Two brothers from Nome, Alaska, have reached another major milestone in their mountaineering journey by summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, carrying an Alaska flag to the peak, their third significant summit across different continents.
Wilson and Oliver Hoogendorn completed their seven-day climb up Africa’s highest mountain, planting an Alaska flag at about 19,000 feet above sea level to mark the achievement and represent their home state at the iconic summit. Weather conditions on the peak hovered near freezing but did not deter the brothers, who are no strangers to extreme environments.
For this expedition, the pair were supported by a larger team of 17 guides, porters, and support staff, a departure from their earlier climbs where they often carried their own gear and traveled more independently. The change in approach offered a different experience, with Wilson describing part of it as “feeling spoiled” compared with past climbs.
Oliver carried the full-size Alaska flag on all three of his major summits, including their earlier ascent in South America and on Denali, North America’s tallest peak, a symbolic gesture that underscores the brothers’ deep connection to their home state.
The brothers said they hope their journey can inspire others to pursue challenging goals. “It seems like a lot of people think they can’t do something,” Wilson said. “But if you just try it, you probably won’t do good the first time, but second time you’ll do better.”
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The Kilimanjaro climb marks the third of what the siblings hope will eventually be the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent. Their next potential challenge could be Mount Vinson in Antarctica, as they continue to carry Alaska’s flag to the world’s most remote mountaintops.
