This week on the 7 summits: 19–25 October 2026

The Everest biopic Tenzing has reached number one on Apple TV in 92 countries since its October release, bringing the 1953 first ascent back into view worldwide. Closer to the mountains themselves, Kilimanjaro's Lemosho, Londorosi and Rongai routes have reopened after a fire closure, a Russian team is heading back up Everest's rarely attempted West Ridge, and Swiss cyclist Tobias Renggli has reached Mexico on his pedal-and-climb journey from Alaska to Patagonia.

On the mountains

Photographer's project to shoot all 7 summits nears final three peaks

A Japanese crowdfunding campaign backing photographer Yuki Ueda's project to capture views from each continent's highest peak has closed, raising 11,842,050 yen from 826 supporters. Ueda has already photographed four of the 7 summits and has three remaining: Antarctica, North America and South America. The campaign, which ran from May to August 2026, is now distributing rewards, including a desk calendar for 2027. No new climbs have been reported yet.

Source: CAMPFIRE (キャンプファイヤー) (in Japanese)

Barnaul doctor treats altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro climb

An anaesthesiologist from Barnaul, Maria Lifintseva, was climbing Kilimanjaro when a young Swedish man in her group developed altitude sickness at around 2,000 metres. She treated him from her medical kit, and he recovered enough to continue and reach the summit with her. Over the trip she covered 63km, with 4,927 metres of total ascent and 5,745 metres of descent, according to her hospital. Kilimanjaro is one of the 7 summits, and the story is about a single climb rather than a completed set.

Source: Алтапресс — новости Барнаула и Алтайского края (in Russian) · also reported by Катунь 24, Amic.ru

Russian Everest team down to three after evacuation

A Russian team attempting Everest's West Ridge without supplemental oxygen or support is continuing with three climbers after Natalya Belyankina was evacuated by helicopter with a bad case of Khumbu cough. Andrei Vasiliev, Serguey Kondrashkin and Vitaly Shipilov had already scouted the lower ridge and found a safer line past hanging seracs, and the three are heading back up for another attempt lasting about a week. The West Ridge has been climbed only three times before, via variations pioneered in 1963 and 1979. This is not a 7 summits story in itself, but the team's progress is worth watching given how rarely this route is attempted.

Source: Explorersweb »

Swiss cyclist climbs national high points on Alaska to Patagonia ride

Tobias Renggli, 23, of Lucerne is cycling the roughly 30,000km Alaska to Patagonia route while climbing the highest peak in each of the 35 countries he crosses. He summited 6,190m20,308 ft Denali with Heli Hofmann after 36 days, the first ascent of the peak this year, then climbed 5,959m19,551 ft Mount Logan in late June. After crossing into Mexico via Baja California, enduring extreme heat and flooding, he is now headed for Guatemala's 4,220m13,845 ft Volcán Tajumulco. He has been travelling for 202 days.

Source: Explorersweb »

Utah mother sets record on Denali, launches gratitude campaign

Park City climber Jenn Drummond, who began mountaineering at 40, reached the summit of Denali in June with her son Jacob. The climb is reported as making her the first woman to climb both the highest and second-highest peak on every continent, following her 2023 completion of the Seven Second Summits. She has since turned to a new project, a campaign to write 10,000 thank-you cards by the end of November, inspired by her late mentor Todd Passey. Drummond also promotes her Somedays initiative encouraging people to pursue personal goals.

Source: FOX 13 News Utah · also reported by KSL News

Permits, rules and access

Kilimanjaro reopens three routes closed after fire

Tanzania's national parks authority reopened the Lemosho, Londorosi and Rongai routes on Kilimanjaro on 8 October 2026, after a temporary closure caused by a fire. The three routes serve the western and northern approaches to the mountain near Moshi. During the closure, climbers had been directed to other routes including Machame, Marangu and Umbwe. Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 metres, is Africa's highest peak and one of the 7 summits, so the reopening restores access to common ascent options for climbers planning the peak.

Source: AD HOC NEWS (in German)

Science and nature

India opens high-altitude medicine research centre in Keylong

India's Indian Council of Medical Research has laid the foundation stone for a new Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research in Keylong, Himachal Pradesh. Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda attended the ceremony on 12 October 2026. The centre will study acclimatisation, altitude illness, maternal and child health, and disease patterns among Himalayan communities, working with the Armed Forces Medical Services and AIIMS Bilaspur. It plans to use telemedicine, drone-enabled supply delivery and digital health tools to reach isolated areas. The facility builds on an existing ICMR field station at Keylong and is meant to become a permanent, year-round institution.

Source: www.nationpathindia.com · also reported by Indian Pharma Post, APAC Media

Books, film and gear

Everest biopic Tenzing tops Apple TV charts in 92 countries

Tenzing, a biopic about Tenzing Norgay and the 1953 first ascent of Mount Everest, has reached number one on Apple TV in 92 countries, according to FlixPatrol. It was released in theatres on 9 October 2026 and began streaming on Apple TV on 16 October. Directed by Jennifer Peedom, the film centres on Norgay, played by Genden Phuntsok, alongside Tom Hiddleston as Edmund Hillary and Willem Dafoe. The film recounts the 29 May 1953 Everest summit, long treated as a landmark in mountaineering history. Critics have praised its treatment of Sherpa culture and the climbing scenes.

Source: Filmstarts (in German) · also reported by Kotaku en Español, TheWire.in