First, Salameh tackled the highest points in North America (Denali -- 20,310 feet) and Antarctica (Vinson Massif -- 16,050 feet), then he set Mount Everest in his sights.
In March 2005, he was in Nepal on the side of the world's tallest mountain, but was forced to turn back just 6,000 feet from the summit due to a stomach ulcer.
"I could have continued, but I wanted to go back alive. I wanted my 10 fingers and 10 toes and to tell my story," he says. "I didn't want to become one of those people that died on Everest."
Two years later, he tried again, but was defeated by a chest infection.
Finally, in 2008 after 72 days, Salameh reached the 29,029 feet summit of Everest, the first Jordanian to do so. His monumental achievement fell on Jordan's Independence Day, May 25.
He became a national hero in Jordan overnight, receiving the Independence Medal and being knighted by King Abdullah II.
In between his attempts to conquer Everest, Salameh had been ticking off other summits: Russia's Mount Elbrus (18,510 ft) in 2005, Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft) in 2007, Argentina's Aconcagua (22,831 ft) in 2008, and Indonesia's Carstensz Pyramid (16,023 ft) in 2012.
With the seven summits under his belt he had one last hurdle: to trek to the North and South Poles.