8-yr-old's passion for mountains; Thrissur girl scales 4,167-metre Mount Toubkal with father

Thrissur: Eight-year-old Iya Krish from Eravimangalam in Thrissur has successfully scaled Mount Toubkal (4,167 metres), the highest peak in North Africa. She reached the summit on July 7 along with her father, Krishnaraj of Edathoot House, after a three-day climb.

The expedition also included three of Krishnaraj's friends and experienced mountaineer Nasser Hussain. Krishnaraj and his wife, Aruna Venugopal, work in the shipping sector in Fujairah, UAE, where Iya is a Class II student at the Royal Private English School.

Iya's love for mountaineering began early. At the age of 5, she climbed Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE. She prepared for the Mount Toubkal expedition by trekking high-altitude mountains during weekends.

The duo had initially attempted to summit Mount Toubkal in early March, but were forced to turn back at an altitude of 3,500 metres due to adverse weather conditions. They made another attempt on June 5, when weather conditions improved, and successfully completed the climb.

With the achievement, Iya Krish has become the youngest person from Asia to summit Mount Toubkal.

Located in Morocco's Atlas Mountains, Mount Toubkal is regarded as a challenging climb due to its rugged terrain, high altitude and unpredictable weather. Reaching the summit requires excellent physical fitness, courage, proper training and thorough preparation.