A British boy has entered the history books as the youngest ever person to summit a 12,000ft mountain in the Rockies.
Jackson Houlding, four, and his sister Freya, eight, scaled the 11,889ft Pingora Peak unaided with their parents during a two-week hike and wild camping trip in Wyoming, USA.
The plucky youngsters were led by mum Jessica and dad Leo, a professional climber who was the 1996 British junior indoor climbing champion.
Freya also got herself a new record during the trip in August, becoming the youngest ever person to scale the nearby 12,165ft Wolf's Head, although it was decided Jackson was still a little young for that particular challenge.
The family, from Staveley in Cumbria, spent two weeks in the potentially treacherous Wind River Range, which is home to bears and freezing temperatures at night.
Their adventure comes a year after the children became the youngest to summit a 10,000ft mountain - Piz Badile on the border of Switzerland and Italy.
Leo, 41, said: "I'm immensely proud of both my children and how far they've come.
"When me and Jessica started our family we always wanted to create these kind of memories with our kids, and were so thrilled we've been able to do it so soon."
"Climbing comes with big risks, even with all right equipment and loads of experience.
"Loose rocks and uneven terrain can be a big challenge, and in some instances, one foot wrong could land you in a lot of trouble.
"That's why we always take it slow and take the time to plan each climb down to the very last detail."
The family were able to travel to Wyoming in August thanks to Jessica's US passport, as up until recently the border has been closed for non-American citizens.
They flew to Denver, Colorado, and hired a car to cross the border into Wyoming. They then rented llamas and camped in the wilderness for two weeks.
It is not uncommon for temperatures to plummet below freezing in the region and for heavy snow to fall, even in the summer months.
The long treks proved tricky for the children at times, but Leo and Jessica were prepared with Harry Potter audiobooks and endless games of 20 questions to keep them going.
"The weather can be so unpredictable in the Wind River Wilderness which is why it's important to be prepared for any situation," Leo added.
"On one day we were walking through the foothills when hailstones the size of marbles suddenly started raining down on us.
"Luckily, we were able to quickly find cover, but if that had happened when we were halfway up a mountain things would have been quite different.
"The wildlife we saw was amazing but again it can pose substantial risks if you are to get in an uncomfortable situation.
"For example, whilst I was away on a climb with a friend, my wife had a bear stroll right into our camp looking for food.
"The kids were asleep at the time, but were soon woken up by the sounds of Jessica crashing pots and pans together to scare it away.
"More time bears are scared of you way more than you are of them, but its knowing how to deal with them which will keep you safe.
"Hiking every day was a lot for the kids to handle but we could always rely on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to keep them entertained."
The family scaled the east ledge of Pingora Peak. To get there, they had to carry all their own kit with the help of two llamas.
Photos taken by Leo show Jackson slowly making his way up to the summit.
Freya said: "Being in nature is like opening a window into your heart to let in the happiness that was always there, only you just didn't know it before."
After a full day's climb to reach Pingora's summit, Jackson became the youngest person to ever scale this particular peak in the Rockies.
He was not quite old enough to tackle the steeper Wolf's Head - but Freya was certainly up for the challenge.
Leo said: "My rock climbing experience enables us to do these kind of holidays safely and comfortably and the kids really love it.
"I don't think Jackson is quite at the age yet where he realises how lucky he is, but I know Freya is starting to understand that what we do is really quite special.
"Each climb we've done with our kids is a cherished memory, and we can't wait to go on more climbing adventures in the future."
The Houldings are planning to go climbing and sea kayaking in northern Norway's Lofoten Islands next summer.
