Tyler Armstrong (at the foot of Aconcagua in 2013)

For once, I must compliment the Chinese. The country’s authorities refused Tyler Armstrong the permit for climbing Mount Everest. As reported, the now 12-year-old American wanted to climb the highest mountain in the world from the Tibetan north side this spring. Tyler and his parents had hoped to get a “special permit” – as already in 2012 for the ascent of Kilimanjaro (5895 m, highest mountain in Africa) and in 2013 for Aconcagua (6962 m, highest peak in South America). But this time the Chinese stood firm. From my point of view, it’s a victory for common sense. Everest is no place for children, no matter how fit they are.

Two 13-year-old in the record lists

Jordan Romero (in 2010)

In 2010, the 13-year-old US boy Jordan Romero had reached the summit of Everest becoming the youngest climber ever on the highest of all mountains to date. In response to the global criticism of the teenager’s ascent, the China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA) had announced in the summer of 2010 that in future Everest permits would be granted only to climbers older than 18 years. However, four years later, they had let the Indian Malavath Poorna on the mountain. She was only a month older than Romero and became at the age of 13 years and eleven months the youngest girl ever who stood on the roof of the world.

Armstrong: “Really bumped out”

The refusal of an Everest permit came a few weeks ago, Tyler said: “I was really bummed out because I did so much training and I felt I was really prepared.” In August 2015, Armstrong had scaled the 5642-meter-high Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest mountain, his third of the “Seven Summits”. Despite the decision of the Chinese authorities, Tyler has not given up his plan to become the youngest Everest summiter. He says that he is going to climb more high mountains, for example in in Peru, “to help the Chinese think like ‘This kid is ready. We should let him on the mountain.’” In May 2017, Armstrong – with then 13 years and four months – would still be the youngest Everest summiter ever. If he will reach the highest point and descend safely. And if the Chinese or Nepalese will give in on the subject of Everest age limit. Hopefully not!

No knowledge on treatment of children

Prof. Thomas Kuepper

I wanted to know whether there was scientific evidence about how children respond to high altitude: Is there a greater risk for them to suffer from high altitude sickness? Can there be long-term effects? “Basically, there is no difference between children and adults in terms of the symptoms and the incidence of altitude sickness and neither in terms of the time they need for acclimatization”, says the scientist. “However there is no knowledge of how to treat children if they suffer from the particularly severe forms of high altitude sickness.” In other words: If Tyler Armstrong suffers from a pulmonary or cerebral edema, he will probably be given the emergency medicine used for adults – although there has not been sufficient research to date on whether it makes sense for children, and if so, at what dosage.

Higher risk of frostbite

But high altitude sickness is not the only danger, Professor Kuepper writes to me. “Due to their different physiology and body proportions, children have less to set against environmental impacts. For example, there is a higher risk of hypothermia.” In my opinion, that should be reason enough for parents not to expose their children to extreme heights. Professor Kuepper says there are no ifs, ands or buts on this issue. For him the ascent of a twelve-year-old boy to the top of Mount Everest would be “utter nonsense and pure narcissism of the parents”.

Tyler Armstrong (at the foot of Aconcagua in 2013)

Tyler Armstrong wants to break the record. Or do his parents want him to do it? Or all three? Anyway, the family of the eleven-year-old (!) US-American has announced that Tyler will try to scale Mount Everest in spring 2016. Crazy! Then Tyler would be twelve years and four months old – thus one and a half years younger than his compatriot Jordan Romero, who climbed Everest in 2010 from the Tibetan north side and who since that time is registered in the record lists as the youngest climber ever on the highest mountain on earth.

Tears in the high camp

Jordan Romero (in 2010)

Even then there was – I think, absolutely necessary – a debate about whether it is justifiable that such a young man climbs Everest risking his life, perhaps even pushed by overambitious parents. A climber who also was on the Everest north side in 2010 told me that he heard Jordan weeping bitterly in the tent at 7,000 meters and his parents continuously talking to him. Later Romero repeated like a mantra that it had been his own desire to climb Everest.

Soft rule

Tibetan north side of Everest

In response to the global criticism of the teenager’s ascent, the China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA) announced in the summer of 2010 that in future Everest permits would be granted only to climbers older than 18 years. It was not played by the rules for too long: In 2014, the Indian Malavath Poorna scaled Everest from the Tibetan north side. With 13 years and eleven months, she was only one month older than Romero and became the youngest woman or rather the youngest girl who ever stood on the roof of the world.

If Tyler Armstrong should really set off for Everest next spring, he probably – if at all – will get a chance on the north side. On the south side of Everest, in Nepal, the “Mountaineering Expedition Regulation”, passed in 2002, says, that permits “shall not be provided to that person who is under the age of 16”.

Temba Tsheri: “Not enough experience”

Temba Tsheri Sherpa

In May 2001, Temba Tsheri Sherpa was 16 years old, when he scaled Everest, then becoming the youngest climber on the top of Chomolungma. “I guess I didn’t have enough experience. That was my first experience on an eight-thousander”, the 30-year-old Nepalese told me. “I should have climbed more mountains before to gain more experience.” When I asked him if he would let his own child climb Everest as early, Temba Tsheri replied: “Maybe not.”

The Sherpa was a teenager, when he climbed Everest. Tyler Armstrong aged twelve would still be a child. As such, the UN “Declaration of the Rights of the Child” ensures him “by reason of his physical and mental immaturity” special safeguards and care. “In terms of risk, Tyler’s climb should be forbidden because his life is on risk”, says Temba Tsheri.

Special permits

Tyler’s parents do not seem to worry about the health of their son. In 2012, Armstrong, then aged eight, scaled the 5,895-meter-high Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain of Africa – with a “special permit”. Normally there is an age restriction on Kilimanjaro: Climbers must be older then ten years. Also at the 6,962-meter-high Aconcagua, the highest mountain of South America, Tyler’s parents obtained for their son an exemption from the age limit of 14 years. End of 2013, Tyler became the youngest Aconcagua summiter ever: at the age of nine. And now Mount Everest? If this development continues, probably soon a nursery will be founded in Everest Base Camp, for the very young summit aspirants. It could be located right next to the senior center for the octogenarians who want to break the record of the oldest Everest climber.