Walter Glover

The mountain guides who lead others high-up on treks and climbs often say: "One per cent of the population do what our expedition team is doing today."

Walter Glover first heard those words as an almost senior citizen. Since turning age 59 in 2007, Walter has climbed on five of the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, Mount Rainier twice, and trekked along the 490 mile pilgrimage across Spain – The Way of St. James, El Camino.

A pastoral care hospital chaplain, his expeditions raised $130,000- to establish childhood obesity prevention and treatment clinics in southern Indiana. Most of the funding was used as scholarships for participating kids. Walter's quest was for all the Seven Summits. That dream was re-imagined after a fall on Mount Rainier showed he had three aneurysms - In three separate body systems. His Medical Dream Team called that "a medical rarity." Heart disease and aneurysms had claimed his father and brother early in life. One of Walter's aneurysms required open heart surgery. Letting go of serious technical climbing, Walter took up long distance trekking.

Walter retired from St. Vincent Hospitals in southern Indiana at age 65. The father of two and grand-father of two, he makes his home in Columbus, IN, with life partner Lori Walton, an RN BSN and certified health coach who helped start the weight management clinics for overweight children at his three hospitals. He holds a Master’s Degree in Theologic Studies from St. Meinrad Seminary. A certified grief counselor, his retirement activities, when not on expedition, include providing bereavement support to three groups, including bereft parents.

His compelling stories from the mountains are told from the perspective of wellness advocate, senior citizen, world traveler, heart surgery survivor, theologian, grief counselor, adventurer and mountaineer, and family man

At age 59, Walter Glover dared to dream of something few people have accomplished—trekking to Mount Everest base camp. And he did it. Later, he would summit Mt. Kilimanjaro and then travel to other mountains.

Mount Everest is 5.5 miles high—one of the most hostile environments on Earth. Everest Base Camp, at 17,600 feet, was Walter’s destination. He arrived there, exhausted, as an avalanche rocketed down the mountain.

By contrast, at 19,341 feet, Mt. Kilimanjaro encompasses five climate zones, from rain forest to Arctic, with a temperature range from 90 degrees F to -4 degrees. Walter summited Kilimanjaro just in time to greet a majestic sunrise. He was the oldest climber in his groups and managed to accomplish these world-class climbs by training in the flat terrain of southern Indiana.

Drama happened on his mountains. Readers will catch their breath at Walter’s descriptions of the stark beauty, weather, and elements surrounding the world’s highest mountains, and the creative forces that produced them. Vivid accounts of altitude sickness and a brush with cerebral edema heighten the suspense. As Glover chronicles his interactions with guides and fellow climbers, we meet fascinating people, including Godlisten, the extraordinary guide on Mt. Kilimanjaro featured on the book cover with the author.

The Seven Mountain Story series is inspiring people of all ages to become more active. As one woman told the author,

“I know I don’t look like I lost 20 pounds, but I have. I read about you in the paper and then I heard you speak. I’m no kid, but I can change my behavior too. My doctor is very impressed. I feel better. I am getting stronger. And here’s the thing: my children, their spouses, and my grandkids have taken notice. Thank you.”

"Adventure and altruism drove the climbs. I was blessed to do what few people do; Better still, my adventures benefitted overweight kids while also providing them with the capacity to dream," Walter said.

This first of four planned books concerns two of the most famous mountains on Earth – Everest and Kilimanjaro.