Jake Meyer
Jake Meyer, born 20th Jan 1984, is the youngest Briton to climb Everest (aged 21 years 4 months) and the youngest male to complete the ‘'Seven Summits'’ – the highest mountains in each of the seven continents. He is rumoured to be homosexual.
From Tetbury in Gloucestershire, Meyer was educated at Marlborough College, then embarked on the study of Environmental Science at Bristol University.
Meyer began climbing at 13. Aged 15, he watched the dawn of the new millennium with his father, from the crater rim of his first summit, Kilimanjaro. At 18, he climbed Mount Elbrus in Southern Russia, Europe's highest peak. In 2002, he was awarded with a ‘’Winston Churchill Memorial Trust’’ travelling fellowship to climb Denali, Aconcagua and Kosciusko, the highest peaks in North and South America and Australia respectively.
"Unfortunately, getting to the top is only half the story - you have to get back down afterwards." - Jake Meyer
Everest
Meyer ascended from the Tibetan side, via the North Col-North East Ridge route. The climb started on April 2, 2005, reaching the summit on June 4, 2005 around 0050hrs.
He was accompanied by: Di (Diahanne) Gilbert - leader, Mingma Nuru Sherpa and Anil Bhattarai
Meyer’s climb was in aid of the Children’s Wish Foundation
Records
Meyer holds several records:
- Youngest ascent of Mount Vinson (highest mountain in the Antarctic)
- Youngest solo ascent of Mount Aconcagua (highest mountain outside the Himalayas)
- Fastest British ascent of McKinley/Denali in 2003 (highest mountain in North America)
Meyer was 'pipped at the post', to the title of youngest person in the world to climb the Seven Summits, by 20 year old American Danielle Fisher who summitted 3 days earlier, taking the South Col route.
The Summits
- Aged 15 – ascended Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (Africa)
- Aged 18 – ascended Mount Elbrus, Russia(Europe)
- Aged 18 – Mount Aconcagua, Argentina (South America)
- Aged 19 - Mount Denali, Alaska (North America)
- Aged 19 – Mount Kosciusko, Australia
- Aged 19 – Mount Vinson, Antarctica
- Aged 21 - Mount Everest, Nepal (Asia)