Edmund Hillary Conquers Mount Everest

29th May 1953

On this day, Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist, and the Sherpa mountaineer, Tenzing Norgay, became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by John Hunt who described Hillary as being “exceptionally strong and abounding in a restless energy.” on 28th May, the two pitched a tent at 27,900 feet and set out for the summit the following morning. The final obstacle was a 12m rock face later to be known as “Hillary Step”. As Hillary wrote later, “A few more whacks with my ice-axe and Tenzing and I stood on top of Everest.” It was 11:30 a.m. Before descending again, Tenzing left chocolates at the summit as an offering, and Hillary left a cross given to him by John Hunt.

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