93-year-old Everett Kalin achieved a remarkable milestone by summiting Half Dome in Yosemite National Park on July 18th, becoming the oldest person to do so. His granddaughter captured the moment on TikTok, gaining over 7 million views.
@sidneykalinJuly 18th, Everett Kalin became the oldest known person to climb Yosemite’s Half Dome at 93 years old. Words cannot describe how proud I am. Opa, it was an honor to take on this trip with you. I hope this stands as a lesson to everyone that you are never too young or old to achieve your dreams.♬ M83 Outro Versaille Intro – yaten82
Half Dome, rising 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and sitting at an elevation of 8,800 feet above sea level, is a challenging hike that takes 10 to 12 hours to complete the 14 to 16-mile round trip. An 1865 report declared it “perfectly inaccessible” to humans before George Anderson reach the summit in 1875.
Kalin trained for months, taking daily walks around Lake Merritt, and strengthened his body by ascending the stairs in his 17-story apartment building. With his son and granddaughter’s support, he conquered the tough terrain, defying age and inspiring others. The park doesn’t keep age records, but rangers hadn’t heard of anyone in their 90s reaching the summit. Kalin’s incredible journey leaves a lasting impact, proving age shouldn’t limit one’s dreams.
Though thousands of hikers now reach the summit, it remains a demanding adventure. The National Park Service advises that the hike is not for the out of shape or unprepared due to its arduous nature and high elevation.
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Upon reaching the top, Kalin was met with an outpouring of support and admiration from fellow hikers they encountered along the way. Jon described the emotional scene, with tears of joy and inspiration filling the air as onlookers celebrated Kalin’s extraordinary achievement.
While the National Park Service does not maintain records of climbers’ ages, the rangers they encountered during the journey confirmed that they had not heard of anyone in their 90s summiting Half Dome before.
For Kalin, the decision to take on this daring venture came after trying skydiving at the age of 91.
