4-Year-Old Girl Becomes Youngest Ever to Reach Mt. Everest Base Camp

The Everest Base Camp is a dream for many who seek adventure and thrill. Many spend their entire lives trying to get there. However, there is no minimum age limit to achieving that dream. Recently, a 4-year-old girl managed to reach the Everest Base Camp! Just so that you know, the base camp’s extreme altitude has not only made climbers ill but also claimed several lives. The girl, though, is now the youngest human ever to complete the feat.

The Everest Base Camp sits at an altitude of about 17,600 feet above sea level. The air has about 50% less oxygen compared to the sea level. As such, getting acclimatized to the environment takes an immense toll on the body. If they fail to do so, they risk suffering from altitude sickness. Although it is not predominantly deadly, at times, it can set in extremely quickly. This can result in even seasoned climbers suffering injuries, or in the worst-case scenario, facing a threat to their lives.

The Everest Base Camp’s Youngest Climber

Needless to say, the Everest Base Camp is a daunting task for any human attempting it, regardless of age or experience. For Zara, the four-year-old, the atmosphere was no less taxing or threatening. However, she successfully reached the safety point after a climb spanning 170 miles. She was accompanied by her father, David Šifra, and her seven-year-old brother. At the spot, the trio witnessed majestic views of the Himalayas.

Of course, it was not like David was just there as a companion; he was there as a father. While talking about his children’s feat, he explained that throughout the climb, he constantly kept an eye on his kids’ blood oxygen levels. Altitude sickness symptoms usually start being noticeable anywhere between 6 and 24 hours. It also becomes possible once the human body climbs above 9800 feet above sea level. Mount Everest’s peak is more than three times this threshold. The peak of the mountain is measured at 29,030 feet. The astounding figure makes it the tallest point on the planet.

David further explained that the trio’s acclimatization actually went better than average. Zara’s excellent physical condition even allowed her to outpace many other trekkers. David remains surprised at how a 4-year-old girl had the mental and physical ability to achieve this feat. He believes that his daughter’s determination and strength during the challenge arise from how she was raised in Malaysia. The previous record holder was Prisha Lokesh Nikajoo; She was only five years old in 2023 when she reached Mount Everest Base Camp.

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An Immense Feat For Such A Young Child

The statistics will reveal that the death rate during the trek to the Everest Base Camp is comparatively very low. However, in 2019, as many as 11 people lost their lives to Mount Everest. At the same time, during that climbing season, they held the record for the highest number of climbers. Due to such heavy traffic, the deaths were attributed to a literal ‘traffic jam’ caused by the overcrowding during the climb upwards. During the period, social media was rife with videos showing climbers standing in enormous queues, waiting for their turn to climb up the mountain in below-freezing temperatures.

Mount Everest also remains one of the largest cemeteries in the world. The dangerous conditions mean it is extremely difficult to bring corpses back down to ground level. In many cases, if a climber collapses and expires on that terrain, the body is left there. The extremely cold temperatures mean there is hardly any decomposition, as well. Thus, when new climbers attempt to reach the peak, the preserved remains of past failed climbers are not an uncommon sight.

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