On a crisp Utah morning, Jenn Drummond laces up her boots and takes a deep breath.
The air feels familiar—mountains looming on the horizon, children’s laughter still
echoing from the kitchen. To the world, she is the Guinness World Record holder as the
first woman to climb the Seven Second Summits—the second-highest peaks on each
continent, recognized as more technically difficult than the famed Seven Summits. To her
seven children here in Park City, she’s simply “Mom.”
Her story begins not with a summit, but with a near-fatal accident. A devastating car
crash should have ended her life. Instead, it became the turning point that redefined
everything. “If I was given a second chance,” she recalls, “I wasn’t going to waste it.”
Before that day, Jenn had never camped in a tent. She had no background in alpine
climbing. But what she did have was a fierce will, a sharpened perspective on how short
life can be, and an unshakable commitment to showing her children that impossible
dreams are worth pursuing. She found a coach, crafted a plan, and made the bold
decision to chase a record few had ever imagined.
The Seven Second Summits are notorious. Unlike the more famous Seven Summits,
these peaks are less traveled, more dangerous, and often more technically challenging.
To succeed meant walking into avalanches, whiteout storms, and terrains that few
mountaineers dared to test. It meant surrendering comfort and risking failure.
Jenn faced it all. She endured the loss of a teammate, navigated climbing disasters that
forced her to test her courage, and even contracted anthrax from a donkey sneeze while
on Karakoram. Each trial was a test not just of her physical stamina but of her mental
resolve.
For Jenn, climbing wasn’t just about records—it was about determination. The
mountains became teachers, offering lessons about persistence, humility, and the power
of one step at a time. “Mountains show us who we are,” Jenn explains. “They strip away
distractions, force us into the present, and demand that we choose courage over fear.”
Every summit achieved reinforced a truth she now shares widely: growth isn’t about
avoiding pain or fear—it’s about facing them, learning from them, and moving forward
despite them.
“Mountains show us who we are—they strip away distractions, demand
presence, and remind us that progress is found in choosing courage, one
step at a time, every single day.”
Back home in Park City, life looks more ordinary—school drop-offs, soccer games,
grocery runs. But this is precisely what makes Jenn’s story remarkable: she is both a
global record-breaker and a grounded Utah mom.
Her seven children, she says, are her “true summit.” Every climb was shaped not just by
personal ambition, but by the desire to model perseverance, grit, and courage for her
family. “I wanted my kids to see that you can fail, you can be scared, and you can still
keep going.”
That message has resonated well beyond her home. Today, Jenn is not only an athlete
but also an author, speaker, and guide for people navigating their own metaphorical
mountains. Her keynote philosophy, Vision to Victory, challenges audiences to look at
obstacles as stepping stones. It’s a framework built on her lived experience: what looks
impossible becomes possible when broken down into consistent, deliberate steps.
Her reach extends even further through her signature Mountain Masterminds and Guided
Hikes. These immersive programs, inspired by her Guinness World Record climbs, are
designed to bring leadership principles to life. On the trail, teams are taken out of their
comfort zones and into the wild—literally. By facing real physical challenges, they learn
how to navigate fear, practice trust, and work together under pressure.
Mountain Masterminds is more than a retreat; it’s an intensive leadership lab. Jenn
blends reflective exercises with mountain-inspired metaphors, helping leaders confront
limiting beliefs, clarify vision, and develop strategies that mirror the discipline of
climbing. Teams leave with more than memories—they walk away with sharpened skills
in communication, problem-solving, and resilience.
“Every summit, whether on the mountain or in life, is built on steady steps
forward—where fear transforms into courage, challenges evolve into
victories, and ordinary moments create extraordinary change.”
Her hikes offer another powerful format: approachable yet stretching day treks where
participants learn to set their own “Everest,” pace themselves toward long-term goals,
and celebrate incremental wins. “When you hike with Jenn,” one participant noted, “you
don’t just reach the top of the trail—you learn what it means to keep going when it’s
hard.”
Jenn has shared these philosophies on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and
global stages. This fall, she will step onto the TEDx stage in Wales, carrying Park City’s
spirit with her onto yet another international platform.
What makes Jenn so magnetic isn’t only her achievements—it’s her honesty. She speaks
openly about fear, about moments of doubt, about the grief of letting go of her old life.
She invites people to see not just the triumphs but the setbacks and struggles along the
way. That vulnerability makes her message universal: for business leaders seeking
endurance, for moms balancing it all, for dreamers daring to imagine more.
Her legacy goes beyond records. It’s in the people who walk away from her talks and
hikes believing they can climb their own summits, whether that summit is a business
launch, a healing journey, or a personal reinvention.
From a near-fatal accident to the world’s most unforgiving peaks, Jenn’s story is one of
courage, transformation, and unwavering determination. And true to her nature, she’s
already looking ahead to her next challenge.
For Utah, that’s the ultimate inspiration. It reminds us that greatness doesn’t always
come from distant heroes—it can live right here in our neighborhoods, in the people who
lace up their boots, step forward despite fear, and show us all what it means to keep
climbing.
Utah is proud to call Jenn Drummond one of our own.
Schedule a consultation with Jenn’s team at jenndrummond.com
“Every summit, whether on the mountain or in life, is built on steady steps
forward—where fear transforms into courage, challenges evolve into
victories, and ordinary moments create extraordinary change.”
“Mountains show us who we are—they strip away distractions, demand
presence, and remind us that progress is found in choosing courage, one
step at a time, every single day.”