Vietnamese mountaineer Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã completed the Seven Summits challenge after nearly a decade of perseverance. — Photo courtesy of Céline Nha Nguyen

Thanh Nga

As icy winds swept across the summit of Denali, Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã paused not to celebrate, but to reflect. Reaching North America's highest peak completed the Seven Summits challenge, bringing to an end nearly a decade of relentless training, setbacks and perseverance for the Vietnamese mountaineer.

Standing at 6,190m, Denali – the highest peak in North America – marked the final milestone in Nhã’s journey to conquer the tallest mountains on each continent. She reached the summit on June 12, bringing to completion a long and often unforgiving journey defined by discipline, setbacks and persistence.

“Standing on the highest peak in North America, what I felt most was not excitement, but gratitude and relief,” Nhã said. “Denali was the final mountain in a journey that has stayed with me for nearly a decade.”

A final summit

At 39, Nhã, also known as Céline Nha Nguyen, is a lawyer based in Hồ Chí Minh City, balancing a demanding professional career with high-performance endurance training. Her achievement places her among a small group of around 100 women worldwide who have completed the Seven Summits challenge.

The Seven Summits concept, first proposed by American mountaineer Richard Bass in the 1980s, involves climbing the highest peaks on each continent: Everest in Asia, Aconcagua in South America, Denali in North America, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe, Vinson Massif in Antarctica and Puncak Jaya in Oceania.

Denali is widely considered the most difficult of the seven.

Unlike Everest, where altitude is the primary challenge, Denali is known for its extreme weather, with temperatures dropping between minus 30 and 40 degrees Celsius, and its physically demanding, largely self-supported climbing conditions. Climbers must carry and haul nearly all of their supplies, often exceeding 50kg, across glaciers and steep terrain.

Each step is slow and deliberate, requiring not only physical strength but also mental endurance.

To prepare, Nhã underwent months of intensive training, focusing on strength, endurance and load-bearing exercises. Her routine included climbing stairs with heavy packs, swimming and maintaining a near-daily training schedule over several years.

The Denali expedition typically lasts around three weeks, with climbers gradually moving from Base Camp to higher camps to acclimatise while transporting equipment. However, Nhã’s summit push came during a narrow and unexpected weather window.

Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã celebrates after reaching the summit of Denali, the highest peak in North America, on June 12. — Photo courtesy of Céline Nha Nguyen

Originally, her team planned to move to Camp 17 before attempting the summit. But recognising the brief opportunity, they changed course and launched the ascent immediately – a choice that proved decisive.

Years of preparation

After reaching the summit, Nhã and her team made a rapid descent, driven partly by her eagerness to return home. Instead of taking the usual two days to descend from the upper camps, they moved continuously through the night, passing multiple camps before reaching Base Camp the following morning.

Looking back, she noted that descending required just as much focus and determination as the climb itself.

Nhã’s journey into mountaineering began around 15 years ago, with curiosity and a love for exploration. A decade ago, she set herself the ambitious goal of completing the Seven Summits – a target that initially seemed distant, even unrealistic.

Nhã became the first Vietnamese woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 2022. — Photo courtesy of Céline Nha Nguyen

Over the years, the journey tested her resilience through failed attempts, harsh weather conditions and moments of doubt. Some climbs had to be abandoned, forcing her to start again from the beginning.

In total, Nhã has logged more than 5,000 hours of structured training. Throughout this period, she worked with coach David Greenfield, a former Jamaican national triathlon champion, who helped build her physical foundation and long-term endurance.

But beyond physical preparation, Nhã said that the challenge was ultimately about consistency.

“The hardest part is not climbing a mountain, but maintaining discipline over a long period of time,” she said.

Her journey was further shaped by the demands of daily life. Alongside training and expeditions, she continued her legal career, pursued doctoral studies and fulfilled her roles as a wife and mother of three.

For Nhã, mountaineering was never about proving something to others.

Nhã and her teammates during their expedition to Vinson Massif, Antarctica. — Photo courtesy of Céline Nha Nguyen

Beyond the mountains

Each climb, she said, offered lessons in humility, self-awareness and resilience. Everest, where she became the first Vietnamese woman to reach the summit, held particular significance as the starting point of her broader journey.

Denali, however, represented the culmination.

“The mountains taught me patience, endurance and how to accept what is beyond my control,” she said.

Nhã believes that one of the biggest barriers facing women is not physical limitation, but self-imposed boundaries and societal expectations. Her experience shows that it is possible to pursue both professional success and personal ambition without compromise.

“There is no need to choose between different parts of who we are,” she said. “We can live many versions of ourselves at once.”

Nhã's achievement places her among a select group of around 100 women worldwide to have completed the Seven Summits challenge. — Photo courtesy of Céline Nha Nguyen

Beyond mountaineering, Nhã also participates in other high-intensity sports, including skydiving, skiing and motorsports. She views these pursuits as extensions of the same mindset – pushing limits and embracing challenges.

Her achievement on Denali is not only a personal milestone, but also a significant moment for Vietnamese sport, highlighting the growing presence of Vietnamese athletes in global endurance and adventure disciplines.

More importantly, it serves as a source of inspiration, particularly for younger generations and women, to step beyond their comfort zones and pursue long-term goals with determination.

After nearly a decade, thousands of training hours and countless obstacles, Nhã’s journey to the Seven Summits stands as a testament to the power of persistence – built not on a single moment at the top, but on years of steady effort, one step at a time. — VNS