| "Hello Mum. I'm calling from the top of the world." | | | | located here. Although the Tibetan camp cannot |
| These were the words of 13-year- old Jordan | | | | compete with the romance and rugged appeal |
| Romero. He was calling home via a satellite phone | | | | that the Nepal camp has in abundance, the view |
| before descending to the Chinese Everest Base | | | | of Mount Everest from the North is striking |
| Camp, trekking down the treacherous North Col | | | | nonetheless, with the mountain rising majestically |
| route, and into the history books as the youngest | | | | at the end of a long, straight valley cut by the |
| climber ever to have successfully climbed Mount | | | | Rongbuk glacier. |
| Everest (8,848 metres). | | | | It is this view that greeted the Romero team of |
| Jordan's youth record on the world's highest | | | | six mountaineers, as they began their trek |
| mountain was not only historic, but controversial, | | | | towards the Northeast ridge. The team comprised |
| with some experienced mountaineers and doctors | | | | three Sherpa guides, Jordan, his father, and his |
| suggesting that it was irresponsible to risk the | | | | stepmother, all experienced climbers. |
| safety of someone so young. In fact, Jordan's | | | | On May 19th 2010, the support team received a |
| tender age meant a change in the Romero team's | | | | garbled message by satellite phone. Over the |
| planned ascent of the mountain, since Nepal does | | | | crackle, Team Romero were able to report that |
| not permit climbers under the age of 16 to make | | | | they had moved to Camp 1, more than two |
| a bid for the summit. For this reason, their | | | | thousand metres above Everest Base Camp, |
| itinerary involved driving from Kathmandu out of | | | | trekking into high winds. These winds forced them |
| Nepal and round to the Tibetan Everest Base | | | | to delay a while, and wait for the weather to |
| Camp, trekking from the Chinese side of Everest | | | | ease. Despite this, two days later they were |
| up the Northeast ridge. It's a more difficult | | | | ahead of schedule, stopping at Camp 3 only long |
| approach than the route up from Nepal via the | | | | enough to collect replacement oxygen bottles. |
| Southeast ridge. | | | | On May 22nd, with light snow falling, Jordan and |
| The Tibetan and Nepalese routes to Everest are | | | | his family reached the summit. |
| quite different in character. The staging area on | | | | Their progress up the mountain was followed |
| the Nepalese South face of Everest, which has | | | | closely from the ground, and Jordan's messages |
| hosted the greater share of successful summit | | | | relayed to his website. The site depicted Jordan's |
| teams, is the climax of the popular Everest Base | | | | progress using a GPS tracker, which plotted his |
| Camp Trekking route. At 5,360 metres, it is only | | | | altitude and whereabouts on a map of Everest. |
| accessible on foot, and trekkers arriving here in | | | | The website invited Jordan's online followers and |
| the climbing season are rewarded by a | | | | sponsors to join the team around Everest Base |
| spectacular scene. The camp sits on the Khumbu | | | | Camp, trekking and get close the action as the |
| glacier, nestled in the cauldron formed by the | | | | team made history. |
| surrounding mountains of Nuptse (7,861 m), | | | | Despite the drama and his magnificent |
| Pumori, and Lintgren, with Everest towering | | | | achievement, Mount Everest will not be the climax |
| above them. | | | | of Jordan's mountaineering career. He hopes to |
| The Tibetan side of Mount Everest faces North, | | | | keep Team Jordan together for a trek in the |
| and falls within the borders of China. At an altitude | | | | coldest place on Earth, Antarctica, and a bid for |
| of 5,180 metres, the Everest Base Camp on this | | | | another youth record, this time for the Seven |
| side is relatively more accessible than its Nepalese | | | | Summits accolade. It means reaching the summit |
| equivalent, and can be reached with 4x4 vehicles | | | | of the highest peak in each of the world's seven |
| via a rough, gravel road. Approaching by car this | | | | continents, and Jordan has already climbed six of |
| way somewhat detracts from the adventurous | | | | these. The Vinson Massif (4,892 m) is last on his |
| spirit of visiting Everest, as does the modest hotel | | | | list. |