The Oldest Mountain Climbers in the World: Ecuador’s Fabian Zurita & Mt. Kilimanjaro Conqueror George Solt
There is something about mountain climbing that makes the old, the young and everyone in between want to avail the greatest outdoor opportunities in an exciting test of skill and perseverance. It is very surprising when the elderly want to climb mountains, though. At the age of 65 and older, people who decide they want to climb mountains should really give it a lot of thought. The sport is an extremely physical activity and requires a lot of strength, conditioning and mental fortitude to accomplish. This, however, does not deter some of the oldest people out there and they climb mountains for some of the noblest of reasons.
The sport of mountaineering has been around for many years; these days, climbers have a lot of innovative technology to assist them in their climbs, but in the olden days, people had to rely on their own skills and abilities. Now a sleeping bag is a no-brainer, but when the first mountain climbers went up on a climb, they sometimes had to make their own sleeping bags or do without them. It is due to the pioneering nature of these early intrepid athletes that people now have so much technologically advanced equipment that they carry with them. The oldest climbers out there used to climb for the sense of adventure, the thrill of conquering an almost unconquerable natural phenomenon and the ability to forge a new path in the world. They have passed on these traits to future generations of climbers, and they all owe them a nod of gratitude for what they achieved.
Fabian Zurita is a 75-year old climber who conquers mountains in Ecuador. He has been climbing the peaks of the country and other countries for the last 60 years. But this intrepid man’s passion does not only lie in self-fulfilment, he has two very noble reasons for climbing. In Ecuador, he runs summer schools for children to introduce them to mountain climbing, give them a sense of nature and help them experience the most beautiful sights in the world. The other reason he climbs mountains in the country and also encourages others to do so is to show them the massive scale of environmental damage that has taken place on some of the world’s highest peaks. The snow that used to cover much of the glaciers is completely gone and it is a very worrying trend that Zurita has seen over the last few decades he has been climbing. The world needs more people like Zurita; people who refuse to quit, who want to do something in (and for) the world and who want to change it for the better.
An 82 year old grandfather from the UK decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro this year. George Solt wanted to climb the highest peak in Africa because he wanted his name to be in the record books (Guinness Book of World Records) as the oldest person to achieve the feat, and also because he wanted to prove to himself and the world that he could still do this no matter his age. He set out in July with members of his family and aided by a charity organisation that helps people in their ascent of mountains. A series of workout training regimes were prescribed by Solt’s doctor, who said the 82 year old was in good health to make the climb. On the 15th of July, the brave man completed his task along with his daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. He had proven to everyone that it is possible to accomplish anything at any age; one just has to believe they can.
We will continue to see more individuals trying to become the oldest people to climb the world’s highest mountains for many years to come. Older people should never be judged out of doing something as difficult as mountain climbing even though their physical abilities decrease with age. We can all learn something from these amazing people who brave the elements, social stigma and their own bodies to conquer seemingly impossible summits.
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