Teen: Scaling Everest takes ‘dedication'

MATT LAUER, co-host: We're back at 7:43. Most climbers train for decades just to attempt climbing Mount Everest . Well, Jordan Romero just accomplished the dangerous deed at the age of 13. He's here for his first in-studio appearance since leaving the mountain . We're going to talk with him in a moment. But first, an exclusive first look at home video of Jordan 's world-setting climb. It is a mountain that is as dangerous as it is majestic. Mount Everest has inspired thousands of climbers to make their way to the top, and in the process claimed hundreds of lives.

Mr. JORDAN ROMERO (13-Year-Old, Youngest to Climb Mount Everest): It's giant, it's a beauty. Beautiful -- the most beautiful mountain I've ever seen in the world.

LAUER: When 13-year-old Jordan Romero started his ascent last month, he was attempting to become the youngest person ever to summit.

Ms. KAREN LUNDGREN: How you feeling, J?

Mr. J. ROMERO: I'm tired. I had a big lunch right before this. Probably that's what's weighing us down, but...

Mr. PAUL ROMERO: You're doing great.

Mr. J. ROMERO: Still, we're getting closer.

LAUER: Jordan 's quest began four years ago when he was nine.

Ms. LEIGH ANNE DRAKE (Jordan's Mom): He saw a mural at school, very crude drawing of the seven summits on a mural walking outside of his school, and said, `I think I want to do that. I think I want to climb to the high -- to the top of every peak in the world.'

LAUER: From the tallest mountain in Indonesia ...

Mr. J. ROMERO: We have officially tackled Mount Carstensz Pyramid .

LAUER: ...to the highest peak in North America , Jordan accomplished the toughest climbs on five of the seven continents by the time he was 12. With its high altitude and thin air, Mount Everest presented Jordan with his toughest challenge in his young climbing career. Jordan battled high winds , headaches and the weight of great expectations to make one final push to the top. After months of preparation and weeks of climbing, Jordan reached the summit.

Ms. DRAKE: He's fascinating. I can't wait to see, with everybody else, what will Jordan come up with next?

LAUER: And as I mentioned, Jordan Romero is here exclusively along with his father, Paul , and Paul 's -- and his stepmother Karen Lundgren , who also made the climb. Good morning to all of you.

Mr. J. ROMERO: Good morning, Matt.

LAUER: Congratulations, man.

Mr. J. ROMERO: Thank you.

LAUER: This is incredible. Last time we talked to you, you were kind of at advanced base camp.

Mr. J. ROMERO: Yeah.

LAUER: And take me from there. How bad did the altitude problems get for you?

Mr. J. ROMERO: The altitude problems, you know, at first, you know, everybody had, you know, minor headaches. But, you know, that -- everybody, you know, in the camp had had that. But...

LAUER: Minor headaches, though?

Mr. J. ROMERO: Minor headaches. But later, you know, we were all acclimated. We're up at 20,000 feet and going higher. So we all felt really good.

LAUER: I get light-headed when I go to the Top of the Rock over here in Rockefeller Center , so can you explain to me what it's like in terms of getting your body to do what you want it to do at 20-plus-thousand feet?

Mr. J. ROMERO: Well, Matt , just, you know, the -- climbing Everest is only like 10 percent of climbing, and the rest is all just resting and just staying in your tent. Just, you know, acclimating to the altitude. So, you know, it's a long time. You know, we spent, you know, four weeks up there just...

LAUER: Yeah, 50 days in total, 51 days. That's a long time.

Mr. J. ROMERO: Yeah. Fifty-one days, yeah.

LAUER: Weather, what was it like?

Mr. P. ROMERO: We had it all . We had glorious, bluebird, sunny days when you're just in a -- in a light single layer up 20-plus-thousand feet, and then we had the complete extreme. We had massive, massive late winter storms, huge snow dumps, extremely high winds , minus -- temperatures minus 40, 50, 60 Fahrenheit with the winds on top of that. And we're dressed for it, you know, we're outfitted for it.

LAUER: Did you have any moments -- were there any moments, Karen , where we though -- you thought, `OK, forget the final push. Let's turn back, this is enough of an accomplishment already'?

Ms. LUNDGREN: You know, when we got there, Jordan looked at the mountain and said, `You know what? If this is all we do, look at the mountain , I'm happy.' But as we were climbing, everything went really smooth. And Jordan was so strong, there was never a point we thought to turn back.

LAUER: This is not without its controversy. A lot of people thought that, Jordan , you were too young to attempt this. They didn't know what effect it would have on you. So I guess I want to ask, you know, what would you say to other parents out there of 13, 14, 12-year-olds whose children are going to watch you on TV and say, you know, `I want to attempt that.' What do they need to know?

Mr. J. ROMERO: Well, you know, I don't -- I wouldn't really recommend for kids my age or younger to go ahead and try it. You know, it was -- it was a very, very hard mountain and it took a lot of dedication and so much hard work just preparing for it and, you know, especially during the climb. But we trained and prepared so hard. You know, we took our time and effort into it. So, you know, that's really what it takes. It's really not an easy mountain .

LAUER: Most of all we want to pass along our congratulations to the three of you. It's quite an achievement. Jordan , way to go.