Mount Everest
When George Atkinson reached the top of Mount Everest Thursday, he became the youngest person to ever climb the highest mountain on every continent.
Atkinson is 16 years and 362 days, slightly younger than the previous title-holder, American Johnny Collinson, who was 17 when he completed the prestigious mountaineering challenge last year. The British Mountaineering Council has confirmed Atkinson’s title on their website, but according to Reuters, it was not officially noted by the Nepali government because they “do not comment on climbing activities on the Chinese side of the mountain.”
(PHOTOS: First Ascent of Mount Everest)
In order to accomplish this feat, the intrepid teen also scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Elbrus in Russia, the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, Aconcagua in Argentina and Mount McKinley in the United States, and Mount Vinson in Antarctica. At nearly 30,000 feet, Everest is the tallest of them all. He began the challenge back in 2005 when he climbed Kilimanjaro as an 11-year-old.
Upon reaching Everest’s peak, he also became the youngest Briton to climb the seven summits, lowering a standard set only two and a half hours antecedently by 22-year-old Geordie Stewart. Quite a birthday present for the boy who turns 17 Sunday.