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SLC climber is oldest woman to climb tallest peaks from each continent

Posted at 5:27 PM, Mar 21, 2012
and last updated 2012-03-21 19:30:32-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- Carol Masheter does not let her age hold her back.

On Saint Patrick’s Day the 65-year-old Salt Lake City resident reached the summit of mount Kosciuszko in Australia making her the oldest woman in the world to climb the highest mountains on each continent.

"I should be learning how to knit and play bridge and doing things that are more age appropriate to people my age but that's just not me,” said Masheter.

FOX 13 caught up with Masheter for an interview Wednesday.

Masheter says she took sought out the seven peaks, partially because she likes to take on challenges.

And how does she feel about the seventh and final climb?

“It feels wonderful; it's worth the discomfort for me. It's better than the best high," says Masheter.

High-altitude climbing came later in life as a way for Masheter to deal with some of life’s hardest struggles.

She says mountain climbing saved her life. Overwhelmed with stress and four losses at age 50, Masheter headed for the mountains.

“I feel the most whole and at peace and at my strongest when I'm in the mountains. It's my spiritual home,” she says.

And every time she reaches that summit the Silver Fox’s howl echoes across each continent.

Masheter says her toughest climb was Mount Everest. But she doesn't plan on putting her climbing gear away just yet. She says she will climb another peak in August.