Three-year-old climber the youngest to summit Italian mountain

'It was really good': Jackson Houlding summited the Alp this weekend. Photo / Leo Houlding, Facebook.com

Jackson Houlding, 3 and a bit, has become the youngest person ever to climb the 3308 metre Piz Badile, on the Swiss-Italian border.

The very earnest and very cute looking mountaineer was part of a family expedition – which included sister Freya, 7, dad Leo and "uber-mum" Jess.

After possibly the most adventurous family holiday in history, the Houldings set off on a mountaineering expedition that would strike fear into most adult climbers. And they returned with the photos to prove it.

Father Leo posted these remarkable photos of the group on Sunday, depicting a "family ascent of the 1000m North ridge," which he called "the finest route of its grade I've yet to climb."

The family made the four-day expedition to mark Leo's 40th birthday, which they celebrated in the summit bivouac hut.

Family outing: 'uber-mum' Jess follows daughter Freya, 7, up a 1000m ascent. Photo / Leo Houlding, Facebook.com

The "proud" father said they completed all stages of the climb without incident before abseiling into the Val Masino valley on the Italian side, where he and Jess spent their honeymoon, 14 years earlier.

Mum Jess carried 3-year-old Jackson in a harness for most of the route, however "he broke free for a few pitches." His sister Freya refused help and "climbed it all by herself, all the way, including all the hiking and everything - it was very impressive," Leo told Sky News.

"She only just turned seven last week."

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This proud Dad celebrated his 40th birthday in the summit Bivi hut of the Piz Badile, (3308m) following a family ascent of the 1000m North ridge, the finest route of its grade I've yet to climb. My beautiful Freya, who just turned 7 a week ago, carried herself up and down the whole mountain up on her skinny little legs without any assistance! What a star. Little Jackson, 3 had a bit of help from his Uber-Mum Jess who climbed with him harnessed up inside his carrier for most of the route although he broke free for a few pitches. We paced it out over 4 days, a gruelling 6 hour hike up the new trail to the immaculate and welcoming Sasc Fura Hut, a shorter day with a bit of scrambling to an awesome bivi spot on the shoulder beneath the start of the climb, the massive and continously brilliant rock climb to the wildly exposed summit bivi hut and finally half a dozen abseils and long descent into the beautiful Val Masino valley where Jess and I spent our honeymoon 14 years ago. Employing tactics usually resevered for more extreme ascents I first led with a heavy bag then rapped down and we all climbed the fixed rope on micro-traxions enabling us to climb together and allowing me to show Freya the hidden fairy staircase. Huge kisses to @jesscorrie for being the most amazing wife and mother, to Freya and Jackson for being such brave, strong children and to the weather gods for granting us the stable forecast we needed for our family outing. #familyfun #Bregaglia #kidsarestrongerthanyouthink #socialdistancing #pizbadile

A post shared by Leo Houlding (@leo_houlding) on Aug 1, 2020 at 12:15am PDT

"It was really good, I enjoyed the bit I climbed on my own," Jackson, who was equally unfazed by interviews as he was mountains. Meanwhile sister Freya admitted it was both "really fun and really scary".

The family shared their photos to Instagram thinking "the weather gods for granting us the stable forecast we needed for our family outing."

And we thought a family ski trip was brave.

Happy birthday: Proud dad Leo marked his 40th birthday on top of Piz Badile with family. Photo / Leo Houlding, Facebook.com

Mountain-climbing parents Leo and Jess live in Cumbria, northwest England. Leo is a professional climber with a number of ascents under his belt, including Everest. He recently crossed Antarctica with Kiwi ski guide Mark Seden.

Jess is an adventurer and doctor. When not climbing the Julian Alps with a child on her back, she appears on podcasts such as adventure podcast 'Terra Incognita'.

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#babybigwalling #microadventures #prisank #slovenia #rockclimbing 📷 @leo_houlding

A post shared by Jessica Corrie (@jessica.corrie) on Sep 20, 2019 at 2:34pm PDT