By Stacy Taniguchi

After catching the bug to climb and getting some basic training, next comes a very obvious but not so easily answered question: Where? Well, below you just might find the answer: Our list of the world’s top 10 challenges for the novice mountaineer.

1. Direct Exum Ridge, Grand Teton, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Just south of Yellowstone National Park stand the impressive peaks of the Teton Range, of which the highest is the 13,771-foot Grand, a great place to test your mettle. The most classic line is the south-facing ridge called the Direct Exum, a route that offers excellent rock climbing up to 5.7, with the most difficult sections all on the bottom half. An early-morning start makes for a great day climb of this spectacular exposed ridge.

2. Machame Route, Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
One of the "Seven Summits" (the highest mountain on each of the seven continents), this 19,340-foot East African volcano is so popular that it has its own international airport. And because it’s so close to the equator, Kilimanjaro can be climbed year-round (though it’s best to avoid the rainy seasons in spring and late fall). The first half of the Machame route winds up the southwestern slope, traverses the southern face under the steep Breach Wall, and then ascends to the summit up the southwestern slope. Although the route is not difficult technically, the high altitude makes it plenty challenging.

3. North Face, Mount Barrille, Alaska, U.S.A.
Location, location, location. If you want stunning scenery along with your sweat, it’s hard to beat 7,650-foot Mount Barrille: For a backdrop you have the granite-and-ice panorama of the Ruth Glacier Amphitheater; one highlight is Mount McKinley, towering just 11 miles to the northwest. This is a moderate snow and ice climb with no vertical terrain, but a rope, crampons, and an ice axe are required.

4. Disappointment Cleaver, Mount Rainier, Washington, U.S.A.
Serious high-altitude climbers use 14,410-foot Rainier as a training ground, but the mountain is a classic in her own right. The Disappointment Cleaver route is a healthy two-day climb. On the first day, you’ll snow-slog to the halfway point at Muir Camp. Day two is a long one: You’ll need to start early--say 2 a.m.--in order to summit and return to the parking lot in the same day. If others have broken trail, the route will be obvious, but if not, some route-finding skills will be necessary.

5. Hornli Ridge, Matterhorn, Switzerland.
Not the world’s best climbing terrain--in fact, a lot of it is loose and grungy rock--but it is, after all, the Matterhorn. The Hornli Ridge is the most popular route up the 14,691-foot mountain and also the most historic, the one Edward Whymper climbed on the first ascent. Though there are no real technical difficulties, route finding can be tricky. Plan at least one night at the Hornli Hut, at the base of the ridge, and start early the next morning.

6. East Buttress, Middle Cathedral Rock, Yosemite National Park, California, U.S.A.
On the granite monolith of Middle Cathedral Rock, in the world’s most classic rock-climbing locale, rises the East Buttress, an 11- to 12-pitch climb rated up to 5.10. It offers a variety of features to test your climbing skills but doesn’t ever get out of hand, and the views of Yosemite Valley are hard to beat.

7. East Buttress, Mount Whitney, California, U.S.A.
Not to be confused with the more famous East Face of 14,494-foot Mount Whitney, the East Ridge is a little more technical, but also more aesthetic and thus well worth the effort. The granite rock route has a few 5.7 and 5.8 pitches, but that--coupled with the fact that you’re on the highest peak in the Lower 48--is precisely what makes it such an exciting adventure.

8. Normal or Polish Glacier Route, Mount Aconcagua, Argentina.
Another of the "Seven Summits," 22,835-foot Aconcagua is not only the highest peak in South America, but in the entire Western Hemisphere. The normal route follows a well-worn path, usually with little snow, up the northwestern flank; the Polish Glacier route is on the other side of the mountain, winding its way up steep glacial terrain, and requires crampons, an ice axe, and a rope.

9. Northeast Ridge, Bugaboo Spire, Canada.
Among those in the know, British Columbia’s Bugaboos are considered one of the grandest areas on Earth--a group of granite peaks that jut straight up out of a glacial patch of the Canadian Rockies. The Northeast Ridge is the classic climb on this beautifully sculptured 10,420-foot-high tooth of rock.

10. Little Switzerland, Alaska, U.S.A.
Encompassing about seven distinct granite and basalt peaks that reach up to 11,000 feet, Little Switzerland boasts enough variety to keep you busy for weeks. Similar in setting to the Ruth Glacier and the Bugaboos, Little Switzerland is located on the Pika Glacier, an arm of the larger Kahiltna Glacier. On peaks with names like The Throne, The Crowned Jewel, and The Dragon’s Spine, you can climb on ice, snow, and rock. There is even the possibility of grabbing a first ascent or posting a new route--all within a couple hours of basecamp. Not a bad way to make the transition from novice to expert.

Stacy Taniguchi has been a guide on Mt. McKinley for 15 years. He has summited four of the seven highest continental peaks in the world. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in outdoor education from Brigham Young University.