We're bringing local climber Jordan Romero to speak on campus!
Who: Jordan Romero, youngest Everest summiteer
What: Talk!
Where: Beckman Institute Auditorium, Caltech, Pasadena
When: 23 Nov, 6 PM
Details: http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~alpine/wik ... at_caltech

Jordan hails from nearby Big Bear and set the age record on Everest earlier this year by climbing the mountain at age 13. He's now 14 and a freshman in high school. Another interesting feature of the ascent was the use of hypobaric chambers prior to the ascent, allowing a more-or-less alpine-style ascent and the use of only 3 sherpas.

We plan to have an informal after-party to discuss the climb and enjoy refreshments. The club first met Jordan two years ago during our winter mountaineering trip to Mt. Whitney! We ran in to Jordan, Paul and Karen on a daytrip on the peak.

The talk is sponsored by the Caltech Alpine Club and the Caltech Graduate Student Council.

There is now a ten year old ready to tackle everest
http://blog.mountainworldproductions.co ... egins.html

Are the other hundred porters/guides who helped him get there going to be speaking as well?

AlpineAffinity wrote:Are the other hundred porters/guides who helped him get there going to be speaking as well?

You stirred it......not me.

AlpineAffinity wrote:Are the other hundred porters/guides who helped him get there going to be speaking as well?

Actually, as we mentioned in the ad, it was an atypical Everest ascent, with only a few sherpas (3, I think).

Not sure if you use porters to get to Everest base camp for the North col route -- I don't think it's as treacherous as the approaches up the Baltoro.

Anyhow, we know the climb is controversial and we hope the event (or this forum) will foster good-natured debate. What age is too young for high altitude mountaineering? Why are people more shocked about this, and not his ascent of Denali a few years ago?

At Caltech, we often seen young students (e.g.Stephen Wolfram http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Wolfram got his PhD here at age 20). Is this similar to a young climber? What role do parents play? What happens next?

Interesting questions, although it may be hard to discuss (and not prematurely judge) until after the talk.

-Stephen (with the Caltech Alpine Club)