett in 1998, American Tom Bennett in 2010, Canadian Len Vanderstar in 2017, and Canadian Darrell Ainscough in 2018.

In 2017 on Mt. Nirvana, the highest peak of the Northwest Territories, Gilbertson, along with climbers Dave Custer and Susan Ruff, established a new route on the West Face, with a YDS 5.9 crux. Gilbertson had previously climbed the peak unsupported with Len Vanderstar in 2016, and made an attempt on the West Face in 2015 with Custer & Ruff.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gilbertson pursued the Rocky Mountain Grand Slam; that is, the Colorado 14'ers, Wyoming 13'ers, and Montana 12'ers. He completed the list in 60 days, 9 hours, and 20 minutes.

Country highpoints

Gilbertson considers the 193 UN Members, the two UN observers, and Antarctica to be the countries in this project for a total of 196 political entities to highpoint. However, there are only 191 individual mountains given five sets of countries share a highpoint. Gilbertson's first country highpoint was Denali in May 2010.

Early on in the country highpoints project, Gilbertson targeted highpoints in Europe and the Americas. He accumulated many European highpoints through long-distance bicycle tours, particularly in Northern Europe and Eastern Europe.

In North America, the Gilbertsons became the first two people to climb the highest point in each of the 23 North American members, finishing in June 2015 on Pico Turquino, Cuba.

As the European highpoints and North American highpoints became fewer in number, Gilbertson began to venture to Africa, South America, Asia, and Oceania. Oftentimes, Gilbertson did expeditions in tropical Africa during the wintertime when glaciated highpoints could not be climbed.

During the summer, Gilbertson focused on more demanding country highpoints. In Central Asia, he climbed the highest point in each of the "-Stan" countries, finishing in 2023. He and his climbing partner Andreas Frydensberg became the first people to achieve this feat, also making the first ascent of Alpomish in Uzbekistan which they determined to be higher than the previously accepted highpoint, Khazret Sultan. Along the way, they also completed the Snow Leopards list, which made Gilbertson the third American to receive a Snow Leopard award.

In summer of 2022, when climbing K2, Pakistan's highest point and the world's second highest mountain, Gilbertson reached the summit without supplemental oxygen or sherpa support. While acclimating, he also ascended Broad Peak.

Gilbertson made an attempt on Mount Everest, the highest peak in China & Nepal, in 2023 without supplemental oxygen, making it to 8,500 metres (27,887 feet) before symptoms of high altitude cerebral edema set in. He safely descended, and then made an ascent of Kanchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third highest peak in the world, with supplemental oxygen.

As of September 2024, when excluding the mainland highpoints of Denmark, Australia, and the United Kingdom, Gilbertson has climbed 143 country highpoints, making him among the most successful country highpointers in history. Note that this number considers dual country highpoints as two countries (i.e: Mont Blanc, although one mountain, counts as two country highpoints for France & Italy).

Broken down by each continent, Gilbertson has thus far summited;

• 23 out of 23 country highpoints in North America
• 6 out of 13 country highpoints in South America & Antarctica
• 42 out of 45 country highpoints in Europe
• 33 out of 54 country highpoints in Africa
• 6 out of 14 country highpoints in Oceania
• 33 out of 47 in country highpoints in Asia

Order of Country Highpoints Climbed

Sources:

• For Gilbertson's trip reports, see peakbagger or his website. Note that the latter website is organized considering both Eric & Matthew's ascents rather than either climber individually.

Key

  Country highpoint climbed
  Highest legal point reached
  Mainland highpoint reached
  Highpoint attempted
  Highpoint no longer considered highest or incorrect highpoint summited

Country Highpoint Table Number Country Highpoint Elevation Date Notes 1 United States Mt. Denali 20,310 ft (6,190 m) May 26, 2010 First Highpoint (Overall, North America) 2 Iceland Hvannadalshnúkur 6,923 ft (2,110 m) June 25, 2010 First European Highpoint 3 Finland Hálditšohkka 4,344 ft (1,324 m) July 10, 2010 4 Sweden Kebnekaise 6,955 ft (2,120 m) July 15, 2010 South summit climbed prior to melting to elevation below North summit 5 Norway Galdhøpiggen 8,100 ft (2,469 m) July 29, 2010 Denmark (mainland) Møllehøj 561 ft (171 m) August 4, 2010 Only Denmark's mainland highpoint, Overall is Gunnbjorn Field, Greenland. Netherlands (mainland) Vaalserberg 1,053 ft (321 m) August 7, 2010 Only Netherlands' mainland highpoint, Overall is Mt. Scenery, Saba. 6 Belgium Signal de Botrange 2,277 ft (694 m) 7 Luxembourg Kneiff 1,837 ft (560 m) 8 Germany Zugspitze 9,718 ft (2,962 m) August 10, 2010 9 Liechtenstein Grauspitz 8,530 ft (2,600 m) August 12, 2010 10 Malta Dingli Cliffs 830 ft (253 m) June 18, 2011 11 Andorra Pic de Coma Pedrosa 9,656 ft (2,943 m) June 24, 2011 12 Monaco Chemin des Révoires 531 ft (162 m) June 26, 2011 13 Mexico Pico de Orizaba 18,491 ft (5,636 m) January 3, 2012 14 Trinidad & Tobago Aripo Peak 3,084 ft (940 m) March 22, 2012 15 Grenada Mount Saint Catherine 2,756 ft (840 m) March 23, 2012 16 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines La Soufrière 4,049 ft (1,234 m) March 24, 2012 17 Barbados Mount Hillaby 1,115 ft (340 m) March 25, 2012 18 Antigua & Barbuda Mount Obama 1,319 ft (402 m) March 26, 2012 19 Uruguay Cerro Catedral 1,686 ft (514 m) June 29, 2012 First South American Highpoint 20 Paraguay Cerro Tres Kandú 2,762 ft (842 m) June 30, 2012 21 San Marino Monte Titano 2,425 ft (739 m) August 26, 2012 22 Austria Großglockner 12,457 ft (3,797 m) August 27, 2012 23 Slovenia Triglav 9,396 ft (2,864 m) August 30, 2012 24 Croatia Dinara 6,007 ft (1,831 m) August 31, 2012 25 Bosnia & Herzegovina Maglić 7,828 ft (2,386 m) September 2, 2012 26 Fiji Mount Tomanivi 4,344 ft (1,324 m) October 29, 2012 First Oceanian Highpoint 27 New Zealand Mount Cook 12,218 ft (3,724 m) November 5, 2012 28 Netherlands Mount Scenery 2,854 ft (870 m) December 29, 2012 Highest point of the Netherlands when including all overseas territories (Saba). 29 Dominica Morne Diablotins 4,747 ft (1,447 m) December 31, 2012 30 Saint Lucia Mount Gimie 3,117 ft (950 m) January 2, 2013 31 Saint Kitts and Nevis Mount Liamuiga 3,793 ft (1,156 m) January 3, 2013 32 Jamaica Blue Mountain Peak 7,402 ft (2,256 m) January 5, 2013 33 Bahamas Mount Alvernia 207 ft (63 m) January 7, 2013 34 El Salvador Cerro El Pital 8,957 ft (2,730 m) March 23, 2013 35 Nicaragua Pico Mogotón 6,909 ft (2,106 m) March 24, 2013 36 Honduras Cerro Las Minas 9,416 ft (2,870 m) March 25, 2013 37 Guatemala Volcán Tajumulco 13,845 ft (4,220 m) March 27, 2013 38 Costa Rica Cerro Chirripó 12,530 ft (3,819 m) March 29, 2013 39 Panama Volcán Barú 11,398 ft (3,474 m) March 30, 2013 40 Belarus Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 1,132 ft (345 m) May 5, 2013 41 Lithuania Aukstojas Hill 965 ft (294 m) 42 Latvia Gaizinkalns 1,024 ft (312 m) 43 Estonia Suur Munamägi 1,043 ft (318 m) 44 Ireland Carrauntoohil 3,409 ft (1,039 m) May 10, 2013 United Kingdom (mainland) Ben Nevis 4,413 ft (1,345 m) May 11, 2013 Only the United Kingdom's mainland highpoint. Overall is either Queen Mary's Peak or Mt. Paget depending on territorial disputes. 45 Haiti Pic la Selle 8,773 ft (2,674 m) August 23, 2013 46 Dominican Republic Pico Duarte 10,164 ft (3,098 m) August 25, 2013 47 Tanzania Kilimanjaro 19,341 ft (5,895 m) September 22, 2013 First African Highpoint 48 Kenya Mount Kenya (Batian Peak) 17,057 ft (5,199 m) September 29, 2013 49 Vatican City Castel Gandolfo High Point 1,398 ft (426 m) August 4, 2014 Highest point outside the Papal Residence. Coordinates of 41.735678, 12.660885. Vatican Hill (mainland) 256 ft (78 m) August 4, 2014 Highest natural point within the core area of Vatican City. 50, 51 France & Italy Mont Blanc (French)

Monte Bianco (Italian)

15,781 ft (4,810 m) August 6, 2014 First dual country highpoint 52 Switzerland Monte Rosa (Dufourspitze) 15,200 ft (4,633 m) August 10, 2014 53 Czech Republic Sněžka 5,259 ft (1,603 m) August 12, 2014 54 Poland Rysy (Northwest Peak) 8,199 ft (2,499 m) August 13, 2014 55 Slovakia Gerlachovský štít 8,707 ft (2,654 m) August 14, 2014 56 Hungary Kékes 3,327 ft (1,014 m) August 15, 2014 57 Belize Doyle's Delight 3,852 ft (1,174 m) September 20, 2014 58 Ukraine Hoverla 6,762 ft (2,061 m) October 4, 2014 59 Moldova Bălăneşti 1,411 ft (430 m) October 10, 2014 60 Romania Moldoveanu 8,346 ft (2,544 m) October 14, 2014 Serbia Midžor 7,116 ft (2,169 m) October 18, 2014 Highest peak in Serbia outside of Kosovo 61 Bulgaria Musala 9,596 ft (2,925 m) October 21, 2014 62 Montenegro Zla Kolata 8,284 ft (2,525 m) October 27, 2014 Serbia or Kosovo Ðeravica 8,717 ft (2,657 m) October 29, 2014 Formerly considered the highpoint of Serbia, in Kosovo; new highpoint is Velika Rudoka, also in Kosovo. 63 & 64 Albania and North Macedonia Korab 9,068 ft (2,764 m) October 31, 2014 65 Morocco Jebel Toubkal 13,671 ft (4,167 m) November 6, 2014 66 Portugal Montanha do Pico 7,713 ft (2,351 m) November 9, 2014 Overall highpoint in the Azores 67 Spain Pico de Teide 12,188 ft (3,715 m) November 12, 2014 Overall highpoint in the Canaries Cyprus Mount Olympus 6,401 ft (1,951 m) November 14, 2014 Highest legal point; different peak from Olympus in Greece 68 Greece Mount Olympus 9,573 ft (2,918 m) November 15, 2014 Different peak from Olympus in Cyprus 69 Canada Mount Logan 19,551 ft (5,959 m) May 16, 2015 70 Cuba Pico Turquino 6,476 ft (1,974 m) June 11, 2015 Final country in North America 71 Botswana Otse Hill Approx. 4,888 ft (1,490 m) September 10, 2015 Highpoint Candidate #1 Monalanong Hill Approx. 4,902 ft (1,494 m) September 11, 2015 Highpoint Candidate #2 72 South Africa Mafadi 11,322 ft (3,451 m) September 14, 2015 73 Lesotho Thabana Ntlenyana 11,424 ft (3,482 m) September 16, 2015 74 Swaziland Emlembe 6,109 ft (1,862 m) September 20, 2015 75 Mongolia Khüiten Peak 14,291 ft (4,356 m) July 14, 2016 First Asian Highpoint 76 Russia Mount Elbrus 18,510 ft (5,642 m) July 23, 2016 Georgia Shkhara 17,037 ft (5,193 m) July 28, 2016 Attempt to 15,000 ft (4,572 m); did not summit 77 Armenia Mount Aragats 13,419 ft (4,090 m) August 2, 2016 78 Seychelles Morne Seychellois 2,969 ft (905 m) August 4, 2016 79 Mauritius Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire 2,717 ft (828 m) August 5, 2016 Madagascar Maromokotro 9,436 ft (2,876 m) August 11, 2016 Attempt; did not summit 80 Mozambique Mount Binga 7,992 ft (2,436 m) August 24, 2016 81 Zimbabwe Mount Nyangani 8,507 ft (2,593 m) August 25, 2016 82 United Arab Emirates Jabal Bil Ays (West Peak) 6,207 ft (1,892 m) August 30, 2016 83 Oman Jebel Shams 9,902 ft (3,018 m) August 31, 2016 84 Qatar Al Galail 338 ft (103 m) September 2, 2016 85 Bahrain Jabal ad Dukhan 440 ft (134 m) September 4, 2016 86 Kuwait Kuwait High Point 955 ft (291 m) September 5, 2016 Coordinates 29.100479, 46.640744. 87 Argentina Aconcagua 22,841 ft (6,962 m) December 19, 2017 88 Chile Ojos del Salado 22,615 ft (6,893 m) December 25, 2017 89 Lebanon Qurnat as Sawda' 10,131 ft (3,088 m) March 24, 2018 90 Egypt Gebel Katherîna 8,704 ft (2,653 m) March 26, 2018 91 Jordan Jabal Umm ad Dami 6,083 ft (1,854 m) March 28, 2018 92 Palestine Mount Nabi Yunis 3,379 ft (1,030 m) March 30, 2018 Coordinates at 31.578677, 35.10474. Israel Har Meron 3,950 ft (1,204 m) March 31, 2018 Highest legal points on both peaks. Mitze Hashlagim is the highest point in Golan Heights region of Israel, while Har Meron is the highest point of non-Golan heights Israel. Mitze Hashlagim (Coordinates at 33.317794, 35.803523). 7,290 ft (2,222 m) April 1, 2018 93 Rwanda Volcan Karisimbi 14,787 ft (4,507 m) August 5, 2018 94 Burundi Mount Heha 8,760 ft (2,670 m) August 6, 2018 95 & 96 Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo Mount Stanley 16,762 ft (5,109 m) August 14, 2018 97 Saudi Arabia Jabal Ferwa 9,849 ft (3,002 m) August 17, 2018 Australia (mainland) Kosciuszko 7,310 ft (2,228 m) December 18, 2018 Overall highpoint is Mawson Peak on Big Ben 98 Samoa Mauga Silisili 6,096 ft (1,858 m) December 20, 2018 99 Papua New Guinea Mount Wilhelm 14,793 ft (4,509 m) December 26, 2018 100 Singapore Bukit Timah 538 ft (164 m) December 29, 2018 101 Philippines Mount Apo 9,692 ft (2,954 m) December 31, 2018 102 Palau Mount Ngerchelchuus 794 ft (242 m) January 2, 2019 103 Federated States of Micronesia Mount Nanlaud 2,559 to 2,592 ft (780-790 m) January 5, 2019 Highpoint Candidate #1 Mount Nghineni 2,559 to 2,592 ft (780-790 m) Highpoint Candidate #2, at coordinates of 6.863463, 158.236471. 104 Malawi Mulanje Massif (Sapitwa Peak) 9,849 ft (3,002 m) March 26, 2019 105 Zambia Mafinga South 2,559 to 2,592 ft (780-790 m) March 28, 2019 Highpoint Candidate #1, at coordinates of -9.98075, 33.345528. Mafinga Central 2,559 to 2,592 ft (780-790 m) Highpoint Candidate #2 106 Afghanistan Noshaq 24,580 ft (7,492 m) July 26, 2019 Laos Phou Bia 9,285 ft (2,830 m) August 2019 Attempt; did not summit) 107 Thailand Doi Inthanon 8,415 ft (2,565 m) August 4, 2019 108 Cambodia Phnom Aoral 5,948 ft (1,813 m) August 17, 2019 109 Vietnam Fan Si Pan 10,325 ft (3,147 m) August 23, 2019 110 East Timor Ramelau 9,721 ft (2,963 m) August 31, 2019 111 Malaysia Kinabalu 13,435 ft (4,095 m) September 5, 2019 112 Brunei Bukit Pagon 6,070 ft (1,850 m) September 7, 2019 Sri Lanka Pidurutalagala 8,281 ft (2,524 m) September 10, 2019 Could not get into military base Syria Mount Hermon 9,232 ft (2,814 m) September 14, 2019 Attempt to 2,350m (7,710 ft) 113 Bolivia Nevado Sajama 21,463 ft (6,542 m) December 20, 2019 114 Ecuador Volcán Chimborazo 20,561 ft (6,267 m) December 27, 2019 115 Kazakhstan Khan Tengri 22,999 ft (7,010 m) August 1, 2021 116 Kyrgyzstan Pik Pobeda 24,406 ft (7,439 m) August 9, 2021 117 Ghana Leklata 2,953 ft (900 m) December 13, 2021 Coordinates at 7.026892, 0.603274. 118 Togo Mont Atilakoutse 3,251 ft (991 m) Coordinates at 7.329054, 0.709001. Confirmed as Togo highpoint by Gilbertson. 119 Benin Mont Sokbaro 2,162 ft (659 m) December 14, 2021 Coordinates at 9.327888, 1.415037. 120 Gambia Sare Firasu Hill 167 ft (51 m) December 18, 2021 Coordinates at 13.221566, -14.159756. Confirmed as Gambia highpoint by Gilbertson. 121 & 122 Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea Mount Richard-Molard 5,722 ft (1,744 m) December 22, 2021 123 Senegal Felo Barkere 2,093 ft (638 m) December 25, 2021 Coordinates at 12.373096, -12.543806. 124 Guinea-Bissau Dongol Rondè 873 ft (266 m) December 27, 2021 Coordinates at 11.683069, -13.892175. Confirmed as Guinea-Bissau highpoint by Gilbertson. 125 Mauritania Kdeyyat ej Joul 3,002 ft (915 m) March 21, 2022 126 Cape Verde Pico do Fogo 9,281 ft (2,829 m) March 24, 2022 127 Pakistan K2 28,251 ft (8,611 m) July 28, 2022 First eight-thousander country highpoint Chad Emi Koussi 11,302 ft (3,445 m) December 2022 Attempt; could not get permits in time 128 Central African Republic Mont Ngaoui 4,626 ft (1,410 m) December 20, 2022 129 Nigeria Chappal Waddi 7,936 ft (2,419 m) December 22, 2022 130 Cameroon Mount Cameroon 13,255 ft (4,040 m) December 25, 2022 131 Gabon Mont Bengoué 3,510 ft (1,070 m) December 29, 2022 China & Nepal Mount Everest 29,032 ft (8,849 m) May 22, 2023 Attempt to 8,500m (27,887 ft), turned around due to signs of HACE 132 India Kangchenjunga 28,169 ft (8,586 m) June 1, 2023 133 Azerbaijan Mount Bazardüzü 14,652 ft (4,466 m) July 26, 2023 134 Tajikistan Ismoil Somoni Peak 24,590 ft (7,495 m) August 16, 2023 Final Snow Leopard Peak 135 Uzbekistan Alpomish 15,315 ft (4,668 m) August 23, 2023 Newly discovered highpoint; higher than Khazret Sultan (15,233 ft / 4,643 m), also a first ascent 136 Turkmenistan Aýrybaba 10,299 ft (3,139 m) 2023 Final -Stan highpoint 137 Algeria Tahat 9,541 ft (2,908 m) March 20, 2024 138 Japan Mount Fuji 12,388 ft (3,776 m) May 12, 2024 South Korea Halla-san 6,398 ft (1,950 m) May 18, 2024 Highest legal summit at 6,316 ft (1,925 m)

Other climbs, first ascents

During the winter months, when not on country highpointing expeditions, Gilbertson climbs locally in the Washington state area, with the goal of climbing all of the Washington Bulgers (hundred highest peaks in Washington) in the winter months. He has made several first winter ascents of various Washington Bulgers. Gilbertson is also pursuing the U.S. national park highpoints and the two hundred highest mountains in Washington.

When on expeditions, Gilbertson also has made first ascents of several mountains, including in Central Asia, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and West Greenland.

Surveys

Gilbertson also has used survey equipment to determine more precise elevations of various highpoints & peaks.

For country highpoints, he has surveyed:

• Jabal Ferwa & Jabal Sawda (Saudi Arabia) in 2018, determining the former to be Saudi Arabia's highest mountain.
• Numerous peaks on an expedition to West Africa in 2021, determining the highest points of Gambia, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau to be Sare Firasu Hill, Mont Atilakoutse, and Dongol Rondè respectively.
• Alpomish (Uzbekistan) in 2023, determining this peak to be higher than Khazret Sultan.

Gilbertson also determined the precise summit location of Pik Pobeda in Kyrgyzstan to be indeterminate, with the East, Central, and West summits being all of similar elevations with annual variations in snow pack thickness and cornices.

He also has surveyed many local mountains in Washington, including Mount Rainier and the Washington Bulgers list. He determined that Columbia Crest, previously accepted as Mt. Rainier's highest summit, had melted down by approximately 21 feet (6.4 m) since 1999, which made a point on the mountain's southwest rim the highest elevation on the volcano. He also surveyed Mount Davis in Pennsylvania, determining the traditional boulder summit to still be the highest elevation on this peak as opposed to the northern or southern summit.

For future country highpoints, Gilbertson intends to measure their highest points and determine the exact highpoint, particularly in Colombia and Myanmar.