mountain to climb

mountain to climb

A very difficult task or challenge. You certainly have a mountain to climb if you intend to get this project done by Thursday.
See also: climb, mountain
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a mountain to climb

mainly BRITISH
If someone has a mountain to climb, they have to do a task which will be very difficult and will involve a lot of hard work. The negotiators have a mountain to climb if they want to bring lasting peace to this region. He still has a mountain to climb in persuading the public that war is justified.
See also: climb, mountain
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • a mountain to climb
  • have a mountain to climb
  • climb up
  • go climb a tree
  • Go climb a tree!
  • toil up
  • toil up (something)
  • scale up
  • climb Parnassus
  • scale down
References in periodicals archive
Iceland boss Richard Walker has said the group still has a "mountain to climb" on its plastic-free pledge after it was forced back to the drawing board on two key trials.
LIB Dem leader Willie Rennie knows he has a mountain to climb in next week's European Parliament elections.
Manager John Brownlie, who along with assistant Ian Little replaced sacked former boss Johnny Harvey just days before the team's final league game of the season at Elgin, admitted afterwards his side had "a mountain to climb".
Glenn Loovens' dismissal for hauling down Oli Hawkins gave Sunderland a mountain to climb, especially after Gareth Evans had converted he resulting penalty.
The Wids have had one eye on this game ever since round three of the competition when they had a man sent off as early as the third minute and left them with just too big a mountain to climb.
City go into tonight's Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Jurgen Klopp's side with a mountain to climb following a 3-0 defeat at Anfield.
EK boss Billy Stark said : "The start to the second half gave us a mountain to climb but we had a go at climbing it."
Summary: Chaya delivers inspiring presentation on 'Each one has a mountain to climb'
I attended the University of Tennessee College of Nursing in Memphis and obtained my BSN, but after a year I was restless and wanted to find another mountain to climb. I was not really ready to stop moving forward.
LABOUR has a mountain to climb and Jeremy Corbyn must produce a manifesto with the "widest possible appeal", Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has warned.
Going up the apex of the Southeast Asian Games might be an Everest of a mountain to climb but the Philippine Sports Commission is confident of lifting the Philippines back into title contention.
Steve McClaren felt that Newcastle United gave themselves a mountain to climb at Vicarage Road.
"We had a mountain to climb. "We did better things in the second half but we still 'lost' that 1-0 so we got what we deserved - a heavy defeat.'' The disappointing aspects were 'everything', the manager said.
JAMIE CARRAGHER admits Liverpool have left themselves with "a mountain to climb" after they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League.
Summary: Jermain Defoe's late equaliser grabbed a point for Tottenham but they face a huge mountain to climb to make next year's Champions League.