It isn't that easy to raise sponsors and convince them of the worth of investing in your success, or the likelihood of your success. Sponsors don't just drop out of the sky to give dollars to every climber, especially those who seem cynical, reticent, or overly self-indulgent.

In life, a large part of success lies in being able to work with other people.

I agree its a grand achievement in all fronts. The only question which lingers in my mind is - Should talent, strength and courage however extraordinary take its own pace and time before it internalizes into ones personality and develops into a passion? Can this all happen in first 13 years of human development ?

Mozart?

I applaud his effort but at the same time, dismiss it completely as he used bottled oxygen for his ascent, making it thus not the highest mountain in the world, but one far lesser. So, good try Jordan, but next time please make the ascent "by fair means"

Yes Jordan, next time get brain damage from lack of O2, so you can satisfy a small number of curmudgeons. And, it's only fair to forgo the other unnatural stuff, like clothes.

Jordan Romero at 23,000....Training Day

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/teamjordan ... 615129694/

butitsadryheat wrote:

Outside Magazine wrote:But most of the $120,000 expedition total is coming out of Team Romero's life savings.

How does a 13 year old have $120,000 in life savings?!?

By Team Romero they are referring to Jordan, Paul, and Karen.

At least he's wearing a Chinese made pack, harness, biner and B-Device.

Makes for good diplomacy.....

I've heard a rumor that the Vinson trip is stymied by attempts to obtain gear made in Antarctica.The closest they can get is a laptop than runs Linux.

It is all illogical. The people want to climb Mt. Everest only because it is the highest on earth. But they bring it down to a much lesser altitude peak by carrying the drug making it not 29000 feet. But then some people cry and say that without the drug they could not do it. And I say so what and that one is cheating by using it. I cannot run a 3:45 mile, but do I decide to put on some rocket pack that permits me to do it. No! Same thing with Everest. Most people do not have the plumbing to do it on their own (without the drug cannisters) and therein lies the beauty of the mountain. It's summit should be trod only by those elite climbers who have the will and altitude capability to do it. This is logical. The summit is not for everyone just as the sub 4 minute mile. Why degrade it?

sidhayes wrote:It is all illogical. The people want to climb Mt. Everest only because it is the highest on earth. But they bring it down to a much lesser altitude peak by carrying the drug making it not 29000 feet. But then some people cry and say that without the drug they could not do it. And I say so what and that one is cheating by using it. I cannot run a 3:45 mile, but do I decide to put on some rocket pack that permits me to do it. No! Same thing with Everest. Most people do not have the plumbing to do it on their own (without the drug cannisters) and therein lies the beauty of the mountain. It's summit should be trod only by those elite climbers who have the will and altitude capability to do it. This is logical. The summit is not for everyone just as the sub 4 minute mile. Why degrade it?

This opinion is better thought out with very valid points, in my opinion. Your earlier post came across as very sarcastic and not valid as there was nothing backing up your statements. Can't it be said that merely blood doping could be the next step? Athletes use to do this before it became illegal. Gave them much added stamina, energy etc. I do not know for sure that blood doping would actually work on Everest, but the point being, I think a parallel can be drawn with using oxygen and some other means to replenish a climbers lack of oxygen, lack of blood flow, etc. This opinion is coming from someone who hasn't climbed anything either. So my opinion likely for most of you is without merit. But I do think there is some validity to Sids view

Can this kid really think for himself?

Doesnt this sound more like the dad's dream?

Isn't that a great way for dad to get his climbing trips paid for?


Also...

I don't want to climb everest unless someone is paying me to guide them. But I can totally see the appeal. It is the highest and was not climbed until modern times. People are always drawn to superlatives. Seven Summits is the equivalent of those old tours of Europe where you would do "Eight countries in seven days" but not see much of any of them. But when you climb a mountain, don't you try to go to the highest point on the mountain, however arbitrary that point may be? Well the Everest Heads want the highest mountain, the biggest and baddest of them all. And the media tells them that Everest is the ultimate. So they go. It really cheapens the mountain. But hey, there's plenty of other mountains!

sidhayes wrote:...he used bottled oxygen for his ascent, making it thus not the highest mountain in the world, but one far lesser...next time please make the ascent "by fair means"

Do you consider that using O2 is an "unfair mean" ? Are you really sure that thanks to this "unfair mean" Everest is lower ? The real true question : WHO decide WHAT are "fair means" and WHAT aren't ? And WHY ?

This entire thread is reason one why I will never set foot at the "E" BC or on any major big hill.... wreaks of egos out the ass.

I got ten bucks says that the kid nor his parents, can climb any of the routes on these three great formations.....


or on this awesome formation...


Or on this one....







But, does it really fking matter?