Jordan Romero uses GIS to Share Everest Experience

Thirteen-year-old Jordan Romero partnered with ESRI to share his Mount Everest climb with the world via geographic information system (GIS) technology. The Jordan Romero Web site features an ESRI GIS mapping application that integrates Web services to track Romero's journey. The application lets the public see Team Romero's location in near real time, explore daily tracks, view distance and elevation statistics, and browse weather and route information. The application also gives geographic context to social media-for example, Flickr photos and Twitter posts from the team throughout the trip.

ESRI is mapping the expedition with a lightweight, user-friendly Web application that uses the ArcGIS API for Microsoft Silverlight/WPF and data from ArcGIS Online. The API is used to deliver live information from other Web services. This includes the latest GPS messages from SPOT (updated as frequently as every 10 minutes), current elevation and distances from ArcGIS Server, daily weather forecasts from meteoexploration, and social media streams. ArcGIS Online provides the map layers and imagery of the 29,035-foot mountain and surrounding area.

Team Romero and ESRI have created a single and comprehensive solution to track, map, and show up-to-date information about the climb, so the rest of the world can see Romero's progress at the top of the world. Educators are using the tool in the classroom, leveraging the application to make it easy and fun to learn about the feat and experience it right along with Romero.

Internet: www.jordanromero.com