Totally Awesome

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583467,00.html

Somebody's daddy's got
$$$$$$$$$$

Snowslogger wrote:Somebody's daddy's got
$$$$$$$$$$

+1

Good for him, though. But to have summited Vinson at the age of 12, you'd probably have to have a dad that was pushing you into the sport, that's just my guess. Wouldn't other kids be playing video games and shit?

I can't wait for the first person to summit all seven while hopping backwards on one leg holding an umbrella.

Collinson's father is a member of the Ski Patrol at the Snowbird Ski Resort in Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, and taught Johnny how to ski at age two. Two years later the young Collinson climbed Washington's Mount Rainier

Rainier at age 4?!

a 13-year old boy named Jordan Romero has climbed five of the summits and is planning to take on Everest and Vinson this year.

C'mon, that's just getting ridiculous...

Fox News wrote:Two years later the young Collinson climbed Washington's Mount Rainier, the highest peak in the contiguous United States.

(italics added)

Faux News at its finest.

I don't think they make crampons for 4 year olds.

This to me sounds more like vicarious glory for the dad. No 17yo climbs the 7 summits on his own accord, all thought up by him or herself. That's a lot of lawns to mow, to save up that kind of scratch.

About 20 years ago there was a lot of news "interest" in kids flying airplanes, setting records for youngest to perform various feats ... until one of the kids crashed and was killed. That seemed to prompt the media to ignore such feats by children.

It will probably take the death of a teenager trying to climb the 7 summits to (hopefully) prompt the media to cease covering such feats. Such a tragedy is bound to happen.

Just how the hell does a 17yo get his ass to Antarctica?

I call bullshit on the kid climbing rainier on his own feet @ 4yrs old! Yeah maybe dad hauled him up in a pack but there is no way a 4yr old has walked up that mountain.

It could certainly be possible. Six year olds have definately climbed Mount Rainier and five year olds have climbed Hood. An in shape four year old could probably be shortroped up (not that I'm recommending that people do it). I know when my son was four, he could hike 14 miles a day and did 5.4 to 5.6 (rock) climbs, so it's probable that he could have short roped up Rainier. I wouldn't recommend doing Rainier though, especially on a crowded route. It could slow down other groups and even endanger them, not to mention the kid.

I don't think they make crampons for 4 year olds.

Of course they do. They cost more than adult crampons though; almost twice as much. At least they did in 2007.

Somebody's daddy's got
$$$$$$$$$$

True, but this particular kid’s dad was a ski instructor and didn’t have much money.

This to me sounds more like vicarious glory for the dad. No 17yo climbs the 7 summits on his own accord, all thought up by him or herself. That's a lot of lawns to mow, to save up that kind of scratch.

His dad didn’t pay for it and it was done in one year, meaning he obviously wasn’t carried. Why is this a victory for the dad?

Anyway, it is true that most of the seven summits (Carstenz is the exception) aren't that technical, but if the kid wanted to do them, why not? Although, I don't have any interest in doing all the 7 summits, at least it's better to at least choose those then what the lame summits the county highpointers are out there choosing. The kid had a goal and accomplished it, which he still has reason to be proud. It's better than the alternative of being another obese video game playing American as well.

Haha anyone else notice how quickly they took out the "highest in the US" part? I guess they're quick to catch a mistake.

I was reading about that other kid...forget his name...who is going for the same thing. Good for them...but they definitely could not do without a rich dad forcing them up the first couple.

Scott wrote: Anyway, it is true that most of the seven summits (Carstenz is the exception) aren't that technical, but if the kid wanted to do them, why not? Although, I don't have any interest in doing all the 7 summits, at least it's better to at least choose those then what the lame summits the county highpointers are out there choosing. The kid had a goal and accomplished it, which he still has reason to be proud. It's better than the alternative of being another obese video game playing American as well.

You're offering a straw-man argument. Wanting to do the 7 summits, and having the means to do them, are two different things. Given the set of all 17yo kids who want to do the 7 summits, there's still the issue of getting together an enormous sum of money to make the dream come true. But those who cannot, do not necessarily go the opposite extreme of eating, sitting and video-gaming. They get a dose of reality and do what's close to home for practice, maybe the odd trip somewhere far, go to college and get a good job and maybe in the 30s, have the means to try a subset of the 7 summits.

Just bear in mind, fewer people have climbed the set of 33 New Mexico county highpoints than have completed the 7 summits!

Wanting to do the 7 summits, and having the means to do them, are two different things.

I agree, but this kid's father did not pay for the trip, so I don't understand the point? Most of the money was raised through sponsorship. The kid went to the effort to go raise the money (though undoubtably he had support). Why does the fact that the money was raised through sponsorship rather than mowing lawns make the accomplishment only for the father? Because he started climbing with him at a young age or encouraged him along the way, or is there another reason?

Just bear in mind, fewer people have climbed the set of 33 New Mexico county highpoints than have completed the 7 summits!

I don't doubt that. I assume that many of the New Mexico highpoints are probably not worth visiting, which is why the low numbers. I know that many of the Colorado highpoints, especially the ones in the east are not. That's a whole new topic though. (PS, the comment on county highpoints was not directed at you; only a general statement on peak list).

My 8 yr hates hiking. He won't even climb Mt. Marcy.

We hauled/dragged/bribed both kids up mountains, starting at 6 months. One summer I hiked/camped with the kids for 7 weeks straight. We stayed in a hotel room twice.

Now he hates it. Or he hates me. Hard to tell which it is at this point.....

He IS an expert at building a fire, getting water and setting up a tent, tho'.

tigerlilly wrote:My 8 yr hates hiking. He won't even climb Mt. Marcy.

We hauled/dragged/bribed both kids up mountains, starting at 6 months. One summer I hiked/camped with the kids for 7 weeks straight. We stayed in a hotel room twice.

Now he hates it. Or he hates me. Hard to tell which it is at this point.....

He IS an expert at building a fire, getting water and setting up a tent, tho'.

My parents did the same with me when I was a kid (the bastards, forcing me to hike in Chamonix all the time...), and I used to hate it. It all changed in my late teens, and now, well, all I can think of is when will I be in the wild next. And I'm pretty certain my parents have a lot to do with that.

All I'm saying is, keep dragging!