88-Year-Old Vegan Climbs Kilimanjaro

This week, Colorado resident Fred Distelhorst ascended Mount Kilimanjaro—one of the world’s highest peaks, at 19,341 feet. The 88-year-old retired dentist credited his vegan diet for his physical fitness, stating, “I think I’m in pretty good shape even though I’m a little old guy.” Distelhorst climbed the mountain with his 22-year-old granddaughter Ellen Edgerton, who launched a fundraising campaign in conjunction with the climb to benefit orphanages for children with AIDS in Kenya. Distelhorst’s incredible climb is currently under the review by the Guinness World Records to determine if the plant-based athlete will receive the title of the oldest person to conquer Kilimanjaro. Last year, climber Kuntal Joisher became the first-known vegan to summit Mount Everest, accepted by most as the highest mountain in the world.