Lucy Westlake, with her father, Rodney Westlake, climbed to the top of Denali, in Talkeetna, which is Alaska’s and North America’s highest mountain (20,320 ft / 6,194 m). It was previously named Mt. McKinely but in 2015, its original name, Denali, in the indigenous Athabascan language, was officially restored.

This expedition qualifies Lucy as the youngest female to climb all 50 US state highpoints. In addition, she and Rodney became the youngest father-daughter team to climb all 50 US state highpoints, a goal they set 10 years previously.

Lucy explains, “I thought I knew what pushing my body and mind to its limit felt like, until I climbed Denali and realized…there are no limits. There’s so much more inside yourself than you can ever imagine.”

This 19-day expedition started with nine climbers but ended with only Lucy and Rodney making it to the top. This occurred 4 years after their first attempt in 2017.
Lucy explains, “My father introduced me to mountain climbing and it cannot be more fitting that we reached the top of Denali together on Father’s Day. It was a culmination of 10 years of learning, exploring and growing together in the mountains.”

Lucy explains, “It takes an unbelievable amount of determination to position yourself for the opportunity. Then it comes down to making the right decision at the right moment. And there is very little room for error.”

(Naperville, Illinois: 2021)