At just nineteen years old, Alasdair McKenzie is on course to become the youngest mountaineer to ever climb the fourteen 8,000m peaks of the Himalayas. Having already conquered twelve of these peaks in the last two years, the teenager from Scotland is determined to show young people that anything is possible with hard work and determination.
Alasdair was just seventeen when he began his incredible journey, and has since achieved four Guinness World Records. This summer, he became the youngest to have climbed five of the world’s highest peaks within just 26 days.
Speaking of his mission, Alasdair said: “This challenge has pushed me to surpass my physical, mental and emotional limits. It’s beyond anything I’ve ever known before. I have just two summits to climb, which I’m aiming to do in spring 2024. It’s been a lot of hard work but I’m extremely motivated because I’m doing what I love. I want to prove to my generation that with determination and optimism, anything is possible. We all have the capability to achieve our dreams and you can seek to scale the height of your ambition.”
As Alasdair continues to make history, his mantra remains the same: “Scale the height of your ambition”. In April next year, the teenage mountaineer is set to complete his record-breaking challenge and secure his place in the record books. This inspiring story is a testament to the power of determination and proves that, with enough hard work and ambition, even the highest summits can be attained.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.