THE CONQUEST OF EVEREST

A CENTURY AFTER IT WAS SHOWN TO BE THE EARTH'S HIGHEST POINT, EVEREST WAS FINALLY CONQUERED, BY EDMUND HILLARY AND TENZING NORGAY

A survey carried out in 1852 showed Mount Everest to be the highest point on the surface of the earth, and over the next 101 year expeditions from several countries tried unsuccessfully to climb this mighty peak, leading many to conclude that Everest was unconquerable.

In 1924 George Mallory and Andrew Irvine climb above 28,000 feet / 8,534 m and then disappeared, rasing the possibility that they may have reach the summit and died on the decent, but still noone  knew     whether Everest could be climb. 

George Mallory and Andrew Irvine

The last photograph of George Mallory (left) and
Andrew 'Sandy' Irvine. Courtesy of Royal Geographical Society 

Then, at 11.30am on May 26, 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered " the unconquerable" and became the first human known to have stood on " the roof of the world

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

Expedition leader colonel John Hunt had decided to launch two assaults  on the summit. The first pair of climbers was driven back by lack of oxygen, and then Hillary and Norgay would given their chance of making history, carrying heavier, but longer - lasting, breathing equipment. 


Hours after living their highest camp, they reach what Hillary describe as " symmetrical, beautiful snow-corn summit,"  where they planted flag, Norgay buried offering to the Gods of mountain and Hillary left a crucifix given to hi by Hunt. The news reached Britain on the eve of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and The Evening News reported, " Today, while million of flags deck Britain, the loneliest Reunion Jack in the world flies from its highest peak

          This photo is of Tenzing as a young man

British mountain climber George Mallory 
on the Aiguille Verte in France in 1909.

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