No Summit Out Of Sight: The True Story Of The Youngest Person To Climb The Seven Summits

Jordan and his parents land in Kathmandu, Nepal, and Jordan takes in all the sights, sounds, and smells of the city, which lies in a mountain valley. Along with a family friend named King Richard, who also crafted their sleds for Denali, Jordan’s family meets up with their three Sherpas: Karma, Ang Pasang, and Dawa. The Sherpas help them with all the logistics and test their gear. Jordan trains to use an oxygen tank for the final portion of the climb. While exploring the city, Jordan has a chance to make an offering to a statue of Ganesha, the Hindu god of success and smooth passage. He asks for the same while climbing Mount Everest. Jordan rides in a rickshaw driven by a child around his age, and sees a shrine dedicated to Kali, the goddess of destruction.

The next day, the group sets out for Tibet. Ang Pasang warns that the Chinese government charges massive fees for phones and video equipment because they prefer to control the media there. Jordan worries about what will happen if they catch his group with a camera and phone that they didn’t pay to permit. They cross over Friendship Bridge into Tibet. Vehicles are not allowed on the bridge, and several kids appear to cart everyone’s gear across for them with the expectation of a tip. The Chinese guards, Jordan notices, are cold and unwavering, and a liaison officer accompanies his group, watching their every move. The group is driven to a small town called Zhangmu and is then taken up the mountain to Nyalam, another village, at 12,300 feet. They spend two days there and have a scare when they spot two police officers nearby while testing their camera equipment. Jordan and his parents hide behind some boulders to avoid being seen until the officers walk away. The next day, they drive further up the plateau, and Everest comes into view. Jordan is suddenly confronted with the mountain he has dreamed of for years. In the final village along the journey, a place called Tingri, the houses are made of mud and people ride around on dzos, a yak-cow crossbreed. Jordan gets to spend time with other climbers from around the world, who commend him on his accomplishments. Jordan goes to bed feeling accepted in the mountaineering community, and looks forward to beginning his climb the following day.

The landscape is nothing but gray rock as the group is driven to Chinese Base Camp at Mount Everest. Jordan looks up at the mountain with great respect and awe, knowing how intimidating it is. The group sets up their modest camp, and Jordan appreciates the clanging sound of the bells on the dzos as they walk around camp. Ang Pasang teaches Jordan about the appreciation that Tibetan people have for Mount Everest. They refer to it as the Goddess of Earth and pray for permission to climb it. The Sherpas set up an altar, using rocks and yellow cloth, as well as sculptures made of barley flower and yak butter. Each person offers some food and drink to the altar and tosses barley flour in the air. The equipment is passed through juniper smoke, and Jordan gets to drink a “small glass of blessed beer” (261). After a long process of negotiations, Jordan’s dad and Karen settle on 40 dzos to carry their goods up the mountain to Advanced Base Camp, which takes two days of hiking to reach. Jordan makes friends with a dzo by feeding it and does an interview for television by satellite.

The group spends two nights at Advanced Base Camp, and Jordan is particularly impressed by the Russian climbers’ elaborate camp setup. During the climb between Advanced Base Camp and Camp 1, Jordan walks on a ladder across a gap in the mountain. The group then encounters a section of the trail where they have to hook to a rope and ascend, which Jordan is now skilled at, but his dad has a bad feeling about the spot. Jordan passes a man, who greets him cheerfully, and seconds later, an avalanche hits, and Jordan is hurled down the mountain. He cannot tell up from down and trashes his crampons to try and grip into something. When he finally stops, he hears and sees no one until his dad and one of the Sherpas calls him. His dad has a gash on his head and several on his leg, likely from Jordan crashing into him on his way down. The group climbs up to Camp 1, but no one has medical supplies there, so they are forced to go back to Advanced Base Camp to get help for Paul. Jordan feels terrible and blames himself for the accident. When he hears that the man who greeted him on the mountain died in the avalanche, he realizes just how likely death is. Jordan again starts to wonder whether everyone should just turn around and go home.

Work begins to construct a safer route around the avalanches, and Paul has time to let his leg heal before climbing again. After three days of rest, the group spends another four days hiking up to the next camps repeatedly to stock them with food and supplies. Afterward, they decide to return to Chinese Base Camp to allow Paul to heal faster and wait for a window of good weather to make the climb to the summit. Karen urges Jordan to complete some homework while they wait, and they take a walk up to a memorial area for fallen climbers. Jordan sees all sorts of headstones, flags, and other objects left there to remember loved ones who died, and writes about it in his school journal. He spends time with the other climbers, attends a party and watches a movie, and calls his mom every other day to assure her that he’s fine. When a family friend named Karina and her sister Natalie arrive at Chinese Base Camp to film the area for a documentary, Jordan spends time with Karina, whom he considers a sister. Together they visit the Rongbuk Monastery, which is the highest in the world. Entering a meditation cave, they feel a strong sense of peace, and Karina lights a candle and prays for Jordan’s safety. She decides to climb up to Advanced Base Camp, and Jordan writes a letter of gratitude to all his supporters in the event that he should die on the mountain: “Every step I take is finally toward the biggest goal of my life” (290).

After several days of acclimatizing to the altitude, Jordan and his parents are ready to set off for the summit of Everest. They hike to Advanced Base Camp again, and Jordan tells Karina about how he wants to inspire other kids to follow their dreams and conquer their fears. At Advanced Base Camp, the tents are covered with snow overnight, and Jordan stays behind with Ang Pasang while Paul and Karen walk up the trail to get used to the elevation. Ang Pasang gives Jordan his word of confidence that he is one of the strongest climbers he knows and tells Jordan about how he grew up taking care of dzos and became a Sherpa to make money for his family. Jordan is inspired by the Sherpas’ skills and connection to the mountain.

On the ascent up the mountain, Jordan proceeds slowly and takes deep breaths. The group stops at the next camp only to rest and eat, and then continues climbing. Jordan stops often to catch his breath and is freezing in the 40-below-zero temperatures. Overnight, the Sherpas’ tent blows away in the wind, so six people squeeze into a three-person tent. Luckily, the weather improves in the morning and they leave in the late afternoon to summit by the following morning. On the way up, Jordan’s goggles constantly fog and his oxygen mask keeps slipping off. When they pass a dead body known as Green Boots, Jordan feels both sad and terrified. The group ascends through the Three Steps, a large rocky area where his crampons do not work well. They stop at a small cave-like area to eat and drink, and everyone’s zippers are frozen. Next, Jordan and the others ascend a 30-foot vertical ladder under which a body lies, signaling a need for extra caution. Although dizzy and scared, Jordan makes it up the ladder. At the top, he can see the curvature of the earth, and the sun rises over the horizon: It is one of the most amazing views he has ever seen. The next area involves traversing a narrow ridge, under which is a place called Rainbow Valley, where dozens of bodies lay. Then Jordan approaches the summit, and it is the most powerful feeling of accomplishment imaginable: Everything he sacrificed was worth it for this. He calls his mom from the top and they cry together. On the way down, one of Paul’s hands freezes, creating an obstacle for the descent.

Descending down Mount Everest is an exhausting and anticlimactic experience for Jordan, and he is approached all the way down by fellow climbers wishing to congratulate him. After spending a couple of days at camp, Jordan embraces the world of fame, doing countless interviews for news stations and shows all around the world, including Jay Leno. While in New York, Jordan’s mom and sister surprise him, and he is overwhelmed with joy to see them both. Welcoming Jordan home in Big Bear Lake is a line of supporters, cannon shots, and cheers. He even gets a letter of congratulations from Governor Schwarzenegger. Although he feels that he has truly accomplished something, Jordan still has one mountain left to climb: Vinson in Antarctica. The family initially thinks he will have to wait until he is 18 to go, but a friend manages to obtain a permit, and he heads to the south pole at age 15.

Having solved the permit problem, Jordan and his parents take four flights from Los Angeles down through Chile and then to Antarctica. Jordan knows the risk given that there is nowhere to land between Chile and Antarctica but accepts it and puts it out of his mind. They fly down in a Russian cargo plane, and when they land, Jordan can’t help noticing how clear and crisp the air is. An SUV takes them to the base, and the entire trip is coordinated by Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE). The first stop, Union Glacier Camp, operates during summers and is shut down in winters. It is equipped with a kitchen, several tents, and a medical outpost. When Jordan hears that he must keep all his waste in containers to be shipped back to Chile (because it will not decompose otherwise), he finds it disgusting but understands the need for it. At the camp, Jordan runs into Scott Woolums, a well-known mountain guide, who warns Jordan about the weather on the mountain but notes that it’s a much shorter climb. Scott then invites Jordan and his parents to ski while everyone waits for clearer weather to climb. Jordan skis down the slopes of Antarctica for hours and has a blast.

When the weather finally clears, the group loads up their sleds and starts the climb. Jordan thinks about how much he has changed since his first mountain, and feels more like a man now than a child. The snow beneath him is solid and thick, and the climb comes down to his ability to withstand the cold. At Low Camp, holes have been dug out to create underground rooms to keep warm and rest, and Jordan compares it to an “underground igloo.” The group stays at Low Camp for the day to acclimate to the altitude and spends the day skiing again. The route up to High Camp is crowded with people, but fortunately, they let Jordan and his group pass them. The following day, the group heads up to the summit, and Jordan feels like he is doing something totally natural to him now. When he reaches the summit, he officially completes his goal of climbing all eight of the world’s tallest mountains. He calls his mom to let her know, and everyone celebrates together. The group skis most of the way back down, and Jordan receives congratulations along the way. At Base Camp, Scott has prepared Antarctic ice cream, which is snow with honey and berries. Like before, Jordan then has to do several interviews via satellite—something he is now used to.

Jordan comes home to even more interviews and then looks toward his goal of inspiring kids to follow their dreams. He and his family tour all 50 states so that Jordan can give motivational talks, answer questions about his experiences, and perform goal-setting exercises to help kids feel like their goals are attainable. During these talks, he emphasizes the importance of perseverance, a support system, and solid training. Inspiring other kids gives Jordan a greater sense of purpose, and he feels grateful for the opportunity. He looks to his future with optimism, wondering what he can accomplish next.