Interview with Jennifer Drummond - First Woman for the 2nd Seven Summits

Jenn Drummond doesn't let much stop her from achieving her goals. Having all of her climbing gear not show up for a climb was a mere inconvenience for this 41-year-old mother of seven children. Jenn is on a mission to be the first female climber to summit the so-called Second Seven Summits. We are all familiar with the first seven, and around 500 people have accomplished that goal. Still, only a handful have completed the 2nd, and no females.

I met Jenn via my Summit Coach consulting business almost two years ago. She called me to discuss climbing Ama Dablam, which she did a few months later. Jenn is unique. An accomplished businesswoman, now retired, mother of seven, ranging in age from nine to 15, including twin daughters. She is an avid skier, triathlete, and played college soccer. We had a wide-ranging conversation about how the idea was born, her children, and how she manages the complexities of being away so often, and of course, some of the climbs got started.

She has completed five of the seven and hopes to finish them all this year, 2022, with Canada's Mt. Logan up next. You can follow Jenn on her social media at Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and her website.

The 7 Summits

Dick Bass, the first 7 Summiter, choose Australia as one of the seven continents and Kosciuszko as its mainland high point. However, Canadian Pat Morrow, competing with Bass to finish the 7, challenged Bass's summit of Australia's Mt. Kosciuszko as the highest peak in Oceania. Morrow contended that Carstensz Pyramid on Irian Jaya (Papua) in Indonesia's New Guinea was the actual highpoint for the Australasian continental mass. Italian Reinhold Messner jumped in and agreed with Morrow. Today Carstensz is considered one of the seven. Still, some 7 Summiteers try to bag the lower Kosciuszko to meet both the Bass and the Messner lists.

The 1st Seven Summits are:

1. Everest, Nepal - 29,035/8850m
2. Aconcagua, Argentina - 22,902/6960m
3. Denali, Alaska - 20,320/6194m
4. Kilimanjaro, Africa - 19,340/5896m
5. Elbrus, Russia - 18,513/5642m
6. Vinson, Antarctica - 16,067/4897m
7. Mt. Kosciuszko, Australia - 7,310/2228m (Bass list)
8. Carstensz Pyramid, New Guinea - 16,023/4884m (Messner List)
9. Mt. Blanc, France/Italy - 15,771'/4807m (highest in Western Europe)

And the 2nd Seven are. Jenn has completed the one in bold.

1. K2 (Pakastan-28,251'/8611m)
2. Ojas del Salado (Argentina-22,608'/6983m)
3. Logan (Canada-19,551'/5959m)
4. Dykh-Tau (Russia-17,077'/5205m)
5. Kenya (Africa-17,057'/5199m)
6. Tyree (Antarctica-15,919'/4852m)
7. Puncak Trikora (New Guinea-15,580'/4730m)
8. Townsend (Australia-7,247'/2209m)
9. Monta Rosa, Switzerland - 15,203'/47634m (second highest in Western Europe)

If you want to get picky, forget Kosciuszko. Technically, Australia claims Mount McClintock at 11,450'/3,490m, part of the Australian Antarctic Territory in Antarctica. It is higher than both Kosciuszko and Mawsons Peak, 9005'/2745m in Australia's territory on Heard Island. Mawson an active volcano about 2500 miles off the western coast of Australia, e.g., in the middle of the Indian Ocean, an island with no ports or villages. I think Jenn will be happy with Townsend!