According to an article on Mashable, vivid, detailed pictures taken by climbers while scaling the highest mountains across various continents, from Mt. Aconcagua (South America) and Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa) to Mt. Everest Base Camp (Asia) to Mt. Elbrus (Europe) have just been added to Google Maps.

The images that are now available to view not only capture spectacular scenery, they also show the base camps where climbers eat and even cliff-side monasteries.

The latest Google Maps special collection is famous mountains.. Other special collections include: the Colosseum, NFL stadium, ski resorts, and the White House.  Click here for more special collections.

Dan Fredinburg, a Google employee who works with the company’s Innovation Lab and data control came up with the imagery idea while he was climbing Mt. Fuji in Japan.

“It was an experience we wanted to share with everyone,” Fredinburg told Mashable. “After that, we decided to climb mountains worldwide over the course of a year and a half by taking photography equipment with us and capturing it for Google.”

Google has a dedicated adventure team that scales regions such as the Grand Canyon for Maps, however, Fredinburg said that employees are encouraged to do related side projects.  That being said, he packed up a tripod and digital camera and headed for the mountains, along with a few other Googlers.

“Mt. Kilimanjaro was a lot easier than the other mountains,” he said. “We had to carry equipment and food for 20 days on some trips, as well as have ropes to attach feet to the ground. It was a daunting task on top of transporting a tripod and a big lens.”

Every location viewers are able to see from the treks is made up of twelve photos – three in each direction, strung together.

For a full look at the pictures, click here.

SEE ALSO: 10 Places You’re Not Allowed to See on Google Maps

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