Pop singer Justin Timberlake tells GQ magazine that he intends to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, to raise awareness for that continent’s dramatic water shortage which has hit nearly every nation and has had a tremendous impact on the environment and people that live there.
Timberlake is reportedly already preparing for the challenging trek to the summit of Kili, which stands at 19,340 feet, by working out four times a week in an attempt to increase the efficiency of his cardio system to deal with the altitude. He says the team will be climbing for “a week straight, carrying thirty pounds on our backs”, indicating the daypacks that typical trekkers on the mountain carry.
There are multiple routes to the peak of Kilimanjaro, and it can take as little as five days to summit, although most take eight or nine days to top out. Porters carry the bulk of the equipment, while the climbers usually carry a daypack with a variety of gear, food, water and so on. While it is mostly a non-technical climb, the fairly rapid ascent, and high altitude can be quite daunting for many, which Anne Curry of the Today Show discovered when she made an attempt on the mountain a few months back.
At the moment, there is no word on when Timberlake is expected to make his climb. The spring is traditionally the rainy season in East Africa, so it’s likely to not take place until June or later.
[via Backpacker.com]