American youngest to climb to the top of Mount Everest

05/22/03

JOHN K. WILEY

SPOKANE -- The youngest American to successfully scale Mount Everest and his father were making their way down the mountain Wednesday, a spokesman said.

Jess Roskelley, 20, and John Roskelley, 54, were among seven American and Chinese climbers to reach the summit of the 29,035-foot mountain early Wednesday, Nepal time.

Jess Roskelley is a University of Montana student and mountain guide. His father, a Spokane County commissioner, made his first successful climb in four tries on the world's highest mountain.

"John was elated and excited about having his son with him and having Jess be the youngest American to climb to the summit," said Dan McConnell, a Seattle spokesman for the Generations on Everest expedition. "Being able to do it together was a dream for both of them."