Who Reached Mt. Everest First – Missing Photograph Mystery?

e-Journal Earth Science India www.earthscienceindia.info Popular Issue, January, 2011

Who reached Mt. Everest first – Missing photograph mystery?

S. Nandargi and O.N. Dhar

It's generally believed that Mt. Everest was conquered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay in 1953. However, recently an interesting article by three experienced meteorologists; Moore G.W.K., Semple J.L., and Sikka D.R., (Moore et al, 2010) on “Mallory and Irvine on Mount Everest: Did extreme……….” has been published in ‘Weather’ Journal, U.K. They have analysed the weather on 8 June 1924, the day when Mallory and Irvine tried to approach the summit of Everest from their last high altitude camp VI (8200 m) (Fig.1 & 2).

Fig.1: Route to Mt. Everest Fig.2: Mallory & Irvine on the way to Summit

As mentioned in this article, these meteorologists have gone through the meteorological data recorded at the base camp (5029 m) in Tibet and also the data observed by climbers at various high altitude camps while climbing the mountain. A thorough checking and analysis of the meteorological data have convinced the authors of the article that the two climbers, Mallory and Irvine’s disappearance on the slopes of northeast ridge of Everest was due to a) ‘Hypoxia’, b) fatigue, and c) extreme cold. They also found that a severe blizzard moved over the Everest region while they were climbing towards the summit.

1 Who reached Mt. Everest first – Missing photograph mystery? S. Nandargi and O.N. Dhar

On the previous evening, that is on June 7 after reaching Camp VI from Camp V (25000 ft), Mallory sent back their four sherpas with a note for Noel Odell, their support party companion, who was to climb to Camp V from Camp IV (23000 ft). Mallory had mentioned in the note that he had left his compass at Camp V and Odell should rescue it. He also instructed Odell that he should go back to Camp IV, so that on their return from the summit they had no difficulty of accommodation at higher camps. Incidentally, Mallory also mentioned that the weather was perfect (Fig.3).

Fig.3: George Mallory

The blizzard, a severe storm condition characterized by widespread snowfall accompanied by low temperature and strong winds (see Fig.4) caused by a western disturbance must have greatly impeded and slowed down their progress, causing enormous difficulty in climbing the steep slopes of the northeast ridge. This extreme bad weather was perhaps responsible for their getting delayed to achieve their object as the approaching darkness was another major factor for the reverse decision of returning to their last high altitude camp VI (8200 m).

During the course of his climb to Camp VI on June 8, Odell found the mists over the north face of Everest suddenly lift and soon the summit ridge of Everest was clearly visible. Odell found Mallory and Irvine like two tiny dots moving one at a time on the snow slope directly under the first rock step (28000 ft) at about 12.50 p.m. Mist again clouded his vision and that was the last time Odell saw them.

Odell reached Camp VI at about 2.00 p.m. and at that time a snow blizzard raged over the mountain. Odell climbed a few hundred feet upwards of Camp VI in the snow blizzard and shouted and whistled, so that he could guide the two climbers to their camp. The weather cleared after about 2 hours and remembering Mallory’s last instructions in the note that he should leave Camp VI to keep the higher camps vacant for the summit party, Odell left for Camp IV after leaving Mallory’s compass in the tent at Camp VI.

2 e-Journal Earth Science India www.earthscienceindia.info Popular Issue, January, 2011

Fig.4: A Blizzard on Everest in 1924.

Next morning on June 9, Odell surveyed the entire North face of Everest from Camp IV, but could not find any trace of the two climbers. Odell, therefore, decided to climb again to Camp VI in search of the missing climbers. He reached Camp VI on June 10 afternoon and it was his second visit to this camp in three days. On reaching Camp VI he was greatly shocked and grieved to find that Mallory’s compass which he had left there during his first visit and other articles in the camp were in the same condition as he had left them on June 8. This convinced him beyond any doubt that the two climbers had not returned to Camp VI from the summit.

For the next eight years, any permission to send expeditions to Everest was refused by the Tibetan authorities. It was only in 1933 that permission was granted and another British expedition was sent to Everest. A member of this expedition, Wyn Harris, found an ice axe on the steep slopes of the northeast face of Everest. The location and position of the ice axe gave the possible clue that Mallory and Irvine might have slipped down to the glacier below as they were roped together. But the ice axe could not give any positive indication whether the climbers had slipped before or after reaching the summit. To that extent the discovery of the ice axe has deepened the mystery whether Mallory and Irvine had reached the summit on the fateful day of June 8, 1924.

Chinese mountaineers who claim to have conquered Everest by the same route in the year 1960, have stated that they found some important mountaineering clues like a piece of rope, a wooden pole and oxygen bottle marked ‘Made in England’ lying on this route to the summit. They also saw a body of an Englishman on the snow field vertically below the place where the ice-axe was found. However, these clues do not present a conclusive proof to show that Mallory and Irvine (or one of them) had been to the summit of Everest and, therefore, the mystery is deepened.

In the summer of 1999, an expert mountaineering team of ‘the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition’ under the leadership of Eric R. Simonson (Hemmleb et al, 1999) was sent to Everest region to find the bodies of the two mountaineers viz. Mallory and Irvine on Everest. Under the guidance of Jochen Hemmleb, after

3 Who reached Mt. Everest first – Missing photograph mystery? S. Nandargi and O.N. Dhar

thoroughly searching the northeast slopes, they finally found only the body of Mallory in frozen but otherwise intact condition.

They found that his one leg was fractured but the remaining body was unharmed and in proper condition. Before removing the body for an honourable burial to a proper place on the ridge slopes, they searched for and collected all his artifacts from the body.

Fig.4: Body of Mallory (Top) and His artifacts collected from his body (below)

One thing what they could not find was the photograph of his wife which he always used to carry in his chest-pocket! He had mentioned to his fellow climbers that if he reached the summit, he would leave the photograph of his wife there (Hemmleb et al, 1999). This missing photograph among the artifacts indicated that they might have reached the top of the Everest, placed the photograph there and then returned along the same route to Camp VI. In so doing, it would have become quite dark and in that process of returning to Camp VI, they must have got exhausted and due to lack of oxygen and severe cold which would have resulted in their death. Irvine’s body was not found and it is guessed that it would have slipped down to the glaciers below.

4 e-Journal Earth Science India www.earthscienceindia.info Popular Issue, January, 2011

Fig.5: Ruth Mallory, wife of G. Mallory

Mallory was the best mountaineer of his time. He was quick-wittedness and brave, and had developed his own technique of climbing. While on a lecture tour of USA, someone from the audience in Philadelphia asked Mallory: “Why do you want to climb Mt. Everest?” Mallory, with a shrug of his shoulders and without waiting for a moment answered: “Because it is there”. It was a brief and straight forward answer considered to be the best that could be given off hand. During those last years of Mallory, the challenge of Everest always occupied his mind. He was the moving spirit behind the early Everest Expeditions of 1921, 1922 and 1924. It is said that he was mountaineer of unequalled endurance and stamina. Because of his mountaineering qualities his death was a great surprise and sorrow to the entire mountaineering circle all over the world!

In the 1924 expedition, Mallory was in first summit party along with Geoffery Bruce. Due to continued bad weather they had to turn back. Mallory decided to have another try at the summit with Andrew Irvine, a comparatively new comer to the Himalayas, but one with considerable experience in handling the oxygen kit which Mallory and Irvine were to use on the second attempt to the summit.

It is felt, because of the missing photograph, that in all possibility Mallory and Irvine reached the Summit in the late evening of 8 June 1924 and since they had to return to Camp VI in very adverse weather condition, they died due to lack of oxygen and fatigue etc. Odell, who saw them last, is of the opinion that either one of them or both of them must have reached the summit and the accident must have taken place during their descent from the summit. In case they had reached the top, they were the first persons in 1924 to reach the Everest and much before Hillary and Tensing did in 1953. However, we must get a positive proof before it is finally decided as to who were the first to reach the Everest. If Mallory and Irvine were the first to reach the Summit in 1924, they should not be denied this honour but of course proof is necessary although the missing photograph cannot be an exclusive proof of reaching the top.

5 Who reached Mt. Everest first – Missing photograph mystery? S. Nandargi and O.N. Dhar

Fig. 6: G.Mallory and Andrew Irvine.

Sir Francis Younghusbend, President of the Everest Foundation at that time, said the following on Mallory’s death –

“One of the greatest mysteries of our existence is what is awful and terrible does not deter man but draws him to it.”

6 e-Journal Earth Science India www.earthscienceindia.info Popular Issue, January, 2011