Eva Steinwald is training to climb Mount Everest this spring. If she makes it to the top, Steinwald will become the oldest American woman to summit Mount Everest and she will also have completed the hardest peak of The Seven Summits, a designation of the world's highest mountains on each unique continent.
"I will be 63 and I'm thinking— is that even possible?" asked Steinwald.
Eva started this journey after her husband of 26 years passed away. Struck with grief, the new mission helped her move on with her life, although she always carries a piece of her Vietnam Veteran Pat with her on adventures.
"Every time I climb, I wear his dog tags," said Steinwald. "So he is with me on the journey and when we summit a mountain, I’m like: 'Pat— we made it to the top!'"
Eva has already climbed to the top of Denali in Alaska, which she did this past June. A year ago at this time, she summited Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak in South America.
"I wanted to do the hardest ones first and the hardest one of all of them is Everest," said Steinwald. "I’m super excited but I’m also anxious. I have fear, but I like to dance with fear and embrace risk because that is how I experience life."
Eva has been training six days a week with the assistance of a strength coach and a high-altitude coach. Eva even set up a ladder in her backyard to practice crossing crevasses and navigating glacial terrain.
We met up with Eva in the foothills after she already finished her workout for the day. She did an hour and a half on the Stairmaster but she often goes for three hours or more. Mount Everest is more than 29,000 feet above sea level and Eva will attempt to summit the mountain this spring.
"It's a full-time job," said Steinwald. "If I miss one day, that one day of training can affect my chances of summitting and I’m not willing to do that."
Eva wants to bring awareness for climate change through this journey while also inspiring others to achieve their dreams.
"Whatever it is you can do it— you just have to commit to it," said Steinwald. "I want to live life and taste life because I know it is so short and so precious."
We will be rooting for you, Eva!
If she completes her Everest mission, Steinwald will have to climb four more peaks to complete The Seven Summits. Her remaining peaks would be located in Antarctica (Vinson Massif - 16,050'), Australia (Mount Kosciuszko - 7,310'), Africa (Mount Kilimanjaro - (19,341'), and Europe (Mount Elbrus - 18,510').
You can follow her journey here.
