Higher Education: Should 13-Year-Old Jordan Romero Climb Everest?

Sure he can do it ! So long as he is essentially Guided and fed along with an M.D. on the "Expedition". And... the weather and Mountain conditions are faultless ! Obviously he can't have the years of High Mountain experience one should have to even think about for even some of the "Lower" Himalayan peaks. A 13 yr. old doesn't have the psychological or physical maturity to be on an 8K Meter Peak to do anything SAFELY ! As far as the comment about "Dick Bass", also think about Beck Weathers, M.D. !
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I'm curious as to how Jordan has been able to miss so much school.

hey ye guys

I read a comment by his father which noted he doesn't pay attention to the critics. It is obviously another way to not face the irresponsible choice he made towards his son. The planet is filled with an unspeakable amount of adventures that 7 lifetimes will not fill. Was taking his son on a definite roulette wheel outcome override those? Canyons, caves, the wild fields of Northern regions, Antarctica, the sea floor, ballooning Africa, kayaking miles of coast, sand dunes of the Gobi,etc, whatever.

Was such a strong risk that necessary so fast? I regret my offering the thought, but his son is what dreams are made of, but Paul's are what nightmares are brought forth from. He deserved to lose his son, and live through the greed of his decision.

For Jordan, thank the air we breath for his safe return. Mounatineer, adventure racer and high altitude medical specialist?? Can you tuck your son under your arm and fly from the death dealing situation like Superman? Your accomplishments don't mean anything compared to your job to be an outcome balancing parent.

You are lucky you made it and can gloat. You would have gone down in history as the worst parent on the globe if the scenario turned out like it has for so many more worthy and skilled than you.

Taking a chance on his son losing his life to uncontrollable conditions is what was shameful. The kid is rock solid, but even the best will not endure the worst the mountain may offer. It's like taking your child up in a plane that may become unable to control and crash, or may not. This based on a plane of that nature, which Everest is. It's not all skill that brings you home up there. A grand majority is luck.

I think it was awesome, but it was a specifically SELFISH parental risk. He could have done Everest as he grew and had a chance to see a bit more in this world. I guess the idea that "my son would be the first" was just a little to good to pass up. Hey what the F, roll the dice, I either lose him or I'm, oops, we're famous....

Taking a chance on his son losing his life to uncontrollable conditions is what was shameful. The kid is rock solid, but even the best will not endure the worst the mountain may offer. It's like taking your child up in a plane that may become unable to control and crash, or may not. This based on a plane of that nature, which Everest is. It's not all skill that brings you home up there. A grand majority is luck.

I think it was awesome, but it was a specifically SELFISH parental risk. He could have done Everest as he grew and had a chance to see a bit more in this world. I guess the idea that "my son would be the first" was just a little to good to pass up. Hey what the F, roll the dice, I either lose him or I'm, oops, we're famous....

Taking a chance on his son losing his life to uncontrollable conditions is what was shameful. The kid is rock solid, but even the best will not endure the worst the mountain may offer. It's like taking your child up in a plane that may become unable to control and crash, or may not. This based on a plane of that nature, which Everest is. It's not all skill that brings you home up there. A grand majority is luck.

I think it was awesome, but it was a specifically SELFISH parental risk. He could have done Everest as he grew and had a chance to see a bit more in this world. I guess the idea that "my son would be the first" was just a little to good to pass up. Hey what the F, roll the dice, I either lose him or I'm, oops, we're famous....

I was lucky enough to read an advanced review copy of Jordan Romero's book, THE BOY WHO CONQUERED EVEREST, which comes out this month.
It's a surprisingly sweet story for younger kids. No boasting or bragging; just a nice story with lots of photos from Jordan's climbing journeys. And yes, it IS inspiring!

also..how many 13 years olds have the will and attention and WANT to go through classes and training..he has guts

let him do what he wants and loves..shit.i mean if i was his parents id b thrilled..i mean how many thirteen year olds do YOU know who can do that..slim to none..

this one is for the idiot talking about acclimatising being cheating...

Obviously you have never climbed a mountain in your life or you would know it's standard practice for all climbers novice and experienced to use the "climb high sleep low" method. You can't just go to everest and say ok lets climb this mother! You have to give your body time to adjust to the low pressure of oxygen in the air or you can develope acute mountain sickness which can then develope into high altitude pulmonary edema or high altitude cerebral edema if not treated with caution. So before you start to pick on a 13 year old who has more guts then you could ever dream of why don't you do a little research and learn how every other climber in the world would accend Mt. Everest!

I used to walk up a very steep grade on a very small hill out side of Poway, CA called Mount Woodson. As you close in on the top of this little mountain you feel every step. Although it is not that big, it is steep! One day a very old man who was well up into his 80's came flying past me. For a split second I thought he was running up the grade. I couldn't believe it. He should have been in a nursing home, or using a cane or sitting in a rocking chair! Got to the top and chatted with him for a bit. He was from Switzerland and had been walking around in the Alps all of his life. He was visiting family in San Diego. Anyway, he did something was wasn't supposed to do at his age.

Congratulations Jordan on doing something you weren't supposed to do at your age. Breaking the boundaries of conventional wisdom is what distinguishes greatness. Who knows, perhaps one day you might also become the oldest person to climb Mt. Everest. That would be quite a feat to hold the record for both youngest and oldest!

I've got mixed feelings. I'm all for Jordan-from what I read he's at the right maturity level and doing it for the right reasons, and he has well qualified parents to help him. He's not JUST record chasing. My youngest son started rock climbing at 8 and lead climbing at 10, and he was mature enough to handle it.
But what next? There are plenty of pushy parents and record chasers out there. Should I have taken my 1 year old grand-daughter with me when I went to Everest base camp last month? She'd have been the youngest to ever do that!
But when all the chatter is complete, one thing remains. Jordan summitted! Congratulations, Jordan! Keep pulling down!

Robbins: Are there no new worlds to conquer?
Prat: The bar opens at 4 o'clock (but ya gotta be 21).
(With apologies to Sheridan Anderson)

He made it today. It was so nice to see his dream come true! What an inspiration!

Go for it kid!! I taught myself to free-climb as a child. Overseas in the military, I really got serious in freeclimbing. Later, during and after college, I learned to use roping techniques.

My point is - society puts blocks on us in behavioral expectations. Alexander the Great set out to conquer the "known" world when he was 19 years old, and he succeeded.

Keep up the good work; live the excitement!For those of you out there who have never experienced it, climbing is the second most exhilarating feeling in the world.

Do you people think that Jordan doesn't understand the danger? (To the extent that anyone who hasn't actually experienced Everest can, that is.) Do you think he does not realize that he could die there? Do you think he hasn't read Into Thin Air? Or do you just think that a 13-year-old, however physically and emotionally mature, should not be permitted to take such risks for whatever reason?

You certainly have a right to that opinion.
Jordan has an equal right to his.
The difference is, he can act on his right. You can only write about yours.

Good.

Hmm, tough call. Nothing in life is ever certain, except that life is fragile. Is sleeping in a tent to prepare for altitude cheating, or good prevention medicine to protect a 12-year-old? In some older civilizations, he would be an adult at 14.

Compare to the average 12-year old. Thinking about dating, experimenting with drugs and alcohol (if not now, within 4 years by the national average). Sedentary - playing on computers and video games. Studying only when he needs to.

Compare to the average Olympic Competitor - started their sport in their tweens or younger, daily training through their late teens, to enter into a competition against others who have done the same. One person wins, everyone else loses.

He's getting to know the wilderness. Keeping fit. Can't afford to do drugs and continue to do what he's doing. Keeping his mind sharp with constant study of something he enjoys. Dangerous - yes. Life Changing - Certainly. Big Moral booster. Could lead to a positive career. Just like any other young athlete.

Yes - I would be concerned that it's really his desire to do this, just like I would be with anyone who's obsessed with an activity (pressure from peers and parents affects everything - from fashion to games to sports and drugs and anything else). I don't see any reason to not let him try - and hopefully his doctor will publish the medical impacts of his activity to make the discussion easier to prove for the next 13-year old.

Being "wise beyond his years" and being a nice kid will be no help in the Death Zone. There are no sure things on Everest. It's impossible to prepare for every eventuality. If he wants an adventure there are plenty of other things to do. If he wants notoriety, that shows a lot about his adolescent character and his parents' wanting to live vicariously through their kid. I hope he and his dad come away from this uninjured. In fact, I hope they climb to about 6000, take some pictures, and come back home so that the kid can become a kid. When he's twenty-five maybe he can come back and climb it becauseit's there.

Good luck in our calass room we are talking about you i beleve you can do it you rock if your daont think you can make it tourn back because every step counts I'm on your side you roke be carefull i love you