Last year, Jordan Romero grabbed headlines across the globe when he became the youngest person to summit Everest at the age of 13. This year he still has some lofty goals to accomplish with a busy schedule of climbs once again.
Jordan has always said that he hoped to complete the Seven Summits, and in the process become the youngest person to do so. He’s 14 now and has just one peak left on the list, which is Mt. Vinson in Antarctica. He plans to make his attempt on that mountain in December of 2011, which will close that chapter on his mountaineering career.
But before he does that, he told AOL News that he plans to climb the highest peaks in all 50 states as well. He’ll combine those efforts with a series of lectures and presentations on his adventures which he hopes will encourage kids to be active, get outdoors, and pursue a more adventurous lifestyle.
The ninth grader isn’t done there either. He may barely be into high school but he’s already looking ahead to college too. He also told AOL News that he hopes to study ski resort management when he heads to university in a few years, which means he’s smart enough to know that he wants to work in the outdoor industry in a job that gives him some time off in the summer!
While I have been a bit critical of the younger climbers on the big peaks over the years, I do salute Jordan and his attempt to inspire other kids to follow in his footsteps. Anything that gets people, young or old, outside and enjoying life is a good thing. It’ll be interesting to see if Jordan attempts to break the speed record for climbing the 50 U.S. high points, which is currently held by 12-year old Matt Moniz. Perhaps we have the next generation of climbing rivalry already in the making. Or maybe we just have two very talented young climbers who both enjoy a healthy dose of adventure.
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Resort Management at uni?? You'd think he'd go in to guiding or something? Or be the professional mountaineer he already seems to be! I suppose his parents can't hold his hand his whole life!
Apparently he loves skiing too, but yeah I'm sure he'll pick up some spare change guiding too. Resort management is… um… safer!
He is 13. I wouldn't put to much emphasis on what he thinks he wants to do at this point in his life. I am just glad to see him using what he has done to try to influence the younger crowd to get outside and get active.
Don't believe there's rivalry. These 2 kids surely love the mountains. They have also the 8 states' summits of Australia, which is fun, easy and quite various in terrains.
Oh, I was merely having a bit of fun when I mentioned a rivalry. I don't think there is one. I just found it interesting that Jordan was going after the 50 High Points now after Matt had done it last summer.