13-Year-Old Summits Carstensz Pyramid

Jordan Romero, the 13-year-old boy from California who aspires to be the youngest person to conquer the Seven Summits (featured in “Higher Education” in BACKPACKER’s September issue, on newstands now), just climbed Carstensz Pyramid in Papua New Guinea, putting him one step closer to his goal. Now Romero just has to tackle (gulp) Antarctica’s Mt. Vinson and Asia’s Everest.

The announcement came via his blog, where someone who identifies himself as “Patrick” from Adventure Indonesia (their guide service, we’re guessing) shared the news in rambling, semi-broken, but clearly ecstatic English:

“This is the update about this smart kid Jordan Romero and his team Karen and Paul Romero. They successfully Climbed 4,884 M ASL Mt. CARSTENSZ PYRAMID Expedition Highest Peak of Australia – Oceania in Papua Island, Indonesia at 15.00 (GMT +9). Welldone my American buddy! Congratulation to you Paul, Karen and Jordan. I’m waiting for you, in Nabire, ready to bring you to the nearest medical facilities, making sure you’re all OK!

Keep on searching for another summit, and tell the world that there is always a mountain to climb, a great destination to go in life, never waste life for doing nothing.”

The poster also offered a quasi-quote from Jordan himself pre-climb:

“Carstensz Pyramid would be by far the most technical mountain I would have ever climbed. It is also a very mentally challenging mountain to. It is not a mountain to make dumb choices on. Always make the right choices and you to can climb any mountain anywhere.”

Congratulations, Jordan. Rest well, and take a big, deep breath when you get back—you’ve still got three years to tackle Vinson and Everest and still make the record for youngest person on the Seven Summits. No pressure, yo.

—Ted Alvarez

Jordan successfully reaches the summit of Carstensz Pyramid (JordanRomero.com)