Nepali-British climber becomes youngest to complete mountaineering’s grand double
By summiting Denali, Tejan Gurung became the youngest person to conquer both the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres and the Seven Summits, cementing Nepal’s growing influence in elite mountaineering
PC: Elite Exped
Nepali-British mountaineer Tejan Gurung has become the youngest person to complete both the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 metres and the Seven Summits, his expedition company said.
Gurung achieved the feat on June 19 by reaching the summit of Denali (6,190 metres) in Alaska, the final mountain required to complete the Seven Summits challenge, according to Elite Exped.
The achievement comes two years after the climber completed all 14 of the world's mountains higher than 8,000 metres, a feat he finished by summiting Shishapangma on October 9, 2024.
By combining the two challenges, Gurung has become the youngest person ever to complete both the 14 Peaks and the Seven Summits, the company said.
Born in 1995 in Pokhara, Gurung spent his early years in Nepal before moving to the United Kingdom in 2005 after his father's retirement from the Gurkhas.
Known as "TJ" among fellow climbers, he became the youngest British man to climb all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres when he completed the challenge at the age of 29.
The Seven Summits challenge involves climbing the highest mountain on each continent, while the 14 Peaks challenge requires summiting every mountain on Earth exceeding 8,000 metres in elevation.
Nepali climbers have increasingly emerged as record-setters in high-altitude mountaineering, reflecting a shift from their traditional role as guides and support staff on foreign expeditions to leading some of the world's most ambitious climbing projects.
Elite Exped congratulated Gurung on what it described as a historic achievement and said it was proud to celebrate the milestone with him. Gurung is also the director of the company.
His latest ascent places him among a select group of climbers worldwide to have completed mountaineering's two most coveted challenges.
