Texas girl, 7, sets record in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

AUSTIN, Texas — An Austin girl has become the youngest female to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, a friend of the family said.

Montannah Kenney, 7, reached the summit of the mountain March 16 with her mother at her side every step of the way, said Declan Waters. The two began their trek up the 19,341-foot mountain in Tanzania on March 10, said Waters, who has been keeping in contact with the pair.

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Montannah is a second-grader at River Ridge Elementary in Steiner Ranch. Her mother, Hollie Kenney, 45, is a former professional triathlete.

The mother and daughter planned the trek in memory of Montannah’s father, who died a week after her third birthday.

"The higher I go, the closer I get to him in heaven," she told the American-Statesman before her climb.

An estimated 25,000 people set out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro each year; about two-thirds make it to the top. Park rules require that climbers be 10 years old, but officials can issue special permits for younger climbers, which Montannah obtained.

Roxy Getter, of Florida, who was then 8, was the previous youngest female to complete the climb. Keats Boyd, of Los Angeles, was 7 when he climbed.

“I want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro because it would be a fun adventure with my mom, and because it would be really cool to try to break the world record,”

Montannah told the Statesman

. “But I would want to climb it anyway because I don’t care if I break it.”