Lucy Westlake
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Main discipline | Mountain climbing |
| Born | November 4, 2003 Upper Peninsula of Michigan[where?] |
| Nationality | American |
| Career | |
| Notable ascents | Mount Everest U.S. State High Points |
Lucy Westlake (born November 4, 2003)[1] is an American mountaineer. She became the youngest American woman to climb Mount Everest, at the time, when she reached the summit on May 12, 2022. She is also the youngest female to have climbed the highest point in each U.S. State when she reached the summit of Denali in June 2021.
Early & personal life
[edit]Westlake was born on November 4, 2003, during a snowstorm in her family's cabin in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Westlake's family lived in Mexico for a year when she was 6. In 2016, Westlake moved to Naperville, Illinois. She attended Naperville North High School, and graduated a semester early in 2021 in order to climb Everest.
Westlake attends the University of Southern California where she has received a scholarship to compete in cross country and track and field.[2][3][4] She is a Christian.[5][6] In 2022, Westlake partnered with AWE Summit Scholarship Foundation Program to award 2023 Summit Scholarships to young women as a commitment to advancing gender equity in mountaineering.[7][8]
Athletics
[edit]Westlake is an avid runner, who started competing at an early age in various races and competed throughout high school in cross country and track and field. By age four, she had convinced her parents to allow her to race in her town's 5K race. In her final high school race on November 7, 2021, she set a personal best in a three-mile race with a time of 16:55.54 at the Illinois Girls' Cross Country Class 3A State Championship while running for Naperville North High School. She placed ninth and Naperville North placed seventh overall. She is also an elite triathlete in the USA Triathlon Junior Elite Series.[9][3][10]
Climbing career
[edit]U.S. State Highpoints
[edit]On July 22, 2016, at the age of 12 years, 8 months, and 18 days, Westlake became the youngest girl to summit the highest point in each state in the contiguous United States, finishing at Kings Peak in Utah.[4] Westlake started mountain climbing in 2011 when she climbed Black Mountain, Kentucky's highest peak. In 2012, she climbed 13 US state peaks. She beat Kristen Kelliher of Vermont's record, who was 17 years old when she set the record in 2011.[4]
Westlake completed her journey of summiting all 50 peaks on June 20, 2021, at Denali. She set a record as the youngest female, at 17 years, 7 months and 17 days old, to climb all 50 of the U.S. state highpoints by beating Kristen Kelliher, who was 18 years 1 month and 15 days old when she set the record in 2012. The climb also allowed Westlake and her father Rodney to claim the record of the youngest father-daughter team to climb all 50 state highpoints. Previously, Westlake had attempted the climb in 2017, but hazardous conditions prevented them from reaching the summit.[10][3]
Everest
[edit]Westlake reached the summit of Mount Everest on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at 5:36 a.m. The previous record was held by Samantha Larson of Long Beach, California, who reached the summit on May 16, 2007, at 18 years, 7 months and 9 days old. Westlake reached the summit at the age of 18 years, 6 months and 8 days old, meaning she beat the record by about a month. Westlake started her expedition on April 18, and she summited 25 days later, which put her above the normal pace of 45 to 60 days to summit Everest. Lucy was accompanied by Mingma Chhiring Sherpa through the summit.[3][11][12][13][14]
Westlake's record has since been beaten by Emma Schwerin, who reached the summit of Everest on May 15, 2025 at the age of 17 years, 2 months, and 24 days.[15][16][17]
References
[edit]- ^ "Lucy WESTLAKE". World Athletics. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
- ^ "Naperville 18-year-old becomes youngest American woman to reach summit of Mount Everest". Daily Herald. May 11, 2022. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Naperville's Lucy Westlake climbs into record books as the youngest U.S. female to summit Everest". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Naperville girl is youngest to climb lower 48's highest peaks". Daily Herald. August 1, 2016. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ Claybourn, Cole. "Led by faith, 18-year-old Lucy Westlake becomes youngest American woman to summit Mt. Everest". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ "PODCAST 036 – "TRUST, PASSION & PERSEVERANCE" WITH 18-YEAR-OLD ADVENTURER LUCY WESTLAKE". Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ Pirc, Kim (January 27, 2023). "Awe Summit Scholarships enabled by Everest record-setter Lucy Westlake". NCTV17.org.
- ^ "Drumroll please: Introducing the 2023 Summit Scholarship recipients". The AWE Summit Scholarship Foundation. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Lucy Westlake leaves Naperville North with no regrets, a personal best at the state meet, and gratitude. 'Every race felt like a gift.'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ a b "Naperville teen sets mountain-climbing world record". FOX 32 Chicago. June 25, 2021. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ Online, T. H. T. (May 12, 2022). "Lucy Westlake becomes youngest American woman to scale Everest". The Himalayan Times. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ "SEE IT: Illinois teenager becomes youngest American woman to summit Mount Everest". Washington Examiner. May 12, 2022. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ X; L, er; en (May 13, 2022). "Who is Lucy Westlake? Young woman sets record for climbing Mount Everest". Newsweek. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ "Youngest American woman to climb Everest, 18, says being away from family was 'hardest part'". TODAY.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ "The King of Side Quests: Olympian Nick Symmonds Just Climbed Mount Everest". Runner's World. May 16, 2025. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ Gandhar, Ajay (May 16, 2025). "Historic Double for 2x Olympian as Track and Field Star Achieves Rare Feat After Conquering Mount Everest". EssentiallySports. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ Arnette, Alan (May 15, 2025). "Everest 2025: More Everest Summits and A Death Reported | The Blog on alanarnette.com". www.alanarnette.com. Retrieved May 17, 2025.