By the winter of 2010, Jordan feels he has matured and gained enough confidence and experience to conquer Everest. He knows that with his dad and Karen by his side, he won’t fail. Jordan’s mother is extremely reluctant to let him go, fearing that he could die, but Jordan assures her that he will watch his every move. The Nepal route up Everest contains one section called the Khumbu Icefall where it is more than likely that a person will fall through a sheet of ice into an endless crevasse. Karen and Paul travel to Nepal and climb a nearby mountain to scout the situation, and Karen falls a few feet down a crevasse, but her axes save her. They thus determine that the Tibet route is best. Jordan talks to a family friend who has climbed Everest before, and sees the pictures of another mountaineer, who offers encouragement. Jordan and his parents plan to go in May because the weather is particularly mild for a short window of time.

While training near their home, Jordan meets a hiker named Garry Harrington, who is in the midst of climbing the highest peak in each of the 50 states.