Southcentral Pa. woman inspires others, raises thousands for charity climbing Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest peaks on each of the seven continents.
While mountain climbers around the world have taken the challenge of completing all seven since the 1980s, one southcentral Pennsylvania woman has a special reason for doing it.
Julie McKelvey, 51, of Lemoyne has already summitted both Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mount Elbrus in Europe in the last 16 months. She's aiming to complete the Seven Summits in 2021.
Through climbing mountains, she believes she has made a positive impact on her family and friends.
“When people see what I am doing, they feel inspired to pursue whatever it is that they want to do,” McKelvey said. “I never thought that I would make an impact like this.”
In less than a month, she will look to finish her third summit as she will travel to Argentina to climb Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the world outside of the Himalayas. The summit will start on Jan. 14 and finish Feb. 1.
In addition to doing the summit, McKelvey will raise money for the Miracle-Ear Foundation, which gives free hearing aids to children and adults who can’t afford them.
“I serve on the Board of this organization, and what we do is truly life changing for people who cannot hear and cannot afford hearing help,” she said.
The climb is fully self-supported, and all the money McKelvey raises will go directly to the Foundation. You can make a donation online.
On top of being the President and CEO of Hearing Instruments Co. and Precision Hearing Aids LLC, she still finds the time to take on mountains across the word.
So, what made McKelvey want to explore the world of mountain climbing and risk putting her life in danger?
How she got into mountain climbing
McKelvey’s father was into climbing mountains and doing extreme sports. In 2016, her father said something to her that would introduce her to mountain climbing.
“My father was in his mid 70s in 2016, and he said to me 'I think I have one mountain left in me; I want you to do it with me',” she said.
Together, they climbed Mount Fiji in Japan.
“I loved every minute of it,” McKelvey said with a smile on her face. “I understood what my father was chasing his whole life and it was an overwhelmingly calm, incredible, and spiritual experience for me.”
It didn’t stop there for her. After climbing Mount Fiji, she knew then that she wanted to do climb Kilimanjaro next.
“That’s how I got started, never had any intention of being a mountain climber, wasn’t particularly athletic,” she said. “I decided to give something a try that I never thought I could do, and I did it.”
She was introduced to the Seven Summits while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. The summits are:
- Mt. Everest (Asia)
- Mt. Aconcagua (South America)
- Mt. Denali (North America)
- Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa)
- Mt. Elbrus (Europe)
- Mt. Vinson (Antartica)
- Mt. Kosciuszko (Australia)
“Someone asked if me if I knew about the Seven Summits and I said no,” McKelvey said. “After doing research, I knew that this was something I wanted to do.”
Training for the Seven Summits
To be able to climb the mountains in the summits, you have to make sure you are well prepared.
“Training is important when you are getting ready to do a summit,” McKelvey said. “You have to make sure you are in shape and that you are eating healthy.”
McKelvey knows what it’s like firsthand being up so high and what it can do to your body.
“Once you’re up in altitude, everything is depleted; your body is working at such a lower level than when you are at sea level,” she said. “The more fit I’ve been the more enjoyable the experience is.”
She trains seven days a week: Two days in the gym, two days on the mountain and three days of cardio.
Each day is important for her, and she understands that the work she puts in during training will pay off during the summits.
“The discipline of following a regiment every single day can be tough, but I constantly think about that end goal which is making it to the top of that mountain,” she said.
Climbing to help a cause
Miracle Ear Foundation has been in existence for 30 years. The connection that McKelvey got being a part of this foundation touched her heart.
“My first year, I fit an 8-year-old girl with hearing aids, and it was life-changing for me to watch her go from struggling in school and being shy and when I fitted her with the hearing aids she just came to life,” she said. “The joy on her face moved me and I started to become really interested in the foundation from then on.”
When she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, she decided to raise money for the same foundation — and the fundraiser raised $56,000.
“To see how much money I was able to raise was so heartwarming and knowing that the money would go towards helping people who suffer from hearing loss was a great feeling,” she said.
'I have to push through my fear'
There is no easy part to climbing mountains. For McKelvey, she knows that it’s all in her head.
“When I’m on the mountain it’s mental for me,” she said. “It’s really hard and some of these mountains are scary and dangerous.”
Being involved in something like this allows you to dig deep inside and find out how bad you really want it.
“I have to push myself through those moments when I feel like stopping because I know how much I want to accomplish this,” McKelvey said.
Overcoming fear is another component for McKelvey.
“There are times where I am afraid to climb a mountain,” she said. You are really putting your life in danger.
That fear that she faces is something she has to swallow because she does not to back out.
“I have to push through my fear because I don’t want to live with regret of not doing something I have trained and worked hard for,” she said.
One of the best feelings for McKelvey is finally making to the top of the summit and looking at the beautiful scenery.
“The scenery is amazing and it’s inspiring,” she said. “I get so much clarity the higher I get in altitude.”
When going on these summits, McKelvey will spend three to four weeks away from family, maybe even longer. The time away from her husband and two sons is tough, but she appreciates the support they give her.
“My family is amazing, and I love how they are always there for me, she said. “They know that I am traveling to different countries and risking my life and they still support me always.”
McKelvey has a message for those out there wanting to pursue something.
“Don’t look back later in your life wishing you did something, go do it and find a way, whatever it is,” she said.
You can follow McKelvey when she starts her summit up Mt. Aconcagua below: