From Kilterboard to Kilimanjaro: Raising awareness of student mental health
There’s a moment, somewhere around climb number 200 of 1,474, when the novelty wears off. Your fingers are cooked, your legs are shot, and the number still feels impossibly large. That’s when you have to ask yourself: why am I doing this?
Who am I?
My name is George Robinson (Robbo to most), and I’m an MSc student at the University of Edinburgh studying Outdoor Environmental and Sustainability Education. I work as an outdoor instructor, and my long-term goal is to work in the outdoor industry as a guide, educator and adventurer. Climbing has been part of my life for sixteen years now. I’ve found my place in this community as a coach, an instructor, and someone who genuinely believes that the outdoors can change lives.
This year, that belief is being put to the test… in a big way.
The Challenge: 1,474 Climbs on the Kilterboard
In September 2027, I’ll be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro — all 5,895 metres of it. The highest peak in Africa, one of the Seven Summits, and easily the biggest challenge I’ve taken on.
I’m doing it to raise money for Student Minds, the UK’s leading student mental health charity. As part of the challenge, I need to fundraise the cost of the trip and match that amount again as a donation. So before I even get to Tanzania, I’m climbing the equivalent height of Kilimanjaro right here in Edinburgh on the Kilterboard. That works out to 1,474 individual climbs across countless sessions. At the time of writing, I’m around 300 climbs in, so there’s still a long way to go.
Why Student Minds?
During my undergraduate degree, Covid hit. Like a lot of people, I struggled. What got me through some of the hardest stretches of that period were the resources provided by Student Minds. They were there when I needed them, and I can’t thank them enough. This fundraiser is my way of making sure they can be there for the next person who does.
I want to be open about my mental health battles because I think it’s necessary. The more of us who speak up, the more we chip away at the stigma that stops people from reaching out. If one person reads this and feels less alone, then the blog has already done its job.
The Irony of Burnout (And What It Taught Me)
I originally set myself a two-month deadline to complete all 1,474 climbs. Spoiler: that ship sailed.
Balancing work, a master's, the logistics of leading a twelve-person expedition, and hammering a Kilterboard three times a week was sending me in exactly the wrong direction. I was burning out. I was getting ill. And (perhaps most telling of all) I was not practicing what I preach.
I study and teach outdoor education in part because I believe in sustainable wellbeing. I believe in rest, recovery, and listening to your body and mind. And here I was, grinding myself into the ground in the name of a mental health charity.
So, I made the tough decision to push back the Kilimanjaro trip to September 2027. It felt like failure at first. It wasn’t. It was the right call. Honestly, it’s the most authentic thing I could have done given what this challenge is about. You can’t pour from an empty vessel. You can’t advocate for mental health while silently falling apart, and sometimes it just means giving yourself permission to breathe.
Highlight so far - Altitude Chamber
One of the most exciting parts of this journey so far has been working with the University of Edinburgh, who recently invited our team of twelve into an environmental chamber to simulate the altitude of Kilimanjaro. We talked through acclimatisation, the risks we might face, what to expect from our bodies at nearly 6,000 metres, and the realities of sleeping at altitude. It was sobering yet exciting all at once.
Why Gekco?
I care very deeply about the environment, and I want to become mindful of what I buy and consume. Working in this industry and studying the course I do, means that I’m very aware of the impact my decisions have on the planet. When it comes to partnerships, I don’t take alignment lightly. Gekco’s commitment to environmentally responsible chalk production is something I genuinely admire. Gekco chalk is what’s keeping me holding on to the Kilterboard.
How You Can Help
Donations go to raising funds to cover the cost of the expedition as well as an equal donation to Student Minds. Any money raised over my goal will also go straight to Student Minds. This will support their work providing mental health resources and services to students across the UK. The fundraising target is £1,650.
Donate here: justgiving.com/page/george-robinson-1
If you want to follow the journey, you can find me on Instagram at @robbo_on_belay. I’ll be posting about my Kilterboard sessions, the prep, the setbacks, and eventually the summit (hopefully).
“I want to help but I can’t donate."
That’s okay, you can also contribute a climb. If you have access to a Kilterboard, film yourself on a send and then tag me in it on Instagram. Your climb will be contributed to my 1,474 climbs, and my fingers and skin will thank you immensely. Make sure to use the #kilter2kili in your post.
Finally, if you are reading this and are quietly struggling, please reach out. To a friend or to a professional. The climbing community is one of the best communities in the world.
Please know you are welcome here.
Climb your mountains, don’t live in their shadows.