Conquest of Everest

Mount Everest, 8,848.86 metres high according to the elevation agreed by Nepal and China in 2020, is the highest mountain on Earth. Its summit lies on the border between Nepal and Tibet, in the Himalayas. Serious attempts began in the 1920s, when British expeditions explored the northern approach from Tibet.

George Mallory and Andrew Irvine disappeared during the 1924 expedition, and it remains uncertain whether they reached the summit. Later, access to Tibet became politically difficult, so expeditions focused on the southern route through Nepal. Better knowledge of the mountain, improved equipment and the experience of Sherpa climbers gradually made success more realistic.

On 29 May 1953, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa mountaineer, reached the summit in a British expedition led by John Hunt. They used the South Col route and supplemental oxygen during the final ascent. The news was announced shortly before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and became an international event.

Exploration continued: climbers later opened new routes and some reached the summit without supplemental oxygen. Today, climbing Everest remains demanding and dangerous. Low air pressure reduces available oxygen, while cold, wind, altitude sickness and changing weather create serious risks. Heavy climbing activity also puts pressure on the mountain’s environment.