March 5, 2022
In the Spring of 1953, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand beekeeper, Edmund Hillary made history, becoming the first to summit Mount Everest. Their momentous achievement capped off decades of failed expeditions, beginning in the 1920s. The towering mountain rebuffed more than 10 major expeditions along with two solo suicide missions.
The previous closest attempt witnessed famed British climbers, George Leigh-Mallory and Andrew "Sandy" Irvine, just 800 feet from Evert’s apex before they were never seen again. The herculean feat ended the “Thirty Years’ War on Everest” after diplomatic changes opened a new path to the top. Here’s the summit story of Mount Everest.
A Race To The Top
Back then, the two roads to Everest went through Nepal and Tibet. For years, Nepal did not allow climbing parties. This worked for the British since they were the only Western country on speaking terms with Tibet. Starting in the ’20s the British predictably made Everest their White Whale, putting tremendous resources into earning the distinction of conquering the summit for themselves.
A Military Operation
To accomplish their ends, the British tasked Sir John Hunt and equipped him with the means to topple the seemingly impossible climb. 350 porters, 20 Sherpas, and a mountain of equipment attempted to assist a cadre of ten hopeful climbers to make history.
It’s worth noting that none of these exorbitant expeditions would be possible without the local Sherpas who make between 3 and 10 rupees a day. However, one exceptional local guide, Tenzing Norgay, garnered more than 50 times that due to his extensive Everest Experience.
Tenzing Norgay
The Sirdar of the climbing expedition functions like the lead guide and Norgay was considered the best of the best. He took two separate groups in 1952, guiding legendary alpinist, Raymond Lambert,to 28,210 feet as high as anyone was known to have gone up to that point.
Incredibly, Norgay joined the select group of 10 despite overcoming malaria and the two climbs in the previous year. The crusades leader Hunt called him “astonishingly excellent in courage and determination,” along with physically wonderful.” His inclusion in the select climbers group was also special because locals usually just helped the whimsical British with their insane vision of grandeur for money, not prestige. But Norgay was cut from a different cloth.
The Plan
As party member George Band recalled, "Our climbers were all chosen as potential summiters. The basic plan was for two summit attempts, each by a pair of climbers, with a possible third assault if necessary. On such expeditions the leader tends to designate the summit pairs quite late during the expedition, when he sees how everybody is performing." By taking the newly opened southern route through Nepal, the group hoped to take what would become known as "yellow brick road" through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall.
Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary stood as another contender for history. Mountaineering historian Ken Wilson described the 33-year-old as "A sleeves-rolled-up, get-things-done man. It was his fourth Himalayan expedition in just over two years and he was at the peak of fitness."
Despite the preparedness of the group they sloughed at a worryingly slow place to reach through 12 days to reach the South Col, a vital staging area for the final push. Even though Hillary and Norgay admirably acquitted themselves, Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans, two British climbers, were chosen as the first pair to make their assault to the top.
History Made
Unfortunately, for Bourdillon and Evans, oxygen struggles forced them to turn back just 330 feet from immortality. Evans was particularly gassed. According to Bourdillon’s closest friend, "It was a decision Tom always regretted." The next group up was Hillary and Norgay who so expertly navigated the deadly climb. One especially difficult section became known as the “Hillary Step.” Together they took in the view of history for just 15 minutes.
Forever Linked
As Hillary later wrote, they shook hands "In good Anglo-Saxon fashion" before Norgay gave him a hug. The British climber who was eventually knighted also said, 'Inevitably my thoughts turned to Mallory and Irvine. With little hope I looked around for some sign that they had reached the summit, but could see nothing.' Upon returning the the group, the New Zealander put it best, "Well, George, we knocked the bastard off!"