Thursday, October 13, 2011

  Oldest man to climb Mount Kilimanjaro: Richard Byerley sets world record (Video)

Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania -- The American national, Mr. Richard Byerley, 84, from Washington state, ( Walla Walla), summited Kilimajaro (elevation 19,340 feet) with his two grandchildren, Annie, 29, and Bren, 24, after a six-day trek on the Machame Route - setting the new world record for the Oldest man to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, according to World Record Academy (www.worldrecordacademy.com).

  Photo: Richard Byerley, 84, has broken the Guinness world record as the oldest person to summit Mount Kilimanjaro on foot with Adventures Within Reach. ( enlarge photo )

  The Guinness world record for the oldest man to climb Mount Kilimanjaro was set by George Solt (UK), who reached the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, at age 82 years, 289 days.

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the Fastest ascent of Mt Kilimanjaro, set by Gerard Bavato (France), who ran the 34 km (21.1 miles) from the base to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro in a time of 5 hr 26 min 40 sec.

  Kilimanjaro, elevation 19,340 feet, is in northeastern Tanzania near Kenya.

  Byerley didn't suffer any altitude sickness on his journey, but he did say his hands were cold when he reached the summit. Byerley spends time between Sun Valley and Walla Walla, Wash., where he owns an alfalfa farm.

  He trained for the climb by hiking mountains in both Washington and Idaho, bicycling, running and occasionally moving 40-foot pipes in the fields on his farm.

  The active octogenarian is more fit than most people half his age. He has scaled both Mount Whitney in California (the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states, at 14,495 feet) and Mount Rainier, which stands at 14,411 feet.

  Byerley has skied for 44 years, which he took up at age 40. In 2001, he biked acoss the U.S. on a 45-day trip that started in Carlsbad, Calif., and ended in Saint Simons Island in Georgia. (He was the oldest person on that trip at age 74).

  His wife Beth had summited Kilimanjaro 30 years ago, so Byerley figured "It was high time to catch up."

  When asked how he felt about smashing a world climbing record at age 84, he said, "Well, I'm the same person I was before I left."

  His advice for anyone of any age who wishes to climb a mountain: "Just go."