One of my favorite unsolved mysteries of the alpine is the question of who really summited Everest first. The debate has fascinated me for much of my life.
Currently, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay hold the title. Completed in 1953, this is the first confirmed summit of Mount Everest. This has been contested forever because there are many who believe it was, in fact, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine completed the daunting task almost 30 years earlier. The problem: there is no proof. Mallory and Irvine perished on the expedition. There are many others with the same intrigue who have sought out the Himalayan behemoth only to seek proof that Mallory and Irvine deserve the to hold the "first ascent" accomplishment. There are others who believe the Mallory/Irvine team never could have completed the task with the gear that would have been available to them at that time. Mountaineering teams have tried and failed many times to retrieve Andrew Irvine's lost camera- a camera that could end the debate, once and for all.
A part of me has always held out hope that George Mallory and Andrew Irvine summited first. Maybe it's the idea of two men with nothing but determination and passion completing such a challenge. Maybe it's the mystery shrouding the tale. Maybe I just love an underdog story.
Let's discuss. Who do you think summited Mount Everest first?
I never knew about this! Everest had a grip on me when I was really young. I remember reading this book called "Peak" about a young boy climbing Everest and becoming pretty obsessed, but I don't remember ever hearing about anyone other than Hillary and Norgay. I'm really interested to learn more about Mallory and Irvine. Thank you for sharing!