Youngest ever Mountaineer completes seven-summit challenge

———————————————————————-Rhys Jones climbs Mt Everest

May 17, 2006 – Rhys Jones, a Network Scout from Hampshire today successfully reached the summit of Everest, the world highest mountain. In climbing Everest Rhys becomes the youngest ever person ever to climb all seven of the highest peaks on each of the worlds continents.

Rhys completed the Everest climb on his 20th Birthday. Rhys reports, "Despite deep snow, the weather continues to be very good" which has enabled this to be the first successful summit from the south side of the mountain this season.

Rhys is already a record-breaking mountaineer; he is the youngest Briton to successfully climb Alaska’s 20,320ft Mt McKinley, and the youngest to summit Mount Vinson, the highest mountain in Antarctica.

Rhys is the youngest of only ten British mountaineers have achieved the feat of climbing the world highest peaks and is one of just hundred climbers worldwide to have achieved this feat.

Rhys has already succeeded in reaching the highest summit in North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Africa and Australia.

Peter Duncan the UK’s Chief Scout said on hearing about Rhys achievement "Scouting is all about giving young people the chance to have adventures. Rhys has completed one of life’s great adventures and we are very proud of what he has achieved. He is an inspiration to the Uk’s 500,000 Scouts"

Editor’s notes

The highest mountains on each of the earth’s continents are:
• Mt McKinley – North America
• Mt Aconcagua – South America
• Mt Kilimanjaro – Africa
• Mt Kosciusko- Australia
• Mt Elbrus – Europe
• Mt Vinson – Antartica
• Mt Everest – Asia

(frm scout site)