Climbing High and Staying Grounded

After class, as Emma sits in a hotel room in Nebraska—where she is to take the ACT—it’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, she was standing at the top of the world–literally. At only 17 years, 2 months, and 24 days old, Emma became both the youngest American woman to summit Mount Everest and the youngest woman to climb all Seven Summits.

When asked how she’s feeling now, Emma reflects with characteristic honesty: “I’m good with school and everything, but… coming back from Everest is kind of a weird experience. I’m still processing all of it.” After two months in an extreme, high-altitude environment surrounded by the kindest people she’s ever met, returning home has felt like re-entering a world that’s the same–but realizing that she is not.

Emma trained for two years to prepare for Everest, using the other summits as stepping stones. During the school year, she squeezed in hours on the stairmaster with a weighted pack, usually accompanied by Taylor Swift or an audiobook. But no amount of gym time could fully prepare her for what she’d face in the Himalayas. She recalls her first night heading into the infamous Khumbu Icefall: “I’d looked forward to it for two years. I was so excited…and then I got there and was like, hold on, maybe I might be crazy.” She laughs, telling the story, but the moment was real–marked by uncertainty, adrenaline, and the eerie silence of snow, wind, and ice.

One of the biggest lessons she’s learned? How people process fear. Emma explains that she doesn’t usually feel fear–but she’s come to respect it when it surfaces for her in intense moments. Some of the scariest parts weren’t the steep climbs but the silence and the waiting. In those moments of uncertainty as she paced and thought, paced and thought, she learned that sometimes the only way forward is through. 

When asked what’s next, she answers without hesitation: finishing high school. She doesn’t want to rush into another big goal just yet–climbing or otherwise. “It’s important to be where you are, and I’m focusing on this for now,” she says, firmly grounded in her present. 

Emma’s record-breaking achievement speaks for itself. But what stands out even more than her dedication is her clarity–the choice to slow down, recenter, and focus on what matters to her in each season. As Emma teaches us, life is not just about climbing higher–it’s also about coming back down, looking around, and deciding what comes next.

Congratulations, Emma, on your amazing accomplishments!