Napa Puerto Rican-American Woman Aims To Conquer Mt. Everest At 40

NAPA VALLEY, CA — A Napa woman who would be among the few women over 40 to reach the world’s tallest mountain will set out this May after a decade climbing the planet’s highest peaks.

Nicole Santiago has spent the past decade climbing the planet’s tallest peaks, saving every spare dollar, and training through snow, ice, and rock to chase a dream most people only imagine: standing atop Mount Everest.

The sacrifice and determination are not unusual for someone ready to make the push to one of the most arduous and rewarding treks in the world.

But if Santiago succeeds, she will join a small group of women over 40 — and become one of the only Puerto Rican-American women — to reach the summit.

Now 41, her journey began at 17 while working with the Youth Conservation Corps in Yosemite National Park, where the mountains became more than a backdrop — they became a place of healing, clarity, and spiritual awakening, according to her account.

At 18, a friend gave her a book called Together on Top of the World, planting the seed for the Seven Summits, the tallest peaks on each continent. Years later, that dream reignited atop Kilimanjaro.

Since then, Santiago has summited mountains across Oceania, Europe, and North America, completed avalanche safety and crevasse rescue training, and maintained a rigorous training regimen to prepare for Everest. Alongside her climbs, she said she is writing a poetry collection inspired by the Seven Summits.

Santiago also founded She Moves Boldly, a growing movement encouraging women to tackle hard challenges and rise with courage when the path feels impossible. Everest, she says, is not just about reaching the top — it’s about reshaping who belongs there.

“For the past ten years, I’ve spent every bit of my free time, energy, and savings chasing one big dream — to climb the highest mountains on Earth,” Santiago said on her GoFundMe page. “This is the biggest climb of my life, and I need your help to make it happen. Every dollar truly matters — it helps me take one more step toward the top of the world.”

Her two-month expedition in the Himalayas begins later this month, with almost half of a $57,000 goal to support her Sherpa team, food, and gear.

For Santiago, each step upward is not just a physical climb — it’s a step toward inspiring women everywhere to conquer the mountains within themselves.