Good Sports: Father and son use rock climbing to help foster children

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- At the age of seven, Sam Baker has done and seen things most of us dare not dream.

He's been rock climbing with his dad since before he could walk.

"We started taking Sam to rock gym as soon as we could and put a harness on him. He's got a lot of talent, he's really good at it," said his dad, Joe Baker.

This week, he's looking to test that talent in Yosemite National Park. Sam is on a mission to be the youngest climber to conquer Washington Column.

"It's a huge wall in Yosemite and we'll spend three days climbing it," said Baker.

Last year, the father and son pushed through Central California's Summer heat to reach the tip of Lost Arrow Spire -- 2,700 feet above the ground.

Beginning this weekend, the two will eat, sleep and climb one of Yosemite's most treacherous rock formations.

"It's thousands of feet high. We're going to sleep on portaledges up there, so you got to carry your own camp and carry all your own water. Its going to be really hot and we've got a lot of water to bring up. We're going to bring some fun stuff, too," Joe said.

When you've got a kid who loves to climb and play with Super Soakers while suspended thousands of feet in the sky, it's only fitting that you give him a thrill seeker-sounding name.

His real full name is Sam Adventure Baker

"Sam Adventure, he's named after this very famous explorer that was an abolitionist from the 1800's," Joe said.

With every climb, the two raise money to help children in the foster system to find a loving family.

More information can be found at their website.

The goal is to climb Yosemite's El Capitan. Joe feels Sam will be ready to take on the iconic granite face next summer.