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

At the beginning of fourth grade, Jordan went into school and stared at a mural that had always inspired him. It featured the Seven Summits (the world’s tallest mountains), and Jordan had always wondered what it would be like to stand atop them. As someone who gets heavily involved in any interest he has, Jordan took to researching the mountains and how to climb them. He knew his goal would take time but was willing to be patient. When Jordan told his dad about his idea, his dad was surprised to hear that Jordan wanted to do this, and so soon. He warned Jordan that he would need months of training, and Jordan was fine with that. Jordan’s dad thought for a moment and then suggested a hike with Karen.

Paul and Karen live in Big Bear Lake, California, near the San Bernardino National Forest. They hike the mountain trails there regularly and take Jordan along to see if he is serious about climbing mountains. After a few minutes on the trail, Jordan asks to go back, feeling bored and tired. When Karen suggests looking for reptiles (Jordan’s other passion), he finds a lizard, and then finds more animals as they hike up the trail. After an hour, he’s surprised to find he’s at the top, and he realizes that all he needs to climb mountains is a goal. At home, Jordan shows Karen and his dad all the summits he plans to reach, from Alaska, to Argentina, Antarctica, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia/Oceania. He explains that he actually has to climb eight, because two contending lists of the summits exist, and Jordan wants to complete both. His dad is impressed by everything Jordan knows about the mountains already but still doesn’t say yes.

Jordan’s dad and stepmom had already decided on a trip to Africa that year, so when Jordan suggests climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania while they are there, Karen has to agree to the logic. His dad warns that Jordan will have to mentally prepare, and Karen warns that Jordan will have to physically train as well. They agree to make it happen, and Jordan is overcome with excitement. He has nine months, until he is 10 years old and thus old enough to enter the park there, to prepare himself. When he goes back to his mom’s house, she seems worried at first, but Jordan assures her that given his dad and Karen’s experience as extreme racers in all kinds of environments, he will be fine. In addition, Jordan’s father is a paramedic. Jordan’s mother chooses to support her son’s decision but makes him promise to be careful.

Jordan starts training for Kilimanjaro, taking Karen’s advice to focus on one mountain at a time. Kilimanjaro is a hiking mountain, but the hike is extremely long and Jordan must ensure that he has the endurance to handle it. With his dad and Karen, he starts hiking with heavy packs, further and further, and then undertakes a climb up a ski slope with his father, using the new crampons he was given. On Christmas morning, Jordan receives his very own ice axe. The family then sets out to complete their first full climb, and Jordan reaches his first summit on San Gorgonio in California. He gets tired halfway but makes it to the top, and there he can see the entirety of Southern California. To prepare for the Tanzania trip, Karen finds sponsors, hiking guides, and cheap flights, and she sells T-shirts for Jordan’s climbs to raise money. Jordan sells lemonade to raise money both for his trip and to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina, earning his first small dose of local fame in doing so.

Jordan, Paul, and Karen arrive in Nairobi, Kenya, where Jordan experiences culture shock as he looks around and sees the people, feels the air, and rides a crowded, rickety old bus to Tanzania. Along the way, they pass several villages and a group of men from the Masai tribe, who have dyed red hair and pierced, stretched earlobes. Jordan is surprised that both a chicken and a goat are on the bus. He is temporarily distracted when Mount Kilimanjaro comes into view, noting that it is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world at 19,341 feet. For a long time, the people who lived nearby did not know that the whiteness on top of the mountain was snow, as it was not something they otherwise experienced, and legends circulated about an evil spirit who lived at the top. The man who finally reached the summit first, Hans Meyer, did so on his third attempt by setting up camps along the way, which inspires Jordan not to give up. His hired guide, Samuel Kusamba, doubts Jordan’s abilities and is skeptical when Jordan chooses the hardest route (Umbwe Route) up the mountain, but Jordan is determined to prove him wrong. The family stays in a cheap motel, where Jordan ensures that the mosquito nets are secured tightly.

The family takes a bus to Kilimanjaro National Park, where they meet up with Samuel, two friends named Faiz and Nikki, and a group of 12 porters, most of whom are children or teens, to carry all of the gear and set up camps along the way. The first portion of the climb is through a thick rain forest of massive plants and trees. The air is moist and dense, and before long, Jordan’s shoes and socks are soaked. He is enthralled by the nature around him and thrilled by the challenge of scaling rocks, steep hills, and dense foliage. Samuel tells Jordan to take it slow at first but soon realizes Jordan’s potential when they reach the first camp three hours ahead of schedule. The porters nickname Jordan “Little Lion” for his endurance.

Along the way, Faiz and Nikki develop altitude sickness because they aren’t as used to thin air as Jordan and his family are. Jordan begins to worry about them, knowing that the sickness can turn serious. After staying at the first camp overnight, Faiz and Nikki seem to have improved, and the group climbs to the next two camps. As they scale the mountain, Jordan notices that the environment changes from a rain forest to a regular forest, and then passes through a tundra and a flat area of volcanic rock. Along the way, Samuel points out the summit when it is in view, which motivates Jordan to push forward. It rains for most of the climb, and Jordan receives compliments and encouragement from other climbers along the way. On the second night, Faiz shows Jordan his kite, and the two fly it together in the fierce mountain winds. When Jordan realizes how sick Faiz feels, he thanks him doubly for taking the time to have some fun. Afterward, Jordan admires the clear view of the sky before falling asleep.

Jordan’s dad wakes him up the next morning and asks if he’s ready to go for the summit. Jordan can’t believe he’s awoken to the most important day of his life so far, one he has spent months working toward. The final stretch of the climb proves challenging for Jordan and the others, as the air thins out and the temperature drops. Faiz and Nikki decide to head back down the mountain, both feeling the effects of elevation, and Jordan begins to cry as exhaustion and cold overtake him. Samuel, Paul, and Karen encourage him to continue, telling him the mountain wants him to climb it and reminding him how far he has come, especially for his age. Jordan presses forward, and when the group makes it to the top, they all hug and break down crying. Following is a moment of awe at the surrounding view of the African landscape, and everyone laughs at their accomplishment. Jordan has never experienced such a physical or emotional high.

Jordan and his family have their photos taken in front of the summit sign, take some promotional photos for their sponsors, and then head back down the mountain. The descent is much faster but still tiring, and people along the way want to congratulate Jordan and take a picture with him. He appreciates the recognition, and his name is entered as youngest person to climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, setting a world record. Jordan and his family go on a safari to the Ngorongoro wildlife sanctuary, and Jordan gets to see some of his favorite animals, including rhinos, wildebeests, and lions. He thinks about the animals he might get to see during his next climb in Australia.

Jordan and his family fly home and go to visit Jordan’s grandfather, who is in the hospital after bypass surgery. Afterward, they head back to Big Bear, where Jordan is a local celebrity. He is interviewed for the newspaper and television and soon is invited to appear on the Martha Stewart Show so that she can relate her own experiences of climbing the mountain. Jordan’s interview is short, but he considers it an honor to have been invited. Shortly afterward, Steve Irwin tragically dies of a fatal stingray attack, and Jordan is heartbroken, having admired Steve all his life. Jordan decides that it’s time to think about heading to Australia to climb Mount Kosciuszko. The mountain is much tamer than Kilimanjaro, and Jordan knows he can handle it. His dad immediately supports the idea, and Jordan knows he is lucky to have such supportive parents.