18-year-old American became the youngest conqueror of Everest, before that she climbed dozens of peaks in the USA, Europe and Africa

18-year-old Lucy Westlake has become the youngest American to summit Mount Everest, and this is not her first world record. The story of an unusual girl was told by the publication Lonely Planet.

Photo: Shutterstock

An accomplished mountaineer, long-distance runner, triathlete and recent high school graduate from Naperville, Illinois, Westlake summited the world's highest peak on May 12. The previous record was held for 15 years by Samantha Larson of Long Beach, California. She was 18 years, 7 months and 9 days old when she reached this peak on May 16, 2007, while Westlake was 18 years, 6 months and 8 days old.

“It was perfect,” recalls the young climber. The sun had risen about an hour before we reached the summit and the clouds were low. We could see these huge mountain peaks sticking out everywhere. My God, it was amazing! I caught my breath. The mountains are always beautiful, but the Himalayas are just especially, especially beautiful.”

How it was

This moment was the culmination of a 9,5 hour journey with Sherpa Mingma Chhiring of Xtreme Climbers.

“We knew we were one of the fastest groups on the mountain, so we didn't want to be at the top in the dark and decided to wait until evening to start climbing,” says Westlake. - But then so many people climbed the mountain that when we left the tent, a strip of lights literally lined up on the way to the top. I didn't really think of it as a problem, but then we walked for about an hour and got stuck, stuck in this line."

It is possible that another group of record holders was in line - the participants of the first expedition, consisting of blacks, Full Circle Everest, who also conquered the summit on this day.

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While they waited, Sherpa Mingma Chhiring suggested an alternative.

“Everest is like a one-way street because there is only one railing on the mountain and you have to be strapped to it with a rope at all times,” he said. “But we decided to go the other way.”

They unhooked from the main rope, linked their carabiners together, and left the well-trodden path to begin their ascent.

“It was just deep, deep snow,” Westlake recalls. We took a few steps and ran out of steam. It was slow and difficult."

However, the trip was not without highlights.

“The time the sun rose, about an hour before climbing to the top, is my favorite part of the day,” said the record holder. “We looked over the edge and saw the sunrise.”

By the time they reached the top, the path was clear. “We were among the 15-20 people who climbed to the top,” she recalls. “There were people I knew among them, so I had a few friends upstairs, which is great.”

Building a Record Resume

No stranger to rock climbing, Westlake climbed her first mountain at the age of 6 - Mexico's sixth highest peak La Malinche in Puebla - and her first peak in the US at the age of 7. Five years later, she climbed the highest peaks in 48 states, setting her first world record, and by 2021, the climber had crossed out Mauna Kea and Denali from the list, becoming the youngest woman ever to climb all 50 peaks in a US state.

This was not the goal Lucy set for herself in the first place.

“At first it was like an adventure and just a fun way to relax,” she said. But then the young athlete hit Mount Rainier in Washington, and at the age of 11 all her views changed.

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The three-day trip was her first glacier ascent, where Lucy learned how to use an ice ax and crampons, an experience that made her want to keep going. “Then I thought that I want to conquer them all, and I realized that I can do it,” she said. — That was my first real mountaineering experience. After that, I decided that I really like it.”

What's next for Lucy Westlake

Of course, the future USC freshman isn't going to stop at Everest, although she managed to take a breather before graduation.

"I want to be the youngest person to compete in an Explorers Grand Slam," she remarked, referring to the challenge of conquering seven peaks - the highest on every continent - and reaching the North and South Poles.

“After Everest, I already have five summits, so there are only two, the North and South Poles,” she says. “I am trying to get sponsorship and raise funds to be able to climb Mount Vinson (Antarctica) and then the South Pole this coming winter. I have a college education coming up and juxtaposing it with climbing will be a little tricky - I need to check with my coach to see if it's possible. I want to reach my next goal."

“Next summer I hope to do the Carstens Pyramid (Oceania),” Lucy shared her plans. “The youngest person to conquer her is 20 and I am 18, so I don’t have much time.”

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