A toddler broke a world record by becoming the youngest person to reach Everest base camp, completing the trek on his father’s back during his family’s year-long Asian adventure and sparking controversy along the way.
At only two years old, Carter Dallas reached the south site in Nepal – located 17,598ft above sea level – on October 25, 2023.
The young boy completed the trek on his 35-year-old father’s (Ross) back, alongside his mother, 31-year-old Jade.
Two-year-old Carter Dallas broke a world record by becoming the youngest person to reach Everest base camp
Image credits: Ross Backpack
Ross, a former senior sales manager, told the British tabloid: “Carter coped better than me and his mum. We both got slight altitude sickness, but he was absolutely fine!
“There were two medics at the villages before base camp, and they tested his blood to check he was fine. His results were way better than ours – they were amazed!
“We bought food, jackets, and two sleeping bags for the trek – we basically did it on a whim.
“Within 24 hours of touching down in Kathmandu, we started the trek.”
“There were two medics at the villages before base camp, and they tested his blood to check he was fine," Carter's dad explained
Image credits: Craig Dallas
The proud father reportedly explained that his family was well prepared for the trip as they had regularly practiced “breathing techniques,” and they had subjected themselves to cold ice bath plunges.
While the parents did the trek in their normal, everyday trainers, little Carter was reportedly strapped to dad’s back.
The previous holder of Carter’s title was Zara Šifra, who reached the base camp at the age of four years old, Radio Prague International reported.
Ross and his wife Jade, a former housing officer, rented out their house in Scotland and bought three one-way tickets for a year of traveling in August 2023, as per The DailyMail.
The trio first flew to India before visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives, with trips back to India in between. They subsequently traveled to Nepal before going to Malaysia for a wedding.
The family followed their adventures with a flight to Singapore, where they spent Carter’s birthday at Universal Studios. They went on to spend Christmas in Penang, Malaysia, before crossing the border into Thailand.
Parents Ross and Jade rented out their house in Scotland and bought three one-way tickets for a year of traveling in August 2023
Image credits: Ross Backpack
The fearless trio spent the new year on the Thai island of Koh Lanta. Nowadays, the Dallases are spending time in the jungle at a Thai nature reserve in Khao Sok, with their next stop in Bangkok and then onto Cambodia, the DailyMail reported.
Ross reportedly explained that Carter soaked in many different cultures and is absolutely loving it. He said: “He’ll say ‘sawadika’ and ‘namaste’ – he’s picking up the lingo.
“We love that he has been exposed to different cultures and has been playing with all the kids in small villages. It’s really opening his mind up.
While there is no official Everest base camp trek age limit, the advisable Everest base camp trek minimum age is 10 years old
Image credits: Mari Partyka
“The one thing he’s loved the most is hearing the Islamic call to prayer!”
According to the overjoyed parents, little Carter has also developed a taste for exotic foods and has enjoyed eating fish curries in the Maldives and chicken feet in Malaysia, even experiencing crocodile meat. Nevertheless, Carter’s favorite dish of all is Pad Thai.
Pad Thai is a classic Thai dish consisting of stir-fried rice noodles, and it is commonly served as street food, Al Jazeera states.
The Dallas family has reportedly exclaimed that the trip’s highlights so far have been visiting an elephant orphanage and bathing with them, seeing the Taj Mahal, and swimming with sharks in the Maldives.
The previous holder of Carter’s title was Zara Šifra, who reached the base camp at the age of four years old
Image credits: Michael Clarke
Ross admitted: “We hope we can inspire other people to go out and see the real world. It’s way better than just going to Tenerife.”
Despite Carter’s groundbreaking journey, a handful of people online were less than impressed, with some arguing that his parents had put their own goals ahead of his safety.
There is no official Everest base camp trek age limit, but the advisable Everest base camp trek minimum age is 10 years old, Base Camp Trek Nepal said.
The website further stated that the Mount Everest base camp trek age limit is for health concerns of trekkers to stay safe in high altitude as well as getting pleasure from adventure.
Many readers slammed Carter's parents for taking him to Mount Everest
