U.K. man becomes oldest to climb Kilimanjaro

On July 14th, 82-year old British climber George Solt reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, and in doing so he hiked himself into the record books as well. By successfully completing the climb, Solt became the oldest person to reach the “Roof of Africa”, something that he hopes will eventually be officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Climbing with five members of his family, Solt and his team went up the mountain along the Machame Route, one of the more popular paths to the summit, and one that is widely regarded as the most scenic on Kilimanjaro. Unlike the more popular, and crowded, Marangu Route, which has primitive huts along the way, climbers on the Machame Route stay in tents all the way to the 19,340 foot summit.

Before attempting the Kili climb, Solt prepared by embarking on a rigorous workout program designed by his doctors. The program obviously payed off, as evidenced by the successful climb, which was was also made through the support of Action Challenge, a group that helps organize adventurous activities around the globe, many of which are aimed at raising funds for a variety of charities.

Joining Solt on his climb were his son and daughter-in-law, as well as his three grand kids, the youngest of which was just 12-years old. Having three generations on one adventurous journey surely made this a family trip that they’ll all remember for the rest of their lives.

[Photo credit: Muhammad Mahdi Karim via WikiMedia Commons]

Celebrity Kilimanjaro climb documentary comes to MTV

Back in January we told you about a group of celebrities who were climbing Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of the growing global clean drinking water crisis. The expedition was dubbed the Summit on the Summit, and it included musicians Kenna and Lupe Fiasco, as well as actors Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch, and Isabel Lucas, amongst others. The team was quite successful in their efforts, with everyone reaching the top of the 19,340-foot mountain, the tallest in Africa.

The entire expedition was captured on film, and has now been edited down to a 90 minute television program that will air tomorrow night on MTV. Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro is scheduled to begin at 9 PM Eastern/8 PM Central. The show will follow the team from the foot of the mountain all the way to the top, and should prove to be interesting viewing for anyone who is considering making the trek themselves.

For a preview of the show, check out the trailer below, then set your DVR’s accordingly.

17-year old climber nabs Seven Summits

17-year old mountaineer Johnny Collinson of Snowbird, Utah has become the youngest person to climb all the Seven Summits by topping out on Mt. Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica. The teenager reached the summit, which stands at 16,067 feet, on Monday, completing a quest to reach the top of the highest peaks on all seven continents.

Collinson is still in Antarctica and hasn’t posted to his website yet, but he was climbing with a team led by guide service Mountain Madness who updated their own blog with the news of the team’s success. Johnny was joined on the summit by three other climbers as well as well known guide Willie Benegas. And as if reaching the summit wasn’t enough, the young man elected to ski back down the mountain to their campsite.

The Seven Summits have become one of the top goals for climbers and adventurers around the planet. Besides Vinson, the peaks consist of Kilimanjaro in Africa (19,340 feet), Elbrus in Europe (18,510 feet), Denali in North America (20,320 feet), Aconcagua in South America (22,841 feet), Carstenz Pyramid in Oceana (16,023 feet), and of course Everest in Asia (29,029 feet). That tallest mountain in Australia is Kosciusko, but that peak is just 7310 feet in height and is a simple walk-up, so the list was expanded to include the taller and more technically challenging Carstenz Pyramid, located in Indonesia. Most of the climbers who complete the Seven Summits actually go for all eight peaks just to cover their bases.

Collinson may not hold on to this record for long. 13-year old Jordan Romero will be going to Everest this spring to make his bid on that mountain, and if successful there, he’ll head to Vinson in the fall as well. If he nabs both summits, he’ll be just 14-years old when he is done.

Celebs complete Kilimanjaro climb

Last week we reported that a group of celebrity mountaineers, led by singer Kenna, were setting off on a climb to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. The group, which included actors Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch, rapper Lupe Fiasco, and adventure photographer Jimmy Chin, amongst others, was climbing to raise awareness of a growing global crisis over the lack of clean drinking water in many parts of the world, and they hoped to inspire the rest of us to sponsor a foot of their climb to help combat the problem.

Yesterday, the Summit on the Summit website was updated with the news that the team had achieved their goal by reaching Uhuru Peak, the very top of the mountain, which is often referred to as the Roof of Africa. The climb was not an easy one however, as over the course of the past week, the celebs struggled with inclement weather, challenging trails, and the effects of altitude on their bodies.

Today the team will spend most of the day getting down the mountain. Although it has takes the better part of a week for them to reach the top of Kilimanjaro, they’ll return to the base of the mountain in just one day. Although Kili is a non-technical peak, it can still be physically demanding, and the entire group will be happy to be breathing the richer air found at the lower altitudes. Once they’re off the mountain, they’ll no doubt spend spend some time resting and reflecting on what they’ve accomplished, and enjoying the fact that their expedition was successful in more ways than one.

Congratulations to the entire summit team!

Summit on the Summit: celebrity Kilimanjaro climb begins today!

Standing 19,340 feet in height, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa, and a popular trekking destination for adventure travelers. The mountain requires no technical skills to reach the summit, but remains a significant challenge none-the-less, which is why it often serves as the location for high profile, fund raising climbs.

One such climb, dubbed the Summit on the Summit, begins today with a number of celebrities joining the expedition, which hopes to raise awareness about the need for clean drinking water around the globe. The SOTS website says that more than 1 billion people do not have access to potable water and that every 15 seconds, somewhere on the planet, a child dies due to a water-related disease, such as malaria or typhoid. The expedition has partnered with the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, the UN Refugee Agency, and Playpumps International in order to deliver clean drinking water to remote places around the globe while educating the developed world about this growing problem.

The Summit on the Summit expedition is the brainchild of musician Kenna, who invited a few of his friends along for the climb. He is joined by rapper Lupe Fiasco, actor Jessica Biel, and adventure photographer Jimmy Chin, amongst many others, on the eight day climb that will take them to the Roof of Africa, passing through five unique climate zones along the way. If everything goes according to schedule, the team will stand at Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro, next Wednesday.

The expedition has multiple ways for us to get involved and follow along with the team as they make their way towards the summit. The official website offers a slick interface with all kinds of information on the mountain, the climbers, and their cause. You can also follow their progress and get updates through the team’s Twitter feed, which is found at @SOTSK. They have been tweeting about their experience since their arrival in Tanzania yesterday evening.

But more importantly, you can contribute directly to the cause by sponsoring a foot of the climb. The team hopes to get all 19,340 feet sponsored before they are done, with all funds raised going directly to providing clean water for people in need all over the planet. It’s a great cause with a dedicated crew, and it should be fun to follow along.