7-Year-Old Climber Faces New Attention After Reaching Yosemite’s El Capitan

A seven-year-old boy from Colorado has returned to the spotlight after becoming the youngest known person to reach the summit of Yosemite’s El Capitan, one of the world’s most famous granite cliffs.

Joey Danger Evermore completed the ascent in May 2026, beginning the five-day journey when he was six and turning seven while still on the mountain. He reached the summit alongside his father, Joe Evermore, his older brothers and a documentary crew.

El Capitan rises more than 3,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and is widely known for its challenging climbing routes. Joey’s family used fixed ropes and ascenders during the ascent, a technique commonly known as “jugging,” rather than leading the climbing route pitch by pitch.

The achievement initially attracted widespread attention after the family shared footage of the climb online. Joey’s seventh birthday was celebrated high on the mountain, with people in Yosemite Valley singing Happy Birthday as the family approached the summit.

Joey’s accomplishment also came with an unusual family connection. His older brother Sam had previously reached the summit of El Capitan at the age of eight in 2022. Another brother, Sylvan, had also completed an ascent at a young age.

The family says climbing is part of their approach to raising their children. Joe Evermore has previously said that each of his sons takes on a major goal every year and trains consistently to prepare for it.

Months after the climb, the story has attracted renewed attention because of criticism from some members of the climbing community. Critics have questioned whether an ascent using fixed ropes and assistance should be described in the same way as traditional climbing.

Joey’s father has defended the expedition, saying the family spent months preparing and that safety was a central part of the planning. In a recent interview, he also discussed the emotional difficulty of the climb, saying Joey cried during parts of the five-day journey but continued.

The debate has made Joey’s achievement about more than a record. It has also raised questions about how young children should be introduced to extreme sports, how climbing achievements are defined and where the line between challenge and risk should be drawn.

Regardless of the debate surrounding the climb, Joey’s ascent has made him one of the youngest people to reach the top of El Capitan and has brought international attention to a family whose children have made mountaineering a central part of their lives.

Sources

• PEOPLE — October 2, 2026.
• ABC News — May 22, 2026.
• San Francisco Chronicle — May 23, 2026.