Dr. Art Ulene was a familiar face to Boomers and Gen Xers throughout the 1980s. The physician and medical correspondent spent 23 years on NBC’s Today show.
Since then, he’s been taking advantage of his free time and adventurous spirit.
“I retired in 1998, and decided to check off as many items on my bucket list as possible,” Ulene told Upworthy. “I bought a motorcycle and two leather jackets and spent many weekend mornings in the hills of Southern California. Between 1998 and 2020, we visited 83 countries on all seven continents.”
And with his 90th birthday fast approaching, he decided to embark on a new adventure: climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, in an attempt to become the oldest person to summit. (The goal is to reach the summit on his 90th birthday, July 13.)
A passion for climbing
His 2026 attempt will not be his first climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro—it will be his fourth.
“When a friend challenged us in 2011 to start with a climb on Mt. Kilimanjaro, we did it. My wife, Priscilla, and I reached the 19,341-foot summit in 2011, then again in 2017,” he said. “I climbed Kilimanjaro again in 2022 with a grandson. He made it to the summit, but I did not. I turned back at 17,000 feet because of some concerning symptoms.”
For his 90th birthday, another Kilimanjaro climb for Ulene “started almost in jest” after a friend asked what his next adventure would be. Subconsciously, he wanted to try climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro again.
“I’m doing this to see how far I can go. I’m doing this to inspire other ‘older’ people to challenge their own limits. To live up to their potential instead of their age,” said Ulene, who has partnered with CareScout for his climb.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Art Ulene
Training for Mt. Kilimanjaro
Ulene’s physical fitness journey has evolved over decades.
“I did not become active until my late 30s and 40s, and I was never athletic or in ‘great physical shape,’” he said. “Once I got involved in skiing (mid-40s), I had no choice: I had to stay in shape or give up skiing.”
He chose to remain active, and that decision has continued to propel his healthy lifestyle.
“I’ve been going to a gym regularly for the last 15 years for resistance training, and I’ve been walking a lot for the last 10 years,” he added.
To prepare for the Mt. Kilimanjaro climb, he’s added extra training to get his body ready for the 19,340-foot summit at Uhuru Peak.
“My training for the climb consists of stair climbing (real stairs, not machines), upper- and lower-body resistance exercises (strength training), and walking (on city streets),” he shared. “I’m in the gym about three times per week.”
His training started six months ago, and he could only climb three flights of stairs.
“Now I’m up to 50 flights, three times per week,” he said. “Today I climbed 40 flights and walked five miles.”
Ulene hopes to lead by example and inspire people of all ages to take care of their health.
“To a great extent, the way you live your life in your 30s, 40s, and 50s will determine how healthy you are in your 70s, 80s, and 90s,” he said. “If you want to spend the last 10 years of your life in great health instead of decline, the time to adopt healthy lifestyles is now. It’s never too early to start. It’s also never too late. I’m living proof of the latter statement.”
