Back in the fall, we learned that Californian Tyler Armstrong, then 11 years old, was planning to take on Everest this spring, after his twelfth birthday. If he was given permission to climb, and if he were to make the summit, he鈥檇 be the youngest person to ascend the world鈥檚 highest peak.
It seems like everyone who鈥檚 written or spoken about Armstrong鈥檚 proposition since has expressed serious concerns about the kid鈥檚 abilities and motivations, his parents鈥 judgment, and the many ways Everest has taken down experienced, full-grown mountaineers in the past.
When we asked Armstrong why he鈥檚 doing this,聽he said simply, “I like pushing myself and I like to be different from other kids. I think I can push myself and be the youngest to do the Seven Summits.鈥 He鈥檚 already ticked off Aconcagua (South America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), and Mount Elbrus (Europe). Everest would be number four.聽
As Armstrong plans his trip, established climbers and mountaineers have spoken up about what they think of his idea. Here鈥檚 what a few of them are saying:聽
Jon Krakauer
In the fall, Krakauer spoke to Armstrong on .
I would say you need to really look at what you鈥檙e doing and why. Climbing Mount Everest was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. I wish I鈥檇 never gone鈥ou should be willing to turn around, if you need to. I鈥檓 not saying don鈥檛 do it. I think, at your age, I would urge you to climb Denali first. You鈥檝e climbed Aconcagua鈥擠enali will give you a better taste of what Everest is like. I鈥檓 the last person who should tell people not to do crazy shit. But think twice about it.
Alex Honnold
The soloist earlier this week聽when he learned about Armstrong鈥檚 plan.
Kids climbing Everest?!? 鈥t does sort of raise interesting questions about whether or not it's acceptable for kids undertake such risky endeavors. I'm all for people making their own choices in life but I'm just not sure if a 12 year old can quite make informed decisions about that kind of thing yet.
Matt Moniz
The 17-year-old alpinist from Colorado was planning to climb Everest last year and ski down the Lhotse face鈥攂ut then the earthquake derailed his plans. During a phone call with 国产吃瓜黑料 on Wednesday, Moniz relayed some advice to Armstrong.
I would tell him that Everst isn鈥檛 going anywhere. After I climbed Makalu and Cho Oyu, I realized that climbing isn鈥檛 about just climbing the Seven Summits. I鈥檝e realized there are a lot more peaks that Everest. If Tyler were to ask me for advice, I鈥檇 say, start on Denali, then do an 8,000-meter peak. In my opinion, it would be more beneficial to have experience on a glaciated peak and to test your limits at high altitude before Everest. Aconcagua is high, but it鈥檚 significantly lower than Everest or another 8,000-meter peak. I鈥檇 tell him that there鈥檚 no rush. He鈥檒l only get stronger and more experienced and, in my opinion, enjoy it even more with more experience. I think it鈥檚 a little early for him.