11-year-old boy reaches Aconagua's mountain peak

[struggle4progress]

Source: Xinhua

BUENOS AIRES, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's National Police (PN) reported on Friday they are concerned because Jordan Romero, a 11-year-old citizen of the United States, reached Aconagua's 6,969-meter-high mountain peak, and it is against the law.

Argentine provincial officials are unhappy and concerned about Romero's mountain feat because this may start a race to see who can break his record and it definitely endangers youngsters lives, .. mountain climber Pablo Perello .. head of Mendoza's Protected Areas said.

Aconagua mountain is located in Argentina's Mendoza province, near the Chilean border and children under 14 years-old have been restricted from entering it since 1990 through resolution 0115 after a family tried to climb it with a 4-year old youngster, the PN added.

Jordan reached the mountain peak on Sunday together with his parents, Paul Romero and Karen Lundgren, who requested the permission to do so <from> a Family Justice .. since Argentine laws restrict these type of activities ...



Read more: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/05/content_7366480.htm

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. These are highly irresponsible parents. nt

[Xithras]

3. Why?

I looked it up, and it appears that most of the difficulty rating assigned to the mountain is due to its remoteness. The mountain can be climbed without ropes, using no equipment more advanced than crampons for one icy section (and even that section, from what I read, isn't icy if you catch it at just the right time of year).

My daughter summited Mt. Lyell in Yosemite when she was 9 and made it to the top of Whitney when she was 10. She's now 13, has been up nearly a dozen smaller peaks with me, and will be summiting Mt. Shasta with my sister and I next summer.

I would never advocate that children climb routes so steep that ropes and actual CLIMBING are involved, but most sizeable mountains have routes that require little more than warm clothes, good boots, and good endurance. There's nothing wrong with taking them out on these easier ascents.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. Because they're subjecting a child to an outrageously dangerous undertaking.

That woman has got to be one mentally deranged female.

[Xithras]

6. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see the danger.

The kid has climbed mountains before, so they already knew that he acclimated well to the elevation, and the route, while long, was relatively straightforward and non-technical. For the most part, it was no more dangerous than spending two days on a stairmaster.

Mountain climbing is fun, and if you stick to the walking routes, is less dangerous to a childs health than most kids sports.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

7. You've got to be joking, right? nt

[CRF450]

8. I rode dirtbikes since I was 6 years old, so my parents must be irresponsible, right?

At 20, I'm still alive and well, its a miracle!:sarcasm: Please, kids get beat, banged up and hurt more playing regular sports than climbing a mountain like the one mentioned above.

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. It's something I'd probably not do, but it doesn't seem 'outrageous'

My prime worry would be altitude sickness (which is the main thing about Aconcagua for anyone); it seems the suspectibility of children isn't appreciably above adults:

Acute Altitude Sickness in Children

The incidence of AMS in children is about the same as in adults, but diagnosing
the condition can be problematic because the symptoms—cough, headache, irritability,
loss of appetite—are often mistaken for a viral illness. Parents are advised
not to take their children to high altitudes, but if they do become sick, assume that
AMS is a good possibility, descend, and seek prompt medical consultation.
Drug prophylaxis/treatment for AMS could be considered as for adults, but with
appropriate pediatric doses. However, these medications have not been specifically
studied for treating children with AMS.

http://www.travmed.com/thg/thg_pdf_2001/14-Altitude%20Sickness-01.pdf

Now, that's probably based on slightly less demanding trips, like a trek to Everest base camp, because few children do undertake high mountains. The description of the normal route is that it involves no rope work (ie glaciers or cliffs), but does need crampons, and an ice axe might be a good idea - but experience with those can be gained in safe places.

This child has already climbed Kilimanjaro and Elbrus, so probably does have the necessary experience (whether there was an appreciable risk on those mountains, I'm not sure - I had the feeling Elbrus did require rope travel, though I haven't looked that up, and I'd wonder about taking a child on any trip like that - one adult would have to be devoted to looking after the child, because I'd never expect a child to have to make any split second decisions about how to arrest anyone else, for instance). It does sound a bit as if they're indulging a spoilt child - I think I'd tell them to wait a few years before the child comes on trips with them, since the mountain will still be there. But it's quite possible there isn't a particular risk involved; if the child is mature for their age, their wish and understanding of what risk there is may be enough.

[heliarc]

2. Am I wrong or do they mean Mt. ACONCAGUA?

If they do, than this is a really popular mistake and there are tons of people making it on the Net.

[struggle4progress]

5. oops! yew is right

thanx

[Robb]

9. Peak-bagging, especially internationally, is a pastime for the idle rich.

Has been since Messner. It's usually as dangerous as how little you spend doing it.

Putting yourself and your family in harm's way is one thing, e.g. the dirt bikes comment, and if everyone's having a blast, that's your business. Doing it to tell your friends you carted junior to the top ("Bobby was the youngest ever to summit Mt. XXXX") is utter bullshit.

Forgive me, I know a lot of world-class mountaineers. I like very few of them on a personal level.

[Xithras]

11. Bollocks

The vast majority of American peaks can be scaled with no more than a pair of good boots and a decent wind jacket and pants. We're talking a $250 investment. Even if you're into more challenging peaks, an ice axe and a pair of crampons will only set you back another $200. That $450 investment and those four simple items will get you to the top of more than 90% of the mountains in the Americas. And they can be used over, and over, and over.

Sure, if you're going to travel the world and climb Kilamanjaro and Everest the sport gets expensive, but mostly because you have to buy airline tickets. The vast majority of climbers I've met are not rich and don't do that sort of thing. For me, it's just a weekend hobby that happened to develop outt of my love of hiking. The fact that I live 90 minutes from the high Sierra's makes it a cheap, easy, and rewarding way to spend the occasional weekend. It sure beats sitting on my butt watching TV.

[Robb]

14. Go-karting vs. Nascar

...all the way down to the sponsorship patches, or you can "privateer" with your own money. You're talking about climbing US peaks in hobby conditions. Not the same thing as the OP, a 23er in South America.

Sure, if you're going to travel the world and climb Kilamanjaro and Everest the sport gets expensive, but mostly because you have to buy airline tickets.

Airline tickets are among the least of the expenses if you plan to summit Everest.

[Xithras]

15. I've met two Everest climbers in my life. Both were dicks.

But you are falling into a trap that many people make, equating summit height with difficulty. Some tall mountains, like Everest, are steep, cold, hard climbs. Other tall peaks, like Kilamanjaro and Aconcagua are simply endurance treks...they're tall, but the ascent is relatively easy...you just follow a trail to the top. The only real danger with Aconcagua is the altitude and the possibility of altitude sickness. Since the kid had bagged previous peaks and the parents already knew what his tolerance levels were, I don't see the real danger here.

I would never advocate that a kid be permitted to climb Everest, but most mountains are nothing like Everest. Too many people watch Expedition Everest or read Into Thin Air and assume that's what all mountain climbing is like. In reality, most mountain climbing on most peaks is simply "hiking" on a steep trail.

[CRF450]

16. I got banged up more playing football than I do riding the dirtbike

Its still a very physically demanding sport when I'm on a motorcross track, and riding on regular trails is nothing unless I'm going 50+mph. As for little kids, you should go to a local MX track and whatch the 65cc class races. Those bikes are really small but damn they can flat out fly! And the kids that ride them are as young as 5 and flying 35ft through the air. AS for the dangers, every sport has its dangers, it doesn't bother me to see 4 year olds riding a 50cc bike, as long as they are kept withen their limits. They can then move up in speed if the parent feels the child has enough experience.

[Robb]

17. I'm with you there

...Nothing more fun to watch than a kid on a 50, especially if he hasn't hurt himself badly yet. ;)

FWIW, my wife and I both trail ride (KTM 640 and a Kawi Sherpa) and any future little Dingbats probably will, too. :)

[CRF450]

18. On one of the offroading websites I frequent, sometimes...

Their are threads that are started up by a concerned parent who questions him/herself about letting their kid/s get inlvolved in offroading. Its just one of those things that as parent, you dont want your kids to get hurt in a activity that "looks dangerous", but their is plenty of other stuff that kids usually do where they can get hurt from just being kids.

[Neoma]

10. I've been on a mountain by his age.

No big deal.

[distantearlywarning]

12. I don't see what the big deal is.

My parents took me on 20-30 mile hikes when I was as young as six (sometimes *gasp* up big mountains and at high altitude - we lived in Colorado). Nothing bad ever happened to me. It was good exercise, I was in terrific shape as a kid, and I had fun.

I also went rock climbing with the Girl Scouts when I was about this kid's age.

We overprotect children too much these days. They're all going to grow up to be adults who are terrified of the world around them and haven't done anything.

[Evergreen Emerald]

13. If this climb is anything like Everest, than the parents put the kid's life in danger.

[colorado_ufo]

19. What am I missing here?

This mountain is just under 7,000 ft. Denver, 5,280 ft; Colorado Springs, 6,000+ ft; Vail - 8,000 ft. Many places in Colorado are much higher!

Maybe it is the steepness of the climb or unsafe footing or ?

[petronius]

20. It's meters, not feet...

:)

[colorado_ufo]

22. Thanks! It was late when I read this -

I knew I missed something!