British Stars To Climb Kilimanjaro For Comic Relief

Ronan keating IS NOT BRITISH!!!

Is that the only comment you can make about such an amazing effort by these stars!! not very constructive!

I am well aware of the effort that thses stars are putting in thank you very much. I have followed Ronan Keating for several years on his charity raising walks and expeditions so I don't need you telling me what I am thinking. I think as an apparent journalist writing an article about someone doing such a great thing they would at least get the bloody facts right!!

Thanks for your comments. The stars aren't the only ones putting in effort for these causes. Look To The Stars is run by a team of volunteers alongside their full-time commitments. We greatly appreciate helpful comments and information sent in by our readers, as it really helps us to do a better job.

I climbed to Uhuru Peak in 2004, it is tough but truly amazing. I set off with 52 people for the Charity Scope. There were only 3 women got to the very top.I would like to wish them the very best of luck.Advise ....drink loads,eat as much as you can and walk slowly. Wear silk inner gloves so you can take photos and not freeze your fingers.
Most importantly ENJOY x x

Where did the writer get the facts about Kilimanjaro from? The mortality rate is not that high!! Besides a lot more people attempt to climb it and and the percentage of people reaching the top is not that low. Getting the facts right is quite important alright.

Vania: thanks for your feedback on the quoted facts. 20-30 tourists and porters die each year from pulmonary edema alone*, but the quoted figure of 100 total deaths is indeed likely to be on the high side.

Note also that at least 50% of tourist climbers do not reach the summit, so 1400 of 4000 does not seem too far off the mark.

If you have more authoritative figures I would be happy to update the article accordingly.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kilimanjaro

I checked with our writer Tim about his sources, and he had this to say:

"The quoted figure was from an interview I did with a chap named Tony Christiansen, who was the first person with no legs to climb the mountain. He pulled himself up on his backside..."

So the figures were not scientific by any means, but lacked nothing in authority.

Dear Steve,

Thanks for your message. About 10 climbers die each year, together with an unknown number of local porters - figures for these are guessed at between 10-20. That is a big difference between 20 and 100.
I am thinking of climbing Kili myself and that figure is very scary and puts people off. I did my research: a great number of websites and a very good book from Henry Stedman (who knows all about Kili. He has also a website. If you want I can send you the link). And once again the figures I found were 10 deaths a year.

Furthermore, around 25.000 people climb Kilimanjaro every year. I have found higher figures, but it's only 25.000 according to BBC. The number is so high that scientists believe the ice in the glaciers will melt in the next 50 years. I am not certain of the exact percentage of people reaching the summit. I believe that at least 40% reach the summit, but I have no source to confirm this figure.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for that, Vania. There seems to be little in the way of consistent and impartial information, and so I suppose this discussion is somewhat academic.

Tim's source would have an interest in exaggerating the difficulty of the climb, whereas yours (who runs his own tourist trips to the mountain) would want to play down the danger.

I think it would be fair to say that there's significant risk that would-be trekkers should consider, but that prepared and fit individuals have a good chance of reaching the summit.

And indeed my brother and father successfully climbed Kilimanjaro and neighbouring Meru a few years ago (though many of their party gave up).

Best of luck for your planned trip and ascent!

Hopefully we have, between us, added some helpful background information for future readers of this article.

I found this page, which appears to offer some helpful information on the how dangerous the climb is:

http://www.mtkilimanjarologue.com/planning/random/mt-kilimanjaro-how-dangerous-is-it-really.html

The author quotes a figure of 12,000 failed summit attempts out of 30,000 each year, and around 10 tourist fatalities, but comments that the true number of porter fatalities is difficult to research because the local authorities have a vested interest in continuing to attract tourists.

Steve, I think you are absolutely right! It's very hard to find impartial information about climbing Kilimanjaro.
Nevertheless, I think the important thing is that people are aware that it is not an easy trek. Fitness is important, but fitness alone doesn’t guarantee reaching the top. The body’s ability to cope with high altitude is one of the most important and decisive factors for a successful climb to the summit. I can only hope my body will cope with high altitude. And, of course, a positive state of mind and a bit of confidence (but not over-confidence) will help.

Regarding the porters, I think it quite upsetting that the people who work the hardest are the ones who are most discriminated against. But their situation is gradually improving (well at least we hope it is). However, some of their deaths could be prevented if people around them cared enough to pay attention. Please check if the porter has enough clothes to keep his body warm, make sure they are fed and they have good place to sleep. If a porter is not feeling well, pay them assistance, the same way they would have pay assistance to you. At last but not least, give a good tip directly to them and remember they work hard and they only earn a maximum of US$8 a day, so a good tip equivalent to what you spend on a night out, might actual feed an entire family. You can also give them trekking gear you don’t need.

The website you suggested is quite good. I will read it carefully. It be quite frightening when you are thinking of climbing a mountain 5891 metres high. Well all I can do is hope for the best…

I've read the information on the website
http://www.mtkilimanjarologue.com/planning/random/mt-kilimanjaro-how-dangerous-is-it-really.html
It's really good! Thank you, Steve.

hi, im pretty new at comments on the net. i'm following the red nose kili climb because i've been to the shineing mountain on two occations. 1st time, i bailed at @ 18000 ft(gutted)but, the experience, and the story got me through my fire brigade interview.second time i tried a harder, but longer route, and finally made the summit. that was 2006. the people i did the climb with held a special celerbration for me after reaching the summit because, they recondrd that if they had not reached the summit, there was no way that they would have attempted a second attempt. i w3ish chris and the team every sucsess, and i really wish i as doing this excepional journey with them,(and believe me it's tough.
regards and the very best of luck,
steve mcilroy.
(pole, pole, this mantra will get you guys to uhuru

wow this is so amazing i wish them the best of luck- it will be so eye opening!! good luck guys rock on!
xxxx

Much as I support Comic Relief, and any and all attempts for anybody to further the cause, I wonder a great deal about this feat.

I started wondering initially about the fitness levels of certain "celebrities", and am a little worried to hear that some of them have only had 1 or 2 days training.

Althought this is only a minor gripe, I looked at sponsoring them, only to find that the Comic Relief link is only really a donation - small point.

But what worries me most of all, bearing in mind a lot of the silly tricks that TV pull to fake "actual" things, is details.

Having been to Kenya, where I visited Kilimanjaro, I thought "ooh, I wonder what route, and which peak they're going to?" Why can I find nothing about it? It does make you suspicious, doesn't it?

Bearing in mind that a climb to the highest peak should take approx 5 days, with a recommended entourage of around 30, I wonder if we'll get some "real" footage, or will it be a pathetically vague report with a final shot of them reaching the summit tagged on the end?

So, don't get the impression that I'm knocking what they're doing - far from it, but I am seriously sondering whether it'll contain any truth whatsoever.

Well it dosent matter how mych you want to argue but atleast they are doing their best..you mite of climbed a moutin in 2004 so you know how it feels to climb a big mountin so you should be giving all your support not slagging them off !!! Least they are flipping trying!

All very interesting. The tourist fatality rate I have read (and believe) is around 3 a year of the 30,000 who climb. Anyone who is serious about climbing the mountain should consult the Bible "Kilimanjaro" by Henry Steadman, who has personally climbed every route, numerous times - I think he's adicted - as well he might be. I climbed Kili last year and it's the most amazing experience and totally not what you expect it to be. I have been trying to find out where the Celebs are and what route they are on but the coverage is deliberately vague. I think this is to stop the paps rather than for any conspiracy reasons. The footage of them in the pod casts is definitely Kili and they seem to be taking a longish route (good). Will they make the top? Well it's not about fitness, so don't be surprised if Moyles makes it when the fit looking gym bunnies don't!
Good luck to them all.

i have read the comments surrounding the celebs climbing killy,..i summited killy in oct 2006 and i can tell you it was the hardest thing i have ever done,..i was with a party of fifty people we all raised five thousand euros each for a dublin homeless charity THE SIMON COMMUNITY i am a fifty six year old grandfather but i trained very hard every day for many months before the climb,..our guides were a british company named" across the divide" we were in expert hands and we were told in no uncertain terms that twelve people on average a year at least die on the mountain,...but even if the figure was only ONE PER YEAR it means your life is at risk ,..end of story,..so how many is irrevelant,...just as long as you know ,...you may NOT be coming down alive,....think about that,..and believe me it was scary when we were about to make the final climb to the summit at GILMANS point 5,681 metrs ,the doctor checked us ALL, two had prior to this collapsed,..roughly half either gave up at this point or were sent back suffering altitude sickness ,..so sixteen of us twelve men and four women were told beyond this point ,..there is NO possibility of rescue as it is too high for the helicopter to reach ,..it is encrusted ice and jagged rocks ,..crampons and ropes or poles are useless,..you must litterally scramble like a mountain goat ,..with blackness all around you and the silence of the grave falls upon everyone as you carfully choose what could be your final step and slip down to eternity,..this is the REALITY,.. when we finally climbed up on to the summit,..we only had the energy to stay about two minutes we cried and held each other in an embrace that bonded us together forever,..and then we faced another day descending which is every bit as dangerous as ascending,..it was the worst winter on kily in thirty years ,..but we survived it,..and i am saying here and now,..i dont care how far these celebs get or dont get,..they like us are doing something to benifit others,..and i salute them,...its easy to critizise from your armchair,...but they are there,..greater love hath no man than to lay it down for another. god bless you all and send you back safe. glenn gannon.

I have just watched an hour long programme about the climb on BBC, and I am in awe. I admit that I thought most of these celebs were a bit of a waste of space, too fond of their own publicity and cash value. But not now. They all did brilliantly. Ferne Cotton (who I had a pretty low opinion of prior to this programme) was amazing. She looked so ill at one point I didn't recognise her. But she would not quit. She was amazing. Cheryl Cole was clearly frightened a lot of the time ('I don't like it!') but she was so determined. And even Gary Boring Barlow was really brave, to continue when he was clearly in pain. And while we all know that there will be an element of playing to the cameras, the support team they had seemed to genuinely like all the celebs, and admired their accomplishment.

Well done all the celebs!

I just climbed a month ago and it was an awesome experience. I was like most on this post that feared the unknowns of the climb, but found it easier than I had thought.

I was part of a charity climb and 23 of the 24 of us reached the summit. That was mainly due to choosing the longest route. The long trek allowed us to acclimatize to altitude.

This is a good story but I too take exception to the stats. I'd say more than 40,000 attempt the climb each year (there were easily 150 attempting from Barafu Camp the day we were there) and more than half make it.

The one death in 40 ratio is obviously way off.