Update: Jordan Romero within sight of Everest; plus, reader responses to boy’s attempt to be youngest to ever summit Big E
Jordan Romero
Got some more news on Jordan Romero, the 13-year-old California kid who is attempting to become the youngest person to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest.
It looks like he is now in Tibet and is within sight of the mountain. Here’s a link with more: http://outside-blog.away.com/blog/2010/04/youngest-on-everest-within-sight.html
Here’s another story, and video, courtesy of BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8615400.stm
And finally, some reader responses.
Just to recap: Romero is aiming to become the youngest person to climb Mount Everest as well as the youngest to climb the “Seven Summit,” that is, the highest peaks on each of the world’s tallest mountains.
As originally profiled in Outside magazine, Romero has a climbing resume that is worlds above most. He was a grade-schooler when he bagged Kilimanjaro, and has since tackled bigger, tougher mountains like Aconcagua, Denali and Elbrus. His parents are climbing with him on an unguided climb up Everest’s north face with limited Sherpa supports.
His climbing resume suggests that he’s as ready as many who try the world’s tallest mountain, but his age concerns many.
You can read my take here: http://blog.newsok.com/outthere/2010/03/29/jordan-romero-aims-for-everest-is-13-too-young-for-this-type-of-adventure/
And here are a couple reader responses:
From John:
This is reckless and irresponsible. The wishes of a child in this matter are irrelevant. The fatality rate I found for an Everest climb is 9.3%. More recent information put it at 4.4% for 2004. That is a higher fatality rate than if he served a year in combat in Iraq. What parent in their right mind would allow a child to attempt such a feat? As a parent of four, I strongly support a very broad view of parent’s rights; however when a parent allows or encourages such a dangerous activity the authorities should step in to protect a minor from irresponsible parents. When adults want to frivolously risk their lives that is one thing, but to allow or encourage a child to take such risk is criminal.
And for what, fifteen minutes of fame for being the youngest. I hope and pray that someone will have the sense to halt this foolishness. If not, I hope and pray he survives. Perhaps an 11 year old will try to break his record and then perhaps a 9 year old. Doesn’t anyone remember Jessica Dubroff’s attempt to set the record for the youngest person to fly across the country in 1996. She unfortunately died in the attempt. Can anyone say it was worth it?
I have done some very dangerous things in my life, the vast majority in service to my country. Life is full of risk, but to needlessly but a child in harms way is despicable. Would you let take a flight if you had a one percent chance of a fatal crash? Would you let your children?
According to media reports the current record was set in 2001 by a 16-year-old Nepalese boy who lost five fingers to frostbite during his climb.
Instead of just writing about it, I filed a complaint with the Child Protective Service in California.
Pretty strong stuff. Another from Nic:
That’s $*&#!n crazy. People die on Everest every season, including experienced climbers. Taking a child there should be illegal, and this kid should be put in foster care. Honestly, a 13 year old is ready to deal with stepping past the numerous corpses that litter the summit routes?
Good question. There’s a lot of facets when it comes to facing death.
I’ll be following his ascent periodically here to see how this goes and post updates here. In the mean time, I wish him and his team the best of luck and hope they come home safely.
Bob Doucette
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Comments
I agree. I don’t doubt his body, will or even his motives. And it’s not like peaks such as Denali and Aconcagua (or Elbrus, for that matter) don’t offer deadly scenarios. But you don’t react the same way at 20,000 feet like you would at 26,000 feet, namely because your brain, regardless of age, is compromised at that altitude. I wish him the best. Hopefully if things get too gnarly, the team will have the good sense to know when to pull the plug.
As the days and nights go by, many of you like myself will glue themselves to the tv’s and internets in wonder, as Jordan attempts such a feat. As I’ve been reading up on the attempt and the days before Everest…I remembered a time when my daughter’s high school counselor called me to inform me that my daughter wouldn’t graduate from high school because of failing grades. As a parent…I wanted to make the facts straight…For most of you out there…we try to make our kids fail by telling them its not possible…but in actuallity it is. As a father, I set a mark for her achievement, and I told you so to her counselor that it was. As Jordan climbs this mountain, not only is it inspiring to his family and friends, the nation, and the world, but what it is also doing with the youth around us. It tells these kids that “yes” I can achieve this…and “yes” I will make it…I won’t listen to the negativism anymore…Because I am me…I am Jordan…or I am Becky….Anyway, we should all be cheering this kid on as he attempts the greatest feat in the world…And yes we should…GO JORDAN!!!!
13 is too young. Go down to Science Museum Oklahoma instead and see “Everest” in the IMAX theater there. Awesome movie. Heartbreaking, but incredible.
Haha yeah Randy pretty heartwarming. Bye Jordan and good luck! Have fun with all the dead people! Remember that old saying: the sky’s the limit? Well its true… and Everest sticks way the %!#@ up into the sky, beyond the limit. Only a handful of humans have or will ever conquer this rock without bottled O2, expert guides, and safety ropes rigged by Sherpas, because without these things 99% of those who’ve ever summitted would still be up there. Even with these aids it still around 10%.
Just to clarify, Jordan’s team, though technically unguided, will be getting limited Sherpa help on certain sections of the mountain. Not sure if they’re using bottled oxygen, but I’ll bet they are. And there’s a good chance they’ll be using fixed ropes set by some of the more high-end guide services, which is pretty common practice on Everest during the busy May climbing season.
To attempt Everest without bottled oxygen, having never been on a 8000 meter peak before, is pretty much suicide. According to 8000ers.com, 127 have summitted without it, ten died in descent. One must ‘work their way up’ by first ascending other 8000 meter peaks without O2, as Reinhold Messner did. That, and be an expert mountaineer with a superior cardiovascular system. Even then it’s very risky.
I have two boys and I don’t know tons about climbing. However, I think it is completely crazy for these parents to let this boy do this. We all know the dangers, have seen the movies of those who have tried and failed…anyway aren’t we supposed to keep our kids out of danger? Rather than encourage it….and I am not one of those overly cautious moms. We have dirt bikes, we hike, we are active people. I hope nothing happens to this boy, but really what are these people thinking?????
[...] Diverse reactions to Jordan’s mountain climbing attempt can be read in “Out There,” a blog for outdoor enthusiasts. One blogger said that the parents were “reckless and irresponsible … what parents in their right minds would allow a child to attempt such a feat?” [...]
Well put. It makes one curious as to how such a young climber would respond to the severe hypoxia on an 8,000 meter peak, should they in fact proceed to camp 6. This would endanger the life of the child as well as imperil others around him, however. It seems plausible that chronic exposure to hypoxia could result in permanent brain damage, especially in someone whose brain hasn’t finished developing.