Celebrating his 90th birthday at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, After the climb of a lifetime

“You’re Too Old For That” is a regular series that explores inspiring activities being pursued by those over 50 years old who feel you’re never too old to do what lights you up.

Dr. Art Ulene, the former TODAY Show medical correspondent, health advocate, and author, did it. The 90-year-old celebrated his birthday on the summit of the highest free-standing mountain in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro, standing 19,341 feet above sea level. This was his third time reaching the top, and his fourth attempt.

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This incredible feat made him the oldest person in the world to achieve it, and after interviewing him about his preparations a few days before his adventure, we caught up with him after he came back down. Ulene traveled from Los Angeles to Tanzania on June 18, started the 13-day climb on July 1, and reached Kilimanjaro’s summit, Uhuru Peak (the highest point in Africa), on July 13, his birthday. Uhuru means “freedom” in Swahili, “chosen to commemorate Tanzania’s independence in 1961,” according to Kilimanjaro National Park’s website.

Along with Ulene, there were 24 people on the team, including guides, porters, cooks, maintenance people, and resupply teams.

“All of them were there to ensure the success of my climb and to keep me safe,” Ulene said.

Ulene said that as this was his fourth time on the mountain, he was able to apply some lessons from his earlier climbs, chief among them that “older legs need to go more slowly.” They decided to cut the pace back dramatically, shorten the distance they planned to cover each day, build in more rest stops, and carry a lightweight folding chair with them so he could stop anytime and let his legs rest for five minutes every hour or so.

“This made a huge difference in my ability to endure the uphill climb,” Ulene said.

Two Huge Challenges

This time around, he said the two main challenges he faced were the cold and the rocks. Ulene said it was so cold in his tent on some nights, especially near the summit, that his water bottle froze solid.

“I don’t like being cold. I forgot how many rocks we would have to climb over. Every rock required a 150% effort from tired leg muscles to lift my body weight over the rock.  I hate rocks. Even more than I hate the cold,” Ulene told us.

So, what’s the view up there?

Breathtaking, looking down on the clouds, like when we are flying, he said.

“Now, take away the airplane.  You’re just walking on a trail looking down at the clouds,” he added. “Breathtaking.”

His team surprised him when he reached Uhuru Peak with a beautiful birthday cake, sparkler candles, and a birthday message in the icing. Then, they started singing “Happy Birthday.”

“Cue the eyes: time to tear up,” Ulene said.

Find Your Hill and Climb it

When asked whether he learned something new this climb, Ulene said that he learns something new every day, and on this trip, he learned he can no longer trust his memory.

“My brain has erased all of the pain from my previous climbs.  I don’t even remember the pain from last week,” he said.

He concedes that climbing Kilimanjaro is not for everyone, yet he believes that everybody should be able to find a hill, an obstacle, a challenge that requires some effort and ends with a worthwhile goal.

“That’s my message to others:  Find your own hill and climb it. It’s the only way to see the view on the other side,” he said.

I was very curious about how he got back down. (Helicopter?) No. Ulene went back down “slowly. Very slowly.”

“It’s much easier for me (not for everybody) to go downhill, but it can also be a little tricky and a little dangerous, because it’s easy to trip or stumble, and you must not let your downhill momentum take you out of control,” he explained.

So, would he climb Kilimanjaro for a fifth time?

“I don’t think so. Been there, done that. As Kenny Rogers says in “The Gambler”: You’ve got to know when to hold ’em….. know when to fold them…. know when to walk away, know when to run.  I think it’s time to walk away from that table now. Maybe it’s time for a safari,” Ulene said.

“You’re Too Old For That” is a regular series that explores inspiring activities being pursued by those over 50 years old who feel you’re never too old to do what lights you up. Are you doing something inspiring? Do you know someone who is pursuing a passion in their older years? If you or someone you know is 50 years old or older and should have their inspiring story told, please email the editors at Nifty 50+