Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to climb Mount Everest. But before their success in 1953, several attempts were made to climb the great mountain. As per NOVA Online, even though human beings had reached the North Pole and the South Pole by the 1920s, the “Third Pole” or Mount Everest was yet to be reached. In 1924, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine set out to climb the peak, but it’s still a mystery whether the duo reached the peak before they went missing.
In his book “The Flight for Everest,” Noel Odelle wrote, “The question remains, ‘Has Mount Everest been climbed?’ It must be left unanswered, for there is no direct evidence. But bearing in mind all the circumstances I have set out…. considering their position when last seen, I think myself there is a strong probability that Mallory and Irvine succeeded.”
In 1924, the duo set out with artificial oxygen to help them climb the peak. Two attempts had already been made by them, but nobody ventured above 24,600 feet. Mallory was a part of the previous expeditions as well and was known as one of the best climbers in Britain. On the other hand, Irvine, 22, didn’t have much rock climbing experience but was a specialist with oxygen cylinders.
Nobody knew what kind of impact climbing so high up would have on a climber’s body and if artificial oxygen could really help. However, it was clear that the feat couldn’t be achieved naturally without any apparatus. The oxygen cylinders of the time were also unreliable and leaks were common. Irvine specialized in fixing and assembling oxygen cylinders and that’s how he came into the picture.
On June 6, 1924, after having a breakfast of dried sardines, the duo set out to climb the Mountain. They met Howard Somervell on their way who loaned them their camera. The climbers were last spotted on June 8 by geologist Noel Odelle who followed behind in support. From Odelle’s place, the two didn’t look any bigger than two black dots. They were approaching a rock step called “the second step” and seemed to be going strong. He was sure they would succeed when they eventually disappeared from his sight because of the clouds.
A snow squall covered the mountain. When Odelle arrived at the high camp, he found Irvine and Mallory’s belongings strewn over in the tent. Nobody knew what happened to the pair. An ice axe was found a few years later with three marks on it. A characteristic feature of Irvine’s belongings. Among their belongings, there was a working torch. The researchers wondered if Mallory had forgotten to take the torch with him, because of which they couldn’t send a signal to their team for help. The camera that Mallory borrowed still lies somewhere on the mountain and if it’s found, it can give proof of whether the duo managed to climb the mountain in 1924 or not.
On this day, May 1 in 1999, the body of George Mallory was found on Chinese slope of Mt #Everest (8848.86 m) by American climber Conrad Anker @conrad_anker. Mallory was missing with his partner Andrew Irvine since 1924. https://t.co/mXmiOfRdqt— Everest Today (@EverestToday) May 1, 2022
