Conquering Everest at 13

April 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment

While some countries are still trying to get someone to be the first person from them to get to the top of Mount Everest, some people want to be the youngest ever to do so. Jordan Romero, 13, from Big Bear Lake, California, is set to become the youngest person to ever conquer Everest. That’s if he makes it of course.

The youngster already has a list of achievements that most outdoor enthusiasts can only dream of.

“He was the youngest American, at age 10, to summit Africa’s 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro, that continent’s highest peak. The same year he added 7,310-foot Mount Kosciusko in Australia and Europe’s 18,510-foot Mount Elbrus to his summit accomplishments. At age 11 he set the age record for South America’s 22,834-foot Mount Aconcagua and bagged North America’s 20,320-foot Denali.”

More on this story.

Teenage Mountaineer

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Blind Kids Went for Kilimanjaro and Set Records

July 8, 2009 by Leave a Comment

blind summit
These guys are amazing! Not only did they set the record for most blind climbers at the summit but also the youngest blind climber ever to reach the top, 13-year-old Max Ashton. Truly inspiring.

All eight blind climbers and their seventeen guides reached the summit (19,340 feet) on June 29. It’s not usual for a whole team to reach the top together so the team deserves some credit.

The way to the top wasn’t easy for them; intestinal bacteria, altitude sickness and near frostbite are only some of the things they had to go through. Check out the SeeKiliOurWay blog.

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Mount McKinley Claims Two More Lives

June 14, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Dr. John Mislow, 39, and Dr. Andrew Swanson,36, had been mountain climbing partners for life. Both were experienced climbers, awarded in 2000 by the Park Service for being safety conscious and helping other climbers in distress.

“The two were roped together and plummeted at least 2,000 feet to their deaths Thursday while on the Messner Couloir” according to the National Park Service.

While the two were using a route not typically used to get to the summit, it was still unclear as to how the accident happened.

Check out the whole story here.

Denali

Photo courtesy of Denali National Park and Preserve

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Still Hiking Strong at 79

March 23, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Jack Pomeroy is a 79 year old hiking leader who has taken at least 4,5000 people with him on hikes since 1989. Despite his age, he showed great energy and enthusiasm clambering over slippery boulders or scrambling on all fours up a steep granite boulder.

Many men half his age wouldn’t able to do what he did on that hike he did with a group of North County hikers on the way to the Bottle Peak Summit near Lake Wohlford. What’s special about this hike is that he only does it once a year and you need to have special permission because it’s on private land. Mr Pomeroy led 84 hikes to Bottle Peak and Bernardo Mountain. He also led 80 hikes with the Caballeros de Aventuras.

Pomeroy is a legend because he knows the place where he hikes really well. It’s like having a walking encyclopedia with you when he’s around. He is a U.S. Geological Survey retiree and spent most of his career mapping and spent 15 years making maps of potential landslide areas in the Appalachian Mountains.

While a lot of people in his age group would struggle going to the bathroom, Pomeroy is leading young men up mountains through the woods. He doesn’t believe in going the gym. Hiking is probably one of the best workouts you can do. When you get into the rhythm, you’d go further than you ever thought you could. The use of hydration packs like the Camelbak Mule can help you keep the rhythm while keeping you hydrated.

The old legend  is also a big promoter of protecting the environment.

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Hiking Mount Washington

January 16, 2009 by Leave a Comment

I just read a lovely  article published by the New York Times.

It was written by Keith Mulvhill who tells a story about his experience hiking Mount Washington.

Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeast at 6,288 feet. It’s a popular destination for mountain hiking in the summer. Hikers usually start at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on the east side of Mount Washington. It’s a four-mile hike to the summit and each mile is about a 1000 feet of elevation.

It gets quiet in winter because the weather up there can get quite nasty. Mount Washington is famous for winds that reach 100 miles per hour and comes at least weekly. The fastest wind speed recorded was 231 miles per hour. It’s the fastest wind speed ever recorded on the earth’s surface. Winter season starts in October and ends in May.

Despite the nasty cold weather, hiking up Mount Washington in winter can be very satisfying. With less people and no mosquitoes to worry about, you truly experience what Mount Washington has to offer.

The weather actually enhances the experience and it was reported that many people come back disappointed when the winds were relatively gentle and the skies blue.

Keith goes on to tell his story about hiking up Mount Washington. You may learn something about mountain hiking if you go to the New York Times article.

Important tips to learn from the experience include the importance of the right clothing so you don’t risk hypothermia, how to conserve energy and what hiking equipment you should have. Crampons, balaclavas, goggles and sunglasses are a must.

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