Calif boy, 13, aims to be youngest on Everest peak By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA
Associated Press Writer
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- At age 13, Jordan Romero is headed to Mount Everest in an attempt to become the youngest person to scale the world's highest mountain - and complete his goal of climbing the highest peaks on all seven continents.
The teenager from Big Bear, California, was busy Saturday with his father Paul and stepmother Karen packing mountaineering gear and planning details of their expedition with three Sherpa guides who will accompany them.
The team leaves Katmandu, Nepal's capital, for China on Sunday and then will travel to the base camp on the Chinese side of the 29,035-foot (8,850-meter) mountain.
Jordan has already climbed the highest peaks on six other continents and hopes to reach Everest's summit in May.
"I just wanted to do something big, and this was something I wanted to do for myself. It was all about the experience and I just happen to be 13 at this time," Jordan told The Associated Press.
The record for the youngest climb of Everest is held by Temba Tsheri of Nepal, who reached the peak at age 16.
Jordan, who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa when he was 10 years old, says he was inspired by a painting in his school hallway of the seven continents' highest summits.
Everest, however, will be his first over 8,000 meters (26,240 feet).
"This will be a big leap, but we have been training for the altitude," he said.
His father and stepmother have also accompanied him on his previous climbs.
Jordan said he would not take any unnecessary risks and would turn around if they encounter problems like bad weather. He said he has read about past disasters on the mountain that have claimed many lives and has learned lessons from them.
"This may be the first of many attempts," he said. "It could take a couple of years, but I am determined to do it. If I don't reach the summit this time, I will try next time."
"I do feel ready," he said. "I feel very prepared emotionally, and definitely physically."
While he is acclimatizing at the base camp before the May push to the summit, Jordan plans to do his algebra homework, some book reports and write a journal about his experiences.
He had a blog where you can keep up with his progress. Currently (Apr. 19), he is at base camp.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." — Henry David Thoreau
If he's already climbed to the highest peak on six other continents, doesn't that mean he's already done Denali? I don't get the wink ... am I missing something?
I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
Jordan Romero ... doesn't sound like a very indigenous name, so I'll concede he probably calls it McKinley. Of course, I prefer Denali. It was that first. Sort of like Squaw Peak. plz:
I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
chumley wrote:Jordan Romero ... doesn't sound like a very indigenous name, so I'll concede he probably calls it McKinley. Of course, I prefer Denali. It was that first. Sort of like Squaw Peak. plz:
At least she did something useful; McKinley was coined by a local political blowhard for no other reason than to be a political blowhard.
It's cool indeed, and one hopes a prelude to a very interesting and productive life for the young man. It does make me wonder if it isn't going to be kind of a hard act to follow, though... Just playing devil's advocate here for a minute...
Mmmmmm, not a fun cakewalk, though. It's frickin' COLD up there, and there is like, NO air!
Having taken a very small, modest turn at mountaineering in the Sierras, many years ago, I have to say, I'll pass. I'll stick with regular hiking and backpacking. A "walk-up" to me is Mt. Whitney via any of its trails. (It really is a cakewalk/piece of cake.) Some off trail scrambling is fun, too, but as soon as anyone says "crampons," "ice ax," or "oxygen cylinder" I have lost interest...
A friend of mine who is no more than a pretty ordinary backpacker climbed Kili a couple years ago. She said it wasn't too hard, just long. Of course, she purchased the tour, with the porters, etc.
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
I went to hear Ed Viesturs speak here at the UA one night a few years back and he called Everest the "Easiest, deadliest mountain in mountaineering." Makes sense to me...
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." — Henry David Thoreau
Route Editor
Route Scout
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plz:
