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CNN Live Today
Jeff Mathy Plans to be Youngest Person to Reach Summit of Seven Highest Peaks in World
Aired April 16, 2002 - 10:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Jeff Mathy is 23 years old. He already has scaled some of the highest mountains in the world. By next September 11th, which will be his 24th birthday, he plans to be the youngest person to reach the summit of the seven highest peaks in the world.
And Jeff Mathy is joining us by phone right now. He is at Everest base camp at 17,600 feet above sea level.
Jeff, hello.
JEFF MATHY: Good morning, Daryn, how are you?
KAGAN: I'm doing great. I bet I'm a little bit warmer than you are at this point. What are conditions like there?
MATHY: Well, it's a beautiful night out. I'm sitting in front of the Woodson research tent, and I can see just billions and billions of stars. It's a wonderful night.
KAGAN: This idea to climb these seven peaks and to be the youngest to do it, this started just from a weekend camping trip when you were a kid.
MATHY: Well, I guess that's what started it, just doing weekend trips in Southern California mountains, but really the goal kind of materialized over the past couple of years, and as I got more and more into mountaineering.
KAGAN: And we're looking at a graphic right now that shows the summit that you've already climbed. So it's five down, and then two or three to go. You might throw a bonus peak in there just to play it safe.
MATHY: Right, the Australian continent is debated (ph), so I'm going to be climbing two mountains in that area.
KAGAN: And then, once you're done with all of this, what will the record exactly be?
MATHY: Well, it will be down to the day. The day is recorded as the actual record, so depending on the weather in September, some day during September, hopefully not on the 11th, mount Carson's (ph) Pyramid In Indonesia.
KAGAN: And what are you looking forward to about this particular trek, going up Everest?
MATHY: What am I looking forward to? Well, the climb itself is spectacular. We just made our first trip into the Kubla (ph) ice hall today, and did the crossing of the ladders over the deep crevices, and it was definitely a scary experience for me, and something also that's exciting for me is having the Lipton research team with us here at base camp. They're doing hydrations to see whether or not tea is better at hydrating the body more than other drinks.
KAGAN: So you will be drinking a bunch of tea.
MATHY: Well, we drink tea up here anyway, and it really is the drink of choice. It helps keep us strong, and hydration is one of the most important thing on the mountain.
KAGAN: Hey, and, Jeff, on a serious note, there are signs all around you that remind you what a dangerous undertaking this really is that you're trying.
MATHY: Yes, I mean every day walking through the Kubla ice falls, there's toppling seracs (ph) and of course inclement weather is always a challenge, too. So we're doing our best to stay safe, and we're having a lot of fun also.
KAGAN: We're going to will wish you well. Now we're talking to you I think through satellite phone.
As you climb up Everest, will you be able to call us back and talk some more?
MATHY: I'll try. It depends on the coverage.
KAGAN: Phone home is what we're telling you.
MATHY: I will. Thanks for having me on the show.
KAGAN: Jeff Mathy, 23 years old, going up Everest, trying to climb all the tall summits in the world.
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