12-31-2005, 10:09 PM
See below for initial story--in a follow-up from today's paper where they were profiling newsmakers of 2005, it says that Aidan climbed a 20,300 peak in the Himalayas. "Aidan proved popular amond the Himalayan Sherpas, who had never led such a young child to the top of such challenging peaks."
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7-year-old climbs Mount Rainier
10:53 PM PDT on Wednesday, July 20, 2005
By ELISA HAHN / KING 5 News
BOTHELL, Wash. – A 7-year-old Bothell boy has accomplished something most adults will never achieve – he climbed Mount Rainier.
Aidan Gold is already reaching for the stars, and he was never closer than last Thursday when he reached the 14,411-foot summit of Mount Rainier and his parents have the pictures to prove it.
Others on the mountain were shocked to pass this pint-sized climber.
"Everyone would stop and wait and watch. Part of it was curiosity and part of it people were just concerned about him," said Warren Gold, Aidan's father.
Aidan says there was no need for worry. He is a veteran who's climbed around 90 mountains.
His parents are avid climbers and early on, Aidan started following in their footsteps - literally. He took on Mount Si at age 3 and Mount Adams at age 6.
"I think I have the focus," said Aidan.
That focus comes from a type of autism called Asperger's Syndrome.
"What seems to come with this is an intense ability to focus on things the child is interested in," said Warren.
It allows Aidan to do amazing tasks, like create elaborate origami and climb big mountains.
"When I came in to the crater, they all stood up and gave me a standing applause," said Aidan.
His parents admit they've gotten questions about safety and criticism.
"To be honest, I think it's more dangerous to drive on our freeways. In the mountains we can control our risks to a high degree. Not completely, but to a high degree," said Warren.
What is undeniable is that this young boy is able to take his disability and turn it into an advantage.
"I don't think we really realized what a blessing it really was," said Warren.
In a few months, Aidan and his family will head to the Alps, then in the winter to the Mount Everest base camp. Aidan says he just wants to see what challenges he may take on later in life.
The Golds say they have found no official record of the youngest person to climb Mount Rainier, but they have been told that Aidan is not the first 7-year-old to reach the summit.
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7-year-old climbs Mount Rainier
10:53 PM PDT on Wednesday, July 20, 2005
By ELISA HAHN / KING 5 News
BOTHELL, Wash. – A 7-year-old Bothell boy has accomplished something most adults will never achieve – he climbed Mount Rainier.
Aidan Gold is already reaching for the stars, and he was never closer than last Thursday when he reached the 14,411-foot summit of Mount Rainier and his parents have the pictures to prove it.
Others on the mountain were shocked to pass this pint-sized climber.
"Everyone would stop and wait and watch. Part of it was curiosity and part of it people were just concerned about him," said Warren Gold, Aidan's father.
Aidan says there was no need for worry. He is a veteran who's climbed around 90 mountains.
His parents are avid climbers and early on, Aidan started following in their footsteps - literally. He took on Mount Si at age 3 and Mount Adams at age 6.
"I think I have the focus," said Aidan.
That focus comes from a type of autism called Asperger's Syndrome.
"What seems to come with this is an intense ability to focus on things the child is interested in," said Warren.
It allows Aidan to do amazing tasks, like create elaborate origami and climb big mountains.
"When I came in to the crater, they all stood up and gave me a standing applause," said Aidan.
His parents admit they've gotten questions about safety and criticism.
"To be honest, I think it's more dangerous to drive on our freeways. In the mountains we can control our risks to a high degree. Not completely, but to a high degree," said Warren.
What is undeniable is that this young boy is able to take his disability and turn it into an advantage.
"I don't think we really realized what a blessing it really was," said Warren.
In a few months, Aidan and his family will head to the Alps, then in the winter to the Mount Everest base camp. Aidan says he just wants to see what challenges he may take on later in life.
The Golds say they have found no official record of the youngest person to climb Mount Rainier, but they have been told that Aidan is not the first 7-year-old to reach the summit.