Christoper Harris Mt Everest The Australian 2006

John Stapleton
A teenager from Western Sydney is set to become the youngest person in history to climb not just Mount Everest but all seven of the highest peaks on each of the seven continents - the Holy Grail of mountaineering. Christopher Harris, 15, has already climbed four mountains. The record for all seven is presently held by a 20-year-old American woman.

Harris leaves for Nepal next month, where he will begin the acclimatisation process in order to reach the peak of Mount Everest in May. He will, if all goes according to plan, be the youngest person, by several months, to ever stand on the roof of the world.

At the current rate he will also easily beat the record for the youngest person to climb all seven peaks, currently held by petite American woman Danielle Fisher, who completed the task in 2005 at the age of 20.

Harris has one thing in common with his American counterpart, they were both inspired by their fathers to become mountain climbers.

At the age of eight Chistopher climbed Mt Kosciusko with his father, experienced mountaineer Richard Harris, and it was the excitement of that experience that spurred him on. ``I was a bit scared at first, but I realised it was possible to do it safely and really achieve something. And that's what I'm still doing - just on a bigger scale.

``It is because of my dad I started climbing. I really enjoyed it. There are great views when you get to the summit and I feel excited because I have achieved a goal. We have done everything possible to make the Everest climb as safe as possible. I am not super-scared but a little bit nervous.''

At 12, also with is father, young Harris climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, at 13 Mt Elbrus in Europe, and this year Mt Aconcagua in South America. After Everest they are looking at Alaska or Antarctica.

The pair are also likely to set records as the youngest father and son team to complete the task. The pair might also set a record for the longest time a father and teenage son have lived together in two-man tent without killing each other. ``When you are in a two man tent for three weeks, as we will be  for the Everest climb, you have to get on,'' said father Richard Harris, 40. ``We know what support we need from each other, we know our space.''

Sponsor Bradley Trevor Grieve, best-selling author of The Blue Day Book series, which has now sold 12 million copies after numerous rejection slips, stepped in at the last minute with enough money to allow the project to go ahead. ``Edmund Hillary is one of my heroes,'' he said. ``He was a mountaineer with a profound connection to his son. It inspired me that a humble NZ bee keeper could be the first to stand on the roof of the world.

``Christopher is just an ordinary kid; but he has this extraordinary ability in one special area, He was born to climb. He comes alive at 14,000 feet. This is an opportunity to help him realise his dream and to make history. As an Australian I am proud to offer him the chance.''