Sir Edmund Hillary had a dream of conquering the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. He had climbed 11 different peaks over 20,000 feet. Between 1920 and 1952 seven different expeditions had tried to climb Mt. Everest and had failed.
Sir John Hunt invited Hillary to join his expedition to Mt. Everest. They practiced in the Scottish Highlands for two years to prepare for the climb. Edmund Hillary joined expeditions to explore Everest in 1951 and 1952.
In March 1953 Hillary and Hunt and twenty other of the best climbers in the world met at the base of Mt. Everest. Their company included 350 Nepalese workers and 36 Sherpas. Sherpas are people who are familiar with the rugged terrain and weather and who serve as guides for the climbers. They carried 10,000 pounds of food and equipment with them.
The group reached the South Peak in May but most of the group had to turn back because of the altitude and exhaustion. The party's base camp was just 1,100 feet below the peak. John Hunt sent two men to try and go the rest of the way but they didn't make it. They came back to the camp with good information about how to make the climb. Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a native Nepalese who had participated in five other climbs were the only ones able to make the final ascent to the summit. They reached the summit, 29,028 feet above sea level, at 11:30 on the morning of May 29, 1953.
Sir John Hunt invited Hillary to join his expedition to Mt. Everest. They practiced in the Scottish Highlands for two years to prepare for the climb. Edmund Hillary joined expeditions to explore Everest in 1951 and 1952.
In March 1953 Hillary and Hunt and twenty other of the best climbers in the world met at the base of Mt. Everest. Their company included 350 Nepalese workers and 36 Sherpas. Sherpas are people who are familiar with the rugged terrain and weather and who serve as guides for the climbers. They carried 10,000 pounds of food and equipment with them.
The group reached the South Peak in May but most of the group had to turn back because of the altitude and exhaustion. The party's base camp was just 1,100 feet below the peak. John Hunt sent two men to try and go the rest of the way but they didn't make it. They came back to the camp with good information about how to make the climb. Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a native Nepalese who had participated in five other climbs were the only ones able to make the final ascent to the summit. They reached the summit, 29,028 feet above sea level, at 11:30 on the morning of May 29, 1953.
