Oak Brook teen has lofty dreams of scaling Seven Summits

At 15, Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu can boast of accomplishing a few daring feats, the apex of which was making it to Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal this spring with her parents.

The road to Everest has been a long and arduous trek for the soon-to-be Hinsdale Central High School sophomore who has been hiking and backpacking since age 6.

To date, Saanvi has hiked more than 700 miles, trekked more than 20 U.S. national parks and climbed a few lesser mountains. In April, the Oak Brook teen braved the unpredictable Himalayan climate and extreme cold at an altitude that tests the mettle and stamina of the most experienced climbers.

“My feet actually started to freeze because I didn't have insulated shoes,” Saanvi said. “You have to put 10 times as much effort as (with) normal elevation.”

But seeing the sun crown the world's tallest summit from roughly 17,600 feet in the air “just makes everything worth it,” she added.

Saanvi's ultimate goal is to scale the Seven Summits — the highest peaks of the seven continents — starting with a solo climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano in Tanzania, this summer.

The zenith of her dreams is reaching the summit of Mount Everest — the highest point on the planet at more than 29,000 feet — by next summer.

If she accomplishes it, she would unseat Naperville's Lucy Westlake, an 18-year-old who earlier this month at became the youngest American woman to scale Everest.

“It is one of my goals to summit Mount Everest before I graduate high school,” Saanvi said.

For that, Saanvi has been training relentlessly, rock climbing at the Vertical Endeavors gym in Glendale Heights.

Reaching Everest base camp took about 10 days and wasn't an easy journey for everyone in Saanvi's family. Her older brother, Eshaan, had to bow out midway due to acute mountain sickness.

Saanvi ascended the popular Kala Patthar, which provides the most accessible close-up view of Everest, and completed the journey to base camp alongside parents Neelima, 44, and Naveen Mylavarapu, 49 — her inspiration and support.

“If you are in good company, then they are the ones who motivate you ... who push you. And that, for me, is my family,” she said.

Daring to defy

Saanvi's introduction to trekking almost started with an unwitting dare from dad Naveen Mylavarapu, who went backpacking with his male friends across the Grand Canyon.

“I made a bold statement that this is not for the family,” Naveen Mylavarapu said. “It was very physically challenging.”

The following year he would take another trip to Utah's Zion National Park and make the same pronouncement.

“I think these words were taken very, very seriously by both the ladies in the house,” Naveen Mylavarapu recalled.

Saanvi was barely 6 years old when Neelima planned a family trip to Mammoth Cave National Park in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I never started hiking thinking that it will inspire my kids,” Neelima Mylavarapu said.

“I really liked the serenity, the calmness. I wanted the kids to learn to push their limits.”

While Eshaan was “a reluctant hiker,” it “came very naturally” to Saanvi.

By the end of the trip, the family was hooked.

“Since then, all our vacations — spring, summer, fall — (have) been (spent) hiking, backpacking for days,” Naveen Mylavarapu said. “The whole family has found the love for nature. This is something we enjoy. The biggest thing is the family bonding ... something which we cannot get during our daily life.”

Once Saanvi caught the bug of exploring nature, she wouldn't be held back. But her fearlessness at times makes Naveen Mylavarapu anxious.

“She already has carved her path,” he said.

Being in nature

Reaching Everest's summit takes a month longer than the base camp trek. Saanvi has been preparing for it by running, doing cardio and rock climbing about four times a week.

“You need to acclimatize,” Saanvi said. “There's a lot more training to reaching the summit of Mount Everest. First, you have to be physically and mentally fit. We have to plan all the logistics out.”

But it's not just about the climb for Saanvi. It's about being one with nature.

“When you spend more time in nature, your carbon footprint actually decreases,” said Saanvi, who has posted a series of Instagram videos about the benefits of being outdoors.

“It's one of my passions so I don't think I will ever stop,” she said of climbing. “Out in nature, I feel, is the place where I am truly happy. There is a sense of serenity.”