8-Year-Old Boy Becomes Youngest Ever To Summit El Capitan
Eight-year-old Sam Baker recently became the youngest person ever to reach the summit of El Capitan.
This iconic rock formation in Yosemite stretches more than 3,000 feet high and is considered a hallmark climb for any serious climber.
In fact, some have called it the world’s hardest climb, according to The Culture Trip.
Baker’s father documented the four-day journey on social media and on his website.
According to the website, Samuel loves science experiments, riding his bike, and, as to be expected, is always climbing something.
Sam’s first multi-pitch route was the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs when he was just 3-years old.
The next year, at 4-years old, he climbed the 2nd Flatiron in Boulder, Colorado.
At 5 years old, he scaled his first mountain and completed five climbing routes spread across Colorado and Wyoming.
At age 6, Sam climbed all five of the 1,000-foot Flatirons in Boulder and also climbed Arrow Spire in Yosemite.
At 7 years old, he climbed the Fairview Dome and the Eichorn Pinnacle in California as well as the Petit Grepon in Colorado.
Professional climbers have criticized the record-breaking climb calling it a publicity stunt since the boy used fixed ropes and a mechanical device known as an ascender to make it up the rock face. The ascender grips the rope allowing for upward movement in a controlled manner. According to critics, this is not a “climb” as the boy wasn’t actually climbing the rock, but essentially, being hoisted up a rope.
Sam’s climb came only three years after a 10-year-old reached the summit on five days by actually climbing the rock.
Whizzco
