At 82, Olathe dad may be the oldest person to reach Mt. Everest base camp
An 82-year-old Olathe man who set out on an eight-day trek last week made history Sunday after he finished one of the world’s most difficult hikes.
Dave McClung set an unofficial record as the oldest person known to reach the South Base Camp of Mount Everest, the starting point for those who dare to climb the tallest mountain of the world.
Getting to Base Camp required McClung to hike for eight days, battling strenuous conditions including rocky terrain, steep inclines, high altitude and rarefied air.
He documented his journey with a GPS tracker and frequent posts on his Facebook page, regularly checking in with friends and family who cheered him on from afar. Accompanied by his son Dennis McClung, 55, the two men hiked 17,598 feet to reach their ambitious goal.
“I’ve done these hikes a lot of times, but I’ve never done one where I was quite as exhausted,” Dave McClung said in a phone call from Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city, on Wednesday.
“The air up at that altitude is very thin, so I was just touching one foot in front of the other,” he said. “I never did turn back. A lot of people did.”
Hiking to Mount Everest
To get to their starting point, Dave and Dennis McClung flew from Nepal’s capital to a remote location in the Himalayan Mountains where there are no roads or vehicles.
Paths are formed there under the feet of people walking long distances, and from the hooves of herd animals like horses, donkeys and yaks.
Helicopters take people back and forth, often flying at abnormal heights to transport ambitious hikers and climbers. In one of his Facebook posts, Dave McClung said he saw the helicopter pilots using supplemental oxygen while flying.
Dave McClung and his son hiked alongside a number of others who set out with the same goal, but did not make it to South Base Camp before turning back.
Guides helped lead the two men along the path, limiting their ascension to around 3,000 feet per day. Any more than that, and you risk the potential to develop severe illnesses with around a 50% mortality rate, Dennis McClung said.
In total, the hike is around 80 miles round-trip. At Base Camp, there is about 50% less oxygen in the air than at sea level.
To prepare, of course, Dave and Dennis McClung spent months training and planning.
“My father’s the best hiker I know,” Dennis McClung said. “And you know, he happens to be 82, but he also works out every day, and he’s hiked all over the world. I thought he was a very good partner to take on this, and we had a great time.”
The father-son duo already made their plans to do the hike before they found out Dave McClung might be the oldest person to do it, Dennis McClung said.
The two had also planned the trip before Nepal’s government was overthrown in September following a week of deadly protests. Nepal’s turmoil, coupled with a severe blizzard right before they arrived, caused heightened nerves ahead of their journey, Dennis McClung said.
But they had to focus on the task ahead of them, he said. Fortunately, the weather leveled out and was fair by the time their hike began.
“Everything you do, you have to stop and breathe for a long time to counter the deficit that’s being created by the rarefied air,” Dennis McClung said. “I’ve never experienced anything like that.”
Olathe dad known as ‘adventurous’
Cheering Dave McClung on from Olathe was his wife, Linda McClung, 82, and his daughter, LeEtta Felter.
Felter is now helping him gather all the documentation from his trip to be registered with the Guinness Book of World Records and other world record keeping entities.
Before Dave McClung’s trek, 80-year-old Yūichirō Miura summitted Everest in 2013. Austrialian media reported earlier this year that 80-year-old Carolyn Robinson became the oldest woman to make it to South Base Camp.
“I believe he has a next challenge already planned, but he hasn’t announced what it is yet,” Felter said. “My dad’s an adventurer.”
Felter said she remembers going on hikes when she was younger and has fond memories of exploring nature with her dad.
When he turned 60, Dave McClung began hiking the Grand Canyon. He’s now logged more than 40 treks to the bottom of the canyon, Felter said.
“The main thing is, he’s committed to longevity,” Felter said. “He has rigorous routines in his life. Like, Monday through Friday, he and my 82-year-old mom are out at Black Bob Park in Olathe, walking three miles, and they’re dedicated... They try to beat their previous times, you know.”
On Friday, Dave McClung is flying back home, he said. After his hike this week, he said he’s been taking it easy and enjoying everything Nepal has to offer.
“My son and I made it without any major problems,” Dave McClung said. “It’s an enjoyable accomplishment.”
This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
