Colorado Champions: Kid climber reflects on Matterhorn attempt and future dreams
BLACK FOREST, Colo. (KRDO) - Sam Evermore, the Colorado Springs climbing kid, is back from a European adventure. He had his passport stamped and attempted the Matterhorn in August. But Sam and his dad Joe had to turn back before reaching the summit after not hitting certain time markers. They couldn't risk their safety when dangerous weather moved in. Now, the 10-year-old is home, climbing with his brothers and learning how setbacks can lead to future success.
30 feet in the air is where imagination and physicality come to life-- at least for these brothers. Three stories tall, and woven between the trees, lies their "sky net." It might look daunting to climb, but it's just a normal after-school activity for the three.
Sam, Sylvan and Joey Evermore helped their dad tie it together. And it serves as a good jungle gym for the active brothers. Their dad Joe says there's never a dull moment at their Black Forest farm.
"This is really the dream house for us, the dream backyard," says Joe Evermore. "I feel like we kind of downsized the house to up-size the yard and kids climb on stuff every day."
It's a place where they can have fun, push each other, and test the limits. Everything they do here is prep for what they do on the mountain.
"I love doing it with my brothers like the zipline," says Sam Evermore. "Me and my brother jump on it at the same time and we always like jump on and don't know how you are going to hold on."
In 2022, Sam made history by being the youngest person to summit El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. And a few months ago, Sam and his dad attempted to break a record on the Matterhorn in Switzerland.
"Seeing that mountain takes your breath away, it is captivating and to be up there with Sam was so special," says Joe. "We had big intentions to finish it but this summer we hit a cutoff time on a mountain that is fairly dangerous. And if you go beyond a cutoff time your odds of dying go up by like 10 times."
This is the first mountain Sam hasn't conquered yet.
"And when you have thought about a mountain for a year it is hard to turn around that is hard to do, but it was definitely the right thing and we are definitely going to go back," says Joe. "The youngest person to climb it is three days from 12 so we still have some time if we want to get the youngest ascent which is kind of a unique deal we have gone after with our family."
He's only 10, so his dad says this serves as a good learning moment for holding onto goals.
"We realize we can keep doing it with all of our boys and to keep summiting mountains with them safely," says Joe.
And it's an opportunity for Sam to come home and continue teaching his little brothers that even if you don't reach the top the first time, keep dreaming big on the mountain and in the backyard.
