Former 'Today' Correspondent Set to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro -- For 90th Birthday

Art Ulene has two milestones coming up: his 90th birthday and seeing the world from Mount Kilimanjaro.

The former Today show medical correspondent has been training hard three days a week. As beautifully documented by reporter Sydney Page at The Washington Post, the 89-year-old vows to celebrate his 90th birthday by becoming the oldest person ever to summit the highest free-standing mountain the world.

It's going to take him 13 days, after choosing a route that will be longer than his previous three attempts, but it'll be less steep, not that he's not working hard at overcoming such a challenge.

The Washington Post reports that Ulene summited Mt. Kilimanjaro for the first time in 2011 and then again in 2013. His third attempt in 2022 was cut short when he had to turn back at 17,000 feet because he wasn't feeling well.

Ulene was supposed to make a fourth attempt last October, but those plans came to a halt when he underwent a right hip replacement in September. Since then, The Post reports that Ulene, who lives in Los Angeles, has been training three times a week, climbing 50 flights of stairs; 55 flights if he pushes himself, which is interesting considering Ulene says he doesn't like to exercise, but loves how he feels afterwards.

That he's summited Mt. Kilimanjaro twice already and made a third attempt is impressive. Even more impressive? He didn't make his first serious climb until he was 74. He and Priscilla, his wife of 65 years, have built an impressive climbing resume that includes hiking four mountains in South America. They also trekked the Mount Everest Base Camp trail, per The Post.

Ulene is a retired gynecologist. Per The Post, he spent 21 years as a medical correspondent for Today on NBC. He has three children and seven grandchildren.

The plan is for Ulene to fly to Tanzania on June 27. He'll begin his climb -- alongside a group that will guide him along the way -- on July 1. He turns 90 on July 13, and he hopes to be high above the clouds by that point.

If he successfully summits the mountainous beast, Ulene will vie to become the Guinness World Record holder for the oldest person to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. The record currently belongs to Fred Distelhorst, who accomplished the feat at 87 in 2017.

"Stereotypes portray aging as an inevitable period of decline; I am living proof that that's not true," Ulene told The Washington Post. "Live up to your potential instead of your age."

Ulene seems determined as ever. And it's inspiring as hell.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 12:59 PM.