When 11-year-old Nicholas Zajicek begins the sixth-grade at Silverado Middle School this fall, he'll have one heck of a 'What I did for summer' essay to write.

While some children spent their summer vacations on the ground, Zajicek headed to the top of Mount Shasta along with his father, Val. Father and son began their adventure on July 31, when they jumped into their car and made the four-and-a-half hour drive to Siskiyou County.

"My dad had been there seven times and it sounded like fun," Zajicek said.

But conquering the 14,162-foot mountain, which turns out to be the seventh-highest peak in the state, was easier said than done for the former Vichy Elementary School fifth-grader, he said. Taking on Mount Shasta also meant taking on the weather, steep terrain, altitude sickness and fatigue.

"We would walk like 20 steps and rest for about half a minute," he said.

With a 30-pound backpack filled with a sleeping bag, food and clothing strapped to his athletic frame, Zajicek began the climb to base camp, about half-way up the mountain. Making it to base camp was the roughest part of the journey, Zajicek said, challenging him both mentally and physically.

"It's pretty steep and rocky on the hills (and) there is some snow," he said.

Scaling to base camp made young Zajicek want to give up, but he stuck it out by assigning himself way-points, reaching them and re-assigning some more until he reached his destination, he said.

With half of the mountain out of the way and the other half lying in wait, the group consisting of the Zajiceks and two of dad's friends, shed their heavy backpacks, bundled themselves up in warm clothing, put on snow shoes and braved their way to the summit.

But before they could reach the top they had to make it past Misery Hill, a rigorous uphill climb that leads straight to the top of the mountain.

"Some people quit at the base of Misery Hill," Zajicek said. "It's very exhausting."

But Zajicek didn't let up. He followed his father's lead and zig-zagged his way up the steep hill. On Tuesday, around 10 a.m., Zajicek made it to the top of Mount Shasta.

"I was happy that I was finally there," he said. "It took us a long time (to reach the summit)."

It took the group six hours to reach the summit from base camp, and a little over an hour to make it back down, he said. After taking in the view, resting a bit, snapping a few photos and signing a guest book at the summit -- which is autographed by everyone who has reached the top of the mountain -- the group slid back down using tarps and snow hammers (to brake with).

Although this wasn't Zajicek's first time at Mount Shasta, it was the first time he had made it to the top. His mother, Karena, said about two years ago the family climbed the mountain but only made it as far as base camp.

"This is a character-building event," she said. "The gratitude you get from this, money can't buy. This is truly what makes life beautiful."

What did Zajicek take from the mountain, besides bragging rights?

"Not to give up," he said.