Rabat – Fifteen-year-old mountaineer Youssef Tazi has successfully summited Kang Yatse II, according to a press release from his team.
Tazi reached the 6,250-meter summit at 9:13 a.m. local time on Sunday, August 2, after a demanding expedition through the Himalayas, becoming the youngest Moroccan, Arab, and African climber to reach that altitude.
The ascent marks another milestone in his long-term mountaineering project “Road to Everest 2028”, which aims to prepare him for an attempt on the world’s highest peak.
The summit push began from the main camp at an altitude of 5,070 meters shortly after midnight.
Tazi’s team described the final ascent as particularly difficult, with temperatures dropping to around minus 10 degrees Celsius, poor visibility caused by fog, and deep snow covering sections of the route.
The expedition temporarily halted after worsening weather reduced visibility, forcing climbers to wait before continuing.
Despite the delay, Tazi resumed the ascent and eventually reached the summit without needing supplementary oxygen, carrying only an emergency oxygen cylinder in accordance with high altitude safety procedures.
The release noted that difficult conditions on summit day forced several climbers to abandon their attempts. Out of 29 climbers on the route, only 16 reached the summit, while the others turned back for safety reasons.
The teenager’s father, Omar Tazi, accompanied him during the expedition before stopping at approximately 5,500 meters, allowing his son to continue toward the summit with the support of the climbing team.
Following the achievement, Tazi thanked his support team and shared a message to young people, saying: “Believe in your dreams, work for them, and never give up, no matter how difficult the challenges become.”
The summit adds to Tazi’s growing list of major climbs as he continues his preparation for a future attempt on Mount Everest in 2028.
