Celebs Find Success On Kilimanjaro Climb

Last week I told you about a group of young celebrities that had traveled to Africa to attempt to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for a cause. At the time, the team was just preparing to set out on their expedition which was being undertaken in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of clean drinking water in developing parts of the world. Today we received word that the expedition was a success, with all the members of the squad reaching the summit.

The expedition, which is called Summit on the Summit II, was led by Grammy Award nominated musician Kenna, who organized a similar climb back in 2010. This time out, Kenna was joined by actors Justin Chatwin (Shameless) and Beau Garrett, (Tron: Legacy) as well as singer Mark Foster (Foster The People),  amongst others. The group was led by experienced mountain guides Melissa Arnot and Dave Morton, each of whom has years of experience on mountaineering expeditions.

At 5895 meters (19,341 ft), Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing peak in the world. Each year, it draws thousands of climbers who attempt to make their way to the summit along mostly non-technical routes. A Kili climb is, in a sense, a tough hike that is made all the more challenging due to the altitude. The celebrities spent seven days on their ascent, which was along the very scenic Marangu Route.

Kenna formed the Summit on the Summit organization as a direct response to witnessing the water crisis first hand in his homeland of Ethiopia. But rather than just contribute to a cause that was already spreading the word about the water crisis, the musician wanted to do more. So he formed SOTS and rallied some of his friends to the cause, creating a global buzz about the importance of clean drinking water. The first Kilimanjaro climb was big success, garnering all kinds of media attention. That has directly led to this second climb, which has been a good reminder that this issue continues to be an important one.

Congratulations to the climbers on a job well done.