There are many notable lists of mountains around the world. Typically, a list of mountains becomes notable by first being listed or defined by an author or group (e.g., Sir Hugh Munro defining the Munros in Scotland). This list then becomes a popular target for peak bagging, where a number of people attempt to climb all of the peaks in the list.

Alternatively, a list of mountains may become notable in the mountaineering community as a challenge. An example of such a challenge list is the Seven Summits defined by Richard Bass.

Examples of notable lists of mountains are shown below.

Worldwide

• The Seven Summits are the highest peaks on each continent, from the Vinson Massif in Antarctica to Everest in Asia.
• The Seven Second Summits are the second highest peaks on each continent. Climber and writer Jon Krakauer, survivor of the 1996 Everest Disaster, argues that a true climber would find more reward in ascending these largely more technical, demanding climbs.
• The Eight-thousanders are the fourteen mountains over 8,000 metres (26,247 ft) in height, all in the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges in Asia.
• The Ultras are mountains worldwide that have a relative height of at least 1,500 metres (4,921 ft), regardless of location, absolute height or other merit.

Europe

• The Alpine Four-thousanders are the 128 summits (82 'official summits' and 46 'lesser summits') of 4,000 metres (13,123 ft) or more in the Alps in France, Italy and Switzerland as defined by the UIAA.
• The Pyrenean Three-thousanders are the 129 summits of 3,000 metres (9,843 ft) or more in the Pyrenees in France and Spain as defined by a UIAA-sponsored joint Franco-Spanish team.

British Isles

Main article: Hill lists in the British Isles

The hills of Britain and Ireland are classified into a large number of lists for peak bagging purposes. Among the better-known lists are the following:

• The Munros: a selection of mountains in Scotland over 3,000 feet (914.4 m). The list was originally compiled by Sir Hugh Munro.
• The Corbetts: mountains in Scotland between 2,500 feet (762 m) and 3,000 feet (914 m), with a relative height of at least 500 feet (152.4 m).
• The Marilyns: hills in the British Isles that have a relative height of at least 150 metres (492 ft), regardless of distance, absolute height or other merit. There are currently 1554 Marilyns in Britain and 453 Marilyns in Ireland.
• The Wainwrights: the 214 fells in the English Lake District that have a chapter in one of Alfred Wainwright's Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells.
• The Hewitts: hills in England, Wales or Ireland over two thousand feet (609.6 m) high with a relative height of at least 30 metres (98 ft).

See also: Category:Peak bagging in the British Isles

United States

Popular peak-bagging challenges in the US include:

• The 64 fourteeners of the Western United States (peaks with at least 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) of elevation and 300 foot (91.4 m) of topographic prominence), including:
  • the 51 Colorado fourteeners,
  • the 12 California fourteeners, and
  • Mount Rainier in the State of Washington.
• The 101 4 km peaks of the United States (peaks with at least 4,000 meters (13,123 ft) of elevation and 500 meters (1,640 ft) of topographic prominence), including:
  • the 56 4 km peaks of Colorado,
  • the 20 4 km peaks of Alaska,
  • the 15 4 km peaks of California,
  • Gannett Peak, Grand Teton, Wind River Peak, Cloud Peak, and Francs Peak in Wyoming,
  • Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii,
  • Mount Rainier in Washington,
  • Kings Peak in Utah, and
  • Wheeler Peak in New Mexico.
• The highest point in each of the 50 US states.
• Several peakbagging sections of the Sierra Club's Angeles Chapter maintain lists of notable peaks, and organize outings to climb them.
  • The Sierra Peaks Section keeps a list of peaks in the Sierra Nevada, and a series of emblems (levels) for climbing a large number of them.
  • The Desert Peaks Section climbs peaks in deserts of the Southwestern U.S. and Baja Mexico.
  • The Hundred Peaks Section bags all the 277 peaks in Southern California over 5,000 feet (1,524.0 m).
  • The Lower Peaks Section keeps a list of 79 peaks of Southern California shorter than 5,000 feet (1,524.0 m).
• The 46 highest peaks in New York's Adirondack Mountains (or rather, the list of 46 peaks once thought to be the highest. Successful completers are eligible for membership in the Adirondack Forty-Sixers)
• The 48 peaks over 4,000 feet (1,219 m) in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
• All peaks in New England over 4,000 feet (1,219.2 m).
• The highest 100 peaks in New Hampshire
• The highest 100 peaks in New England.
• The "Fifty Finest" peaks in New England (those with the most topographic prominence)
• All peaks in the Catskill Mountains over 3,500 feet (1,066.8 m).Those who climb these, plus four of them a second time in winter, are eligible for membership in the Catskill Mountain 3500 Club.
• The Northeast 111: The White Mountain 48, the Adirondack 46 and 14 Maine peaks, five in Vermont and two Catskill summits over 4,000 feet (1,219.2 m).
• The Southern Sixers, or South Beyond 6000: all 40 peaks above 6,000 feet (1,828.8 m). in the southern Appalachians, which are in either North Carolina or Tennessee. Technically, there are more than forty 6,000 feet (1,828.8 m) mountains in the Southern Appalachians, but the list does not include mountains with peaks that have restricted access.
• Varying just barely from the Southern Sixers are the East Beyond 6000: all 41 peaks above 6,000 feet (1,828.8 m). east of the Mississippi. These include the 40 Southern Sixers, plus Mount Washington (New Hampshire).

Australia

Popular peakbagging challenges in Australia include:

• the "State 8": the highest peak in each of the 6 states and 2 territories (excluding Australia's external territories) - Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales (2,228 metres/7,310 feet), Mount Bogong in Victoria (1,986 metres/6,520 feet), Bimberi Peak in the Australian Capital Territory (1,911 metres/6,270 feet), Mount Bartle Frere in Queensland (1,622 metres/5,320 feet), Mount Ossa in Tasmania (1,617 metres/5,310 feet), Mount Zeil in the Northern Territory (1,531 metres/5,020 feet), Mount Woodroffe in South Australia (1,435 metres/4,710 feet), and Mount Meharry in Western Australia (1,249 metres/4,100 feet).

• A Peak Baggers Guide to Tasmania. Lists a total of 412 of Tasmania's tallest peaks.