Sir Edmund Hillary – Mount Everest 29 May 1953

On 29^th May 1953 Sir Edmund Hillary was the first climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest, along with Tenzing Norgay, one of the local Himalayans Sherpas. They were part of a British expedition, climbing the highest mountain peak in the world, 8848m high.

Led by Colonel John Hunt and consisting of climbers, Dr R.C. Evans, G. Band, T. Bourdillon, A. Gregory, Edmund Hillary, W.G. Lowe, C. Noyce, M.P. Ward, M. Westmacott, and C.G. Wylie.

Sixty-nine years later we proudly remember the achievements of the famous New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary. Sir Ed, as he was known, was born 20 July 1919, the same year as my Mum, and he died 11 January 2008 aged 89 years old.

He will always be remembered as a famous mountaineer and explorer. He was also part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition and he reached the South Pole overland in 1958. He also reached the North Pole making him the first person to reach both poles and the summit Mount Everest.

Hillary devoted most of his life to helping the Himalayan Sherpa people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust, which he founded. Through his efforts, many schools and hospitals were built in Nepal. It was not climbing Mt Everest that Sir Ed thought of as his greatest achievement but helping the people of Nepal.

I have recently read that he said: "I declare that I have had a full life with much happiness and a share of sadness. I have little cause for complaint. If, however some people in New Zealand feel I have made some contribution to the prestige of my country then they could best demonstrate this by continuing modest support to the Himalayan People I have worked with for so many years.”

Mount Everest has been a challenge for many climbers and Sherpas over the years. News reports have been published this month giving updates of climbers achievements.

Exciting news this year on 17 May 2022, at the age of 19 years, Gabby Kanizay has become the youngest Australian to climb Mount Everest, 8,849m. Gabby

also climbed with her mother, Jane Kanizay, and they became one of the few mother-daughter pairing to reach the summit of Mt Everest together. The day after conquering Everest, Gabby then climbed Mt Everest’s neighbour, Lhostse, the worlds fourth-highest mountain at 8,516m. There are 14 mountains above 8,000m in the world and Gabby has now climbed three of them.

Searching internet news reports, this year,2022, Nepal has issued 316 permits to mountaineers for this year’s spring climbing season, which runs from mid-April to the end of May. Most Mt Everest hopefuls are each escorted by the neophilia guide, meaning more than 600 climbers will tread the same path to the tip of the 8,849metre (29,032 foot) peak in the coming weeks. There are several hundred Sherpa guides and support staff who have been stationed at base came since April 2022, planning their climb of the world highest peak.

Every season there are tragedies as the mountain claims the lives of the climbers attempting to make it to the peak or on their return journey down the steep slopes. More than 300 people have died attempting to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Deaths have been attributed to avalanches, falls, serac collapse, exposure, frostbite, or health problems related to conditions on the mountain. Not all bodies have been located, so details on those deaths are not available.

Climbing Everest is dangerous, with 12 people dying in 2019

There were 4 deaths in 2021, and no recorded deaths in 2020.

On the 14 April 2022, there was the first fatality this season, a Nepali climber carrying equipment uphill was found dead.This month a Russian climber died on the 8^th May 2022.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_died_climbing_Mount_Everest

The Covid-19 outbreaks during the past two years continue to be major concern for those in Nepal visiting the Himalayan camps as well as the workers and local communities. During 2020, the climbing season was closed due to the Covid-19 World Pandemic. China continues to ban foreign climbers because of the corona-virus pandemic, Nepal re-opened its peaks to mountaineers in 2021. With Covid-19 cases receding, expedition operators in Nepal are hopeful for a busier climbing season this year.

Last weekend on Sunday we remembered the date 29^th May 1953, the day Sir Edmund Hillary and his companion Tenzing Norgay climbed the highest peak in the world, Mt Everest. After descending to the South Col, they are met by George Lowe where Hillary states: "Well, George, we knocked the bastard off !"

It is time to enjoy the great outdoors, weather permitting, it is a good time to go for a walk up a hill, here on Norfolk Island Mt Pitt and Mt Batts are our highest peak, so maybe I will take a walk and enjoy the view from up the top

Betty Matthews
June 2022